
Once a King
The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII
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Narrated by:
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Esther Wane
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Gregory Cox
About this listen
A retelling of the story of the Duke of Windsor - King Edward VIII, who gave up his throne to marry the woman he loved.
Using never before seen sources, Once a King is a fresh, revelatory and gripping insight into the Duke of Windsor - King Edward VIII - who gave up the throne to marry the woman he loved, twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.
Considering Edward VIII's travels and interests as Prince of Wales as well as his relationship with Wallis Simpson and the course of events leading up to his abdication and subsequent exile, Once a King offers a previously unexplored lens through which we encounter first-hand the hitherto concealed subtlety and raw emotion of two of the twentieth century's most iconic Royal figures: the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
©2023 Jane Marguerite Tippett (P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
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- By: Rachel Trethewey
- Narrated by: Charlotte Strevens
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Wallis Simpson stole the king's heart and rocked the monarchy - but she was not Edward VIII's first or only love. Before Wallis dominated his life, he adored three other women: Rosemary Leveson Gower, the girl he wanted to marry; Freda Dudley Ward, the Prince's long-term mistress; and Thelma Furness, his twice-married American lover. Each one of the three women in this book could have changed the course of history. In examining their lives and impact on the heir to the throne, Rachel Trethewey questions whether he ever really wanted to be king....
By: Rachel Trethewey
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Revenge
- Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors
- By: Tom Bower
- Narrated by: Andrew Wincott
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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After a childhood spent on Hollywood film sets, Meghan Markle fought hard for stardom. But even when she landed her breakthrough role on Suits, her dream of worldwide celebrity remained elusive until she met the man who would change her life—Prince Harry. Their whirlwind romance culminated with Meghan’s ultimate fairy tale ending: their 2018 wedding at Windsor Castle. Finally, the world was her stage. It seemed that the dizzying success of the wedding between the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex marked the beginning of a fresh era for the British Royal Family.
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THE Truth, Not “HER Truth”
- By Trump16 on 09-05-22
By: Tom Bower
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Diana, William, and Harry
- The Heartbreaking Story of a Princess and Mother
- By: James Patterson, Chris Mooney
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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From the moments William and Harry are born into the House of Windsor, they become their young mother’s whole world. I’ve got two very healthy, strong boys. I realize how incredibly lucky I am, Diana reminds herself every morning. But even the Princess of Wales questions, Am I a good mother? Diana’s faced with a seemingly impossible challenge: one son destined to be King of England and another determined to find his own way. She teaches them to honor royal tradition, even while daring to break it.
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Not what I expected.
- By C.S. Catlin on 08-26-22
By: James Patterson, and others
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Philip
- The Final Portrait
- By: Gyles Brandreth
- Narrated by: Gyles Brandreth
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Philip—elusive, complex, controversial, challenging, often humorous, sometimes irascible—is the man Elizabeth II once described as her 'constant strength and guide.' Who was he? What was he really like? What is the truth about those 'gaffes' and the rumors of affairs? This is the final portrait of an unexpected and often much-misunderstood figure. It is also the portrait of a remarkable marriage that endured for more than seventy years.
By: Gyles Brandreth
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Q
- A Voyage around the Queen
- By: Craig Brown
- Narrated by: Craig Brown, Harriet Walter
- Length: 19 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Up until now, the curious tactic employed by biographers of the Queen has been to ignore what is interesting and to concentrate on what is not. Craig Brown, the author of 150 Glimpses of the Beatles and Hello Goodbye Hello, rejects this formula, bringing his kaleidoscopic approach to the most famous—and most guarded—woman on earth, examining the Queen through a succession of interlocking prisms. With Q, this fantastically funny, marvelously insightful journalist gives us an unforgettable portrait of the omnipresent, elusive Queen Elizabeth II.
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great performance and unique perspective
- By CoCo on 12-09-24
By: Craig Brown
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The Real Wallis Simpson
- A New History of the American Divorcee Who Became the Duchess of Windsor
- By: Anna Pasternak
- Narrated by: Laura Kirman
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Wallis Simpson is known as the woman at the center of the most scandalous love affair of the 20th century, but in this surprising new biography, best-selling author Anna Pasternak redeems a women wronged by history with new information revealed by those who were close to the couple - presenting Wallis as a convenient scapegoat to rid England of a king deemed unworthy to rule.
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worst narrator ever
- By jill yate on 03-31-19
By: Anna Pasternak
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Elizabeth & Margaret
- The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters
- By: Andrew Morton
- Narrated by: Marisa Calin
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called "Lillibet". And bow to her wishes. Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister's antics with a kind of stoical amusement, but Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system - and her fraught relationship with its expectations - was often a source of tension.
