Edward & Mrs. Simpson
Edward & Mrs. Simpson is a seven-part British television series that dramatises the events leading to the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII, who gave up his throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
United Kingdom
English
Andrew Brown
6 November –
20 December 1978
The series, made by Thames Television for ITV, was originally broadcast in 1978. Edward Fox played Edward, and Cynthia Harris portrayed Mrs. Simpson. The series was scripted by Simon Raven, based on Fox's maternal aunt Frances Donaldson's biography of the King, Edward VIII. It was produced by Andrew Brown, overseen by the Head of Drama at Thames Television Verity Lambert and directed by Waris Hussein. The incidental music was by Ron Grainer.
The series, broadcast in the US in 1979 as instalments of the nationally syndicated Mobil Showcase Network, won the 1980 Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series, and BAFTA Awards in 1979 for Best Actor, Best Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Series or Serial. It has been released on DVD in Region 2 (UK) by Network, and in Region 1 (United States) by A&E.
Production[edit]
The series was made by Thames Television, part of the ITV network, at its Teddington Studios.[4]
Response[edit]
The series was produced and aired during the Duchess of Windsor's lifetime and it is reported that although becoming increasingly ill, she found the series to be a gross invasion of her privacy. Her requests to be sent a copy of the script were apparently ignored and she received correspondence from people who said they would not watch the series.[5]