温莎公爵（Duke of Windsor）与辛普森夫人（Wallis Simpson）：一场轰动世界的贵族婚姻（中英双语）

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温莎公爵与辛普森夫人：一场轰动世界的贵族婚姻

本文灵感来源：

可以说，因爱而生的梵克雅宝，在100多年的时间里，一直作为爱的信使见证了很多伟大的爱情故事，并成为这些浪漫传奇的绝佳点缀，很多皇室名流都会选择梵克雅宝作为他们爱情的见证。
1936年12月11日，爱德华八世在继位11个月之后，毅然辞去王位，成为英联邦历史上第一位自动退位的国王，退位后被其弟乔治六世封为温莎公爵。他之所以这样做，是为了迎娶他一生的挚爱—因为离婚而不被英国王室与民众接纳的辛普森夫人（Wallis Simpson）。
退位后的第二年，温莎公爵与辛普森夫人宣布订婚，并特别委托梵克雅宝为妻子定制了一条镶嵌着蓝宝石与钻石的手镯，并在这个蓝宝石手镯上刻下了“For our contract，18-V-1937”（为了我们的约定，1937年5月18日）字样。在爱德华退位几个月后，也曾送给辛普森夫人一条梵克雅宝的珍藏手链，并在搭扣上铭刻着两人的爱情隽语“Hold Tight”（紧握）。
格式引文：
胡雨馨著.奢侈的诱惑：遇见顶级珠宝和腕表品牌的梦幻世界.社会科学文献出版社.2017:66.
得到电子书：https://d.dedao.cn/FILwJ7YIcTA5zgNM

在英国王室的历史上，没有哪一段爱情故事比温莎公爵（Duke of Windsor）与辛普森夫人（Wallis Simpson）的爱情更具传奇色彩。这不仅是一场震惊世界的贵族婚姻，更是一段因爱放弃王位的史诗。1936年12月11日，爱德华八世（King Edward VIII）成为英国历史上第一位主动退位的国王，只为迎娶他一生的挚爱——美国社交名媛辛普森夫人。

“为了心爱之人放弃王位”，这样的故事听上去更像童话，但在现实中，它却是英王爱德华八世的真实选择。 这场爱情不仅打破了英国王室传统，也为后世留下了一个关于爱情、牺牲、自由的永恒传奇。

一、爱德华八世与辛普森夫人的邂逅

1.1 爱德华八世：短暂的国王生涯

爱德华八世（Edward VIII）出生于1894年，原名爱德华·阿尔伯特·克里斯蒂安·乔治·安德鲁·帕特里克·大卫（Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David），是乔治五世国王的长子。

🔹 1936年1月20日，乔治五世去世，爱德华登基，成为英国国王兼英联邦君主。
🔹 但仅仅11个月后，他就做出了震惊世界的决定——退位。

这场风波的导火索，是一位两度离婚的美国女子——华丽丝·辛普森（Wallis Simpson）。

1.2 辛普森夫人：魅力非凡的美国女子

华丽丝·辛普森出生于1896年，是美国巴尔的摩的一位社交名媛。她曾经历过两段婚姻，分别与海军飞行员厄尔·温菲尔德·斯宾塞（Earl Winfield Spencer）和英国商人欧内斯特·辛普森（Ernest Simpson）结婚并离婚。

🔹 1931年，辛普森夫人与爱德华相识，迅速成为王储社交圈的常客。
🔹 1934年，两人的感情逐渐升温，尽管华丽丝当时仍是有夫之妇，但她和爱德华的关系已经被媒体广泛报道。

对辛普森夫人来说，她并不认为自己是国王的理想伴侣，也从未刻意追求成为王后。然而，爱德华八世却毫不掩饰对她的深深爱意，甚至公开向英国王室表示，希望迎娶她为妻。

二、为爱退位：爱德华八世的艰难抉择

2.1 王室与社会的强烈反对

🔹 英国国教（圣公会）：由于英国国教不允许国王迎娶离过婚、且前任配偶仍然健在的女子，辛普森夫人的身份成为了爱德华八世登基的最大阻碍。
🔹 英国王室：乔治五世和玛丽王后都反对这场恋情，王室成员普遍认为华丽丝并不适合作为王后。
🔹 英国政府：时任英国首相斯坦利·鲍德温（Stanley Baldwin）明确表示，如果国王坚持迎娶华丽丝，政府将集体辞职，这意味着英国将陷入宪政危机。