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Enlightening
- By Laurie on 04-21-21
By: Andrew Morton
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My Mother and I
- By: Ingrid Seward
- Narrated by: Julie Teal, Ingrid Seward
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the story of how King Charles was shaped and moulded by his heritage. His mother was the woman he always loved but could never be close to. As Queen she held the Pandora’s box of the crown and all he could do was wait and learn. In his mother’s old age, he finally received the affection and respect from her he had craved for so long. This book documents his life through many personal anecdotes from his family and his friends from the moment the guns saluted his birth until St. Edwards Crown was placed on his head and he was officially declared as the King at his Coronation.
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Most creditable biography of the modern Windors
- By Sarah P. on 04-20-24
By: Ingrid Seward
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Emperor of Rome
- Ruling the Ancient World
- By: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Mary Beard
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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In her international bestseller SPQR, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE). Emperor of Rome is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius.
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Wasn't sure but won me over
- By John S. on 01-26-24
By: Mary Beard
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Kingmaker
- Pamela Harriman's Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue
- By: Sonia Purnell
- Narrated by: Louise Brealey
- Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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When Pamela Churchill Harriman died in 1997, the obituaries that followed were predictably scathing–and many were downright sexist. Written off as a mere courtesan and social climber, her true legacy was overshadowed by a glamorous social life and her infamous erotic adventures. Much of what she did behind the scenes–on both sides of the Atlantic–remained invisible and secret. That is, until now: with a wealth of fresh research, interviews and newly discovered sources, Sonia Purnell unveils for the first time the full, spectacular story of how she left an indelible mark on the world today.
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Pamela reigns! But.....
- By Lucy Johnson on 11-30-24
By: Sonia Purnell
What listeners say about Once a King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lisa Zamm
- 03-12-24
A beautiful work
Most pleasant high English conversations and narrative. Respectful of the Prince and the situation. Restful and timed well. A recommended talking book.
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- 509Cougs
- 08-02-24
Cleans out the muck.
In recent years there's been a renewed assault on the character of the Duke of Windsor. Claims of him being a Nazi collaborator are disturbing and I was beginning to wonder if I were blinded by my own bias. I'm glad Tippet records the facts, along side the Duke's own words, and let's the reader come to their own opinion.
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- Jn
- 03-11-24
His family was horrible!
Loved the book! Found myself so disappointed in the Royal Family every time Prince Edward suffered yet another slap in the face by them! And Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Mother) seems to have been at the heart of most of it! Ironic how her adored Grandson, Prince Charles, ended up doing the same in the end!! Imagine the head of the English church married a divorcee’ now when she was so appalled then!! A different time perhaps but it all seems so hypocritical now! Anyway, I loved the book and can’t recommend it enough!!! I couldn’t put it down!!!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Joe France
- 02-10-24
Interesting Insights Even For Veteran Duke and Duchess of Windsor Students
I enjoyed this book because it delves deeply into the background personalities and frustrations related to the writing of “A King’s Story”. Issues such as the Duchess’s alleged extra-marital affairs are not touched. But a great deal is discussed concerning the Duke’s interested in Nazi-German politics. A lot of the facts are not new to the Windsors’ story but there is enough new material to make it worthwhile. I recommend it more to the veterans of this singular historical period in English history than to the general reader.
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- JOHN D. STRATTON
- 01-24-25
The male narrator is boring AF.
The story is enormously intriguing and enjoyable. The male narrator grated on my nerves. I thought I would lose my mind hearing his voice very, very, very slowly reading the book.
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- JT
- 11-12-23
Highly Recommended
This book is fascinating for its newly discovered archival material. It is gripping, well written, a treasure trove of information. I couldn’t put it down. The Audible version is expertly read and easy to follow the different voices used. 5 stars on this one!
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4 people found this helpful
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- Nico
- 10-30-23
Amazing storytelling and voices
I noticed there were no other reviews, so I decided to leave one. The story is amazing and very interesting. I listen to it whenever I get any free time, would recommend!
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3 people found this helpful
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- MamaMaley
- 02-02-24
Fascinating – Completely Upended My View of Edward VIII
I’m someone who has read hundreds of books on 20th Century British History, and a lot about the abdication & the Windsor’s life afterwards. So much of the recent historical work on them has been oriented around their Nazi slant, but this has been the most thorough criticism of that storyline that I’ve read. It’s remarkable that we’re able to read so much of the story in his own words; I can’t believe that none of this was accessible before. Edward is so much more likable in this narrative, Wallis is so much less of an operator, and the way the story has been retold is so much different from how they tell it. Once you add in the criticism of the Nazi subplot historiography in the last section, it’s really a completely new book from any other I’ve read on the subject, and brings so much more material to the table to be discussed in the historical conversation.
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- DYH
- 09-26-24
What stood out to me was a more correct version of Edward's abdication & the Nazi German story that blew up with sensationalism
The voice actors reading the story were excellent. I also appreciated the way this Story was laid out chronologically
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