Wallis Simpson (1896-1986) is often remembered as the wife of King Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor. British monarch for less than a year in 1936, Edward preferred to abdicate the throne to be free to marry Wallis, an American woman who was considered unfit for the role of queen consort due to her previous two divorces. Before meeting Edward, Wallis spent a year in China, a period of time around which many rumours have spread. In this interview, James Blake Wiener speaks to Paul French, author of the book Her Lotus Year: China, The Roaring Twenties and the Making of Wallis Simpson (2024). Paul French is a British writer and journalist who worked in Shanghai for many years.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2739/interview-her-lotus-year-wallis-simpson-in-china/.