2.2 退位演说：一场轰动全球的告别

面对来自王室、政府和公众的巨大压力，爱德华八世在1936年12月11日正式宣布退位，成为英国历史上首位主动放弃王位的国王。

在他那著名的退位演说中，他深情地说道：

“I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King, as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love.”
“我发现，在没有我所爱的女人的帮助和支持下，我无法承担国王的责任，也无法履行我的职责。”

这一决定震惊世界，也成为英国王室历史上最具戏剧性的时刻。

🔹 爱德华八世的弟弟乔治六世（George VI）继位，他正是现任英国国王查尔斯三世的祖父。
🔹 退位后的爱德华被封为“温莎公爵”（Duke of Windsor），但他和辛普森夫人始终没有被英国王室完全接纳。

三、温莎公爵与辛普森夫人的贵族婚姻

退位后的第二年，1937年5月18日，温莎公爵与辛普森夫人宣布订婚。他们的婚姻虽未得到英国王室的正式祝福，却见证了一段超越王冠的爱情。

3.1 梵克雅宝定制珠宝，铭刻永恒誓言

作为贵族与珠宝的爱好者，温莎公爵为辛普森夫人委托梵克雅宝（Van Cleef & Arpels）定制了一系列珠宝，象征他们的爱情承诺。

🔹 蓝宝石手镯 – 镶嵌蓝宝石与钻石，并刻下"For our contract, 18-V-1937"（为了我们的约定，1937年5月18日）的字样，象征两人的婚约。
🔹 “Hold Tight”手链 – 退位后，爱德华送给辛普森夫人一条梵克雅宝手链，并在搭扣上铭刻“Hold Tight”（紧握），寓意两人不离不弃的爱情。

这些珠宝不仅是珍贵的奢侈品，更承载着温莎公爵对辛普森夫人的深情厚爱。

3.2 余生相守，流亡贵族的传奇人生

婚后，温莎公爵与辛普森夫人定居法国，并在全球各地旅行。尽管他们被英国王室边缘化，但仍然是欧洲上流社会的风云人物。

🔹 二战期间，两人一度被派往巴哈马总督府生活。
🔹 晚年生活：他们在巴黎定居，过着低调但奢华的贵族生活。
🔹 1972年，温莎公爵在巴黎去世，享年77岁。辛普森夫人则在1986年去世，享年89岁。

最终，两人被安葬在温莎城堡的皇家墓园，结束了这段轰动世界的爱情传奇。

四、结语：一场超越王冠的爱情传奇

温莎公爵与辛普森夫人的婚姻，是英国王室历史上最轰动的爱情故事。这不仅是一段贵族婚姻，更是一种对爱情自由的执着追求。

爱德华八世选择了爱情，而非王位，成为“为了爱放弃一切”的象征。
他们的珠宝铭刻着爱情的誓言，成为珠宝史上最浪漫的见证之一。
无论世界如何变迁，他们的故事仍然闪耀在历史的长河中。

这不仅仅是一场王室风波，而是一段跨越世俗规则的爱情传奇。💎👑💖

The Duke of Windsor & Wallis Simpson: A Royal Love Story That Shook the World

Few love stories in history are as dramatic, controversial, and enduring as that of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. In 1936, Edward VIII made an unprecedented decision: he abdicated the throne of the British Empire, giving up his kingship for the woman he loved—Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite.

His words, spoken in his historic abdication speech, echoed around the world:

“I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King, as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love.”

This was more than just a royal scandal; it was a monumental moment in British history, redefining the role of love, duty, and personal freedom within the monarchy.

But how did this extraordinary romance unfold? What led Edward VIII to relinquish his crown for love? And how did their story become immortalized in Van Cleef & Arpels’ exquisite jewelry?

Let’s delve into one of the most romantic and controversial royal marriages of all time.

1. The Beginning: Edward VIII Meets Wallis Simpson

1.1 Edward VIII: The King Who Chose Love Over Duty

🔹 Born in 1894, Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David) was the eldest son of King George V.
🔹 He became King of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth on January 20, 1936, after his father’s passing.
🔹 However, his reign lasted only 11 months, as his love for Wallis Simpson would soon shake the monarchy.

