The Windsor Affair

The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

The Men: Edward David Windsor, heir to the British throne, and his younger brother Albert, "Bertie," the spare. The Women: Edward’s wife Wallis, an American divorcée, and Bertie's wife Elizabeth, descended from Scottish nobility. The Feud: A lifelong rivalry that made headlines and still fuels gossip nearly a century later. The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and sparked the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future queen, and Wallis Simpson, aka “That Woman." Told from the perspective of both women, the novel immerses readers in 1930s café society, the world of the debonair Prince of Wales, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors. As the first novel dedicated to their infamous rivalry, The Windsor Affair delivers all the intrigue between these two remarkably different—yet unexpectedly similar—women. As Queen, Elizabeth became a symbol of British courage during WWII and a lifelong institution. Wallis was left to endure the fallout of the "World’s Greatest Love Story," transforming from admired trendsetter to vilified, pitied figure. Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, and tragedy, the two maintain a sharp-tongued feud until time and history bring a quiet resolution—culminating in a final, surprising message from Queen Elizabeth: “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Story added by lindseyolson on October 20, 2026