I have never found any interest in the life of British Royals. As Paul French looked into Wallis Simpson stay in Shanghai in his new book: “Her Lotus year”, this attracted my attention into this episode of Royal history.
Having spent years living in Shanghai, Paul French is no new comer to Old Shanghai and author of several deeply researched books on the topic. Those included “The Old Shanghai A-Z“, Carl Crow’s biography “A tough Old China hand” and “City of devils, a Shanghai noir”. He then turned on to Beijing, investigation a 1937 crime in “Midnight in Peking“. This made him the perfect candidate to investigate Wallis Simpson stay in China, a part that was mostly overlooked from other biographers.
Wallis Simpson arrived in Hong Kong in September 1924, rejoining her husband, an american navy officer, in an attempt to revive their marriage. The reunification failed and she embarked on daring trips to Canton, Shanghai and Beijing. China political situation at the time was chaotic at best, as the country was nearly in civil war. Several armies were fighting for controlling the country, in what became known as the warlord period. The complete chaos of China at the time is well described by journalist Albert Londres who travelled to China at the same time and related his trip in book “La Chine en folie“. Travelling as a single women, Wallis Simpson was probably on missions carrying important documents for the US army or administration, shown by the monetary and logistics support she received.
Arriving in Shanghai in November 1924 on Canadian ship “Empress of Russia”, she stayed at the high end Palace Hotel on the Bund, close to the American consulate. Wallis Simpson quickly integrated the top of Shanghai foreign society, with the help of “Robbie” an English architect who later designed the new Shanghai Race Club building in 1934. He took her to the Majestic Hotel, to the horse races, and among the powerful people of city. In December 1924 she departed to Beijing. She only spent a few weeks in Shanghai, and none of the rumors seem true, apart from Wallis Simpson easily befriending people in the higher tier of society.
One of the recurring theme about Wallis Simpson is the “China dossier” compiled by the British secret services, showing how scandalous she was. She was rumored to have had affairs with multiple men, even selling sexual services and using the exotic skills learned in Asia to capture her preys. The “Shanghai grip” was particularly talked about, “The ability to make a match stick feel like a cigar”. Paul French rigorous inquiry shows that most of those rumors where unfounded, but cleverly crafted so as to be made easily believable. A number of the stories were actually true, referring to other women living in China in the same period. Confusion was easily spread, supported by the Western fascination for the exotic East.
Paul French conclusion is that the whole China Dossier was falsely created to destroy the reputation of Wallis Simpson and discourage her marriage with future King Edward the VIII. In the end, the King abdicated a few days after his coronation, to be able to marry her. In retrospect, this was a perfect outcome as Edward VIII seems to have had a lack of judgment if not strong sympathies for Nazi Germany, even visiting Adolf Hitler in October 1937.
With little actual facts, Paul French is great at filling the gaps of the story and gives a lot of background information thanks to his in-depth knowledge of Shanghai and Beijing at the time. The books make an entertaining and easy read, while being supported by in-depth research. Besides the Wallis angle, it is also a great introduction to foreigners life in Beijing in the 1920s, where Wallis Simpson spent most of her China time.
For more books by Paul French, follow this link.
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