Edward was charming, charismatic, and modern, a stark contrast to the traditional monarchy. But his unwavering devotion to Wallis Simpson created a constitutional crisis that forced him to make an impossible choice.

1.2 Wallis Simpson: The Woman Who Changed History

🔹 Born in 1896, Wallis Simpson was an American socialite from Baltimore.
🔹 She had been married twice—first to U.S. Navy pilot Earl Winfield Spencer and later to British businessman Ernest Simpson.
🔹 In 1931, she met Edward, then the Prince of Wales, and quickly became one of the most influential women in his life.

Though Wallis never sought to be queen, Edward was determined to marry her despite overwhelming opposition. Their relationship became the biggest royal controversy of the century.

2. The Abdication Crisis: Love vs. The Crown

2.1 Why Was the British Establishment Against Wallis Simpson?

Edward VIII’s desire to marry Wallis Simpson was met with fierce resistance from:

🔹 The British Government – Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin warned that marrying a twice-divorced woman would violate royal traditions and create a constitutional crisis.
🔹 The Church of England – As the Supreme Governor of the Church, the King could not marry a woman whose ex-spouses were still alive.
🔹 The Royal Family – His mother, Queen Mary, and his younger brother, the future King George VI, strongly opposed the marriage.

2.2 The Abdication Speech: A Historic Farewell

On December 11, 1936, Edward VIII officially abdicated the throne, making him the first British monarch in history to voluntarily renounce power.

In his farewell broadcast, he made his legendary statement:

“I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King, as I would wish to do, without the help and support of the woman I love.”

This speech stunned the world. Overnight, Edward VIII was no longer king—his younger brother was crowned King George VI (father of Queen Elizabeth II).

🔹 Edward was given the title “Duke of Windsor”, but he and Wallis were effectively exiled from the royal family.
🔹 Wallis Simpson was denied the title of “Her Royal Highness”, a final snub from the monarchy.

3. A Royal Wedding & The Jewels That Told Their Story

3.1 The Wedding of the Century

Despite the backlash, on May 18, 1937, the couple announced their engagement. The following month, on June 3, 1937, they were married in a private ceremony at Château de Candé, France.

Though the wedding was not attended by the British royal family, it marked the beginning of their life as exiled aristocrats.

3.2 Van Cleef & Arpels: The Love Story in Jewels

To symbolize his love, the Duke of Windsor commissioned Van Cleef & Arpels to craft several pieces of custom jewelry for Wallis, each with deeply personal engravings:

💙 Sapphire & Diamond Bracelet – Engraved with “For our contract, 18-V-1937” (May 18, 1937), marking their engagement.
💎 “Hold Tight” Bracelet – A Van Cleef & Arpels piece gifted by Edward after his abdication, symbolizing their unwavering bond.

These pieces were not just luxurious ornaments; they were etched with their love story, capturing the sacrifice and devotion behind their union.

4. The Exiled Royals: A Life of Glamour & Controversy

After the wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor lived a lavish yet bittersweet life.

🔹 World Travels – They became celebrities, attending high-society events across Europe and the U.S.
🔹 World War II Controversy – The couple was accused of Nazi sympathies, leading to their temporary exile to the Bahamas, where Edward served as governor.
🔹 Parisian Aristocracy – They eventually settled in Paris, where they lived in opulence until Edward’s death.

Despite being ostracized from the British royal family, they remained one of the most famous couples of the 20th century, admired for their style, wealth, and undeniable devotion to each other.

5. The Final Chapter: Love Until the End

🔹 Edward, Duke of Windsor, passed away in 1972, at the age of 77.
🔹 Wallis Simpson lived on until 1986, passing away at the age of 89.

The couple was finally reunited in death, buried side by side in Frogmore Gardens at Windsor Castle—a quiet yet poetic ending to their remarkable love story.

6. Conclusion: A Love Story That Defied Tradition

🔹 Edward VIII made history as the only British king to abdicate for love.
🔹 Wallis Simpson, though vilified by many, remained devoted to him until the end.
🔹 Their jewelry collection, particularly the pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels, serves as a timeless testament to their love.

Though controversial, theirs was a love that endured public scrutiny, royal exile, and political upheaval.

Today, their story remains a symbol of personal freedom and the ultimate sacrifice for love—a tale of a king who chose his heart over his crown.

Because in the end, love reigned supreme. 💎❤️👑