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Traitor King

The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

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Traitor King

By: Andrew Lownie
Narrated by: Andrew Lownie
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About this listen

The Sunday Times best seller

A Daily Mail Royal Book of the Year, 2021

December 1936. The king of England, Edward VIII, has given up his crown, foregoing his duty for the love of Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. Their courtship has been dogged by controversy and scandal, but with Edward's abdication, they can live happily ever after. But do they?

In Traitor King, best-selling historian Andrew Lownie draws on hitherto unexplored archives to uncover the dramatic world of the Windsors post-abdication. Lownie reveals a couple obsessed with their status, financially exploiting their position and manipulating the media. Filled with treachery and betrayal, this is a story of an exiled royal and the Nazi attempts to recruit him to their cause—and of why the royal family never forgave the duke for choosing love over duty.

©2021 Andrew Lownie (P)2021 Bonnier Books UK Europe Great Britain Politics & Activism Royalty

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Critic reviews

"Darkly compelling...hundreds of eye-popping details.... Gripping...damning portrait of the Windsors." (Daily Mail, Book of the Week)

"Briskly written and compulsively readable...." (A.N. Wilson, TLS)

"Meticulously researched." (Spectator)

"Entertaining...convincing...timely. Urgent reading for royals." (Evening Standard)

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An excellently listened to story of a man who would have given this country to Germany to fulfil his own arrogant belief that he knew better than anyone else what was good for us citizens, and ignoring the Nazi's murderous journey through Europe led by another equally treacherous person,Adolf Hitler, albeit Hitler was a much more clear individual than the Duke of Windsor.

How on earth did the politicians allow him to be given money and position when they knew he collaborated with the Nazi ' is beyond belief. His passing along with That Woman was a long overdue affair. A quicker way would have been a quick assassination of them both, but particularly him.

The Treacherous King

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I chose this on the strength of the author's book on Guy Burgess, but it is a poor companion to that excellent tome.
The story of the Windsors has been told many times but Andrew Lownie's version shows some excellent research and use of background detail, revealing a level of self-absorption, entitlement and playing of the establishment that makes them hard to not despise.
Mr Lownie has chosen to narrate this tale himself and either because of the lack of an editor or studio time he doesn't do a very good job... and he's reading his own text. The basic mispronunciations and mistakes in rhythm and emphasis are most distracting. I listened to this book more than once, not through enjoyment but in order to piece the story together better. It wasn't a waste of time but could have been so much better, as the Guy Burgess book proves is possible.

A Tale of Two Wasters

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I loved the history that was covered, but I found the narration very boring. Could have been better performed.

The History Was Good, But The Performance Was Off

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Andrew brilliantly takes the listener on the journey of the post-abdication lives of Wallis and David and you are not left wanting. Very much enjoyed!

Fascinating!

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This really is an excellent book. Beautifully read, and so well written that it’s as though one is observing the story from the inside.

Excellent Book

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The Duke of Windsor doesn't come out of this very well but he looks like a modern day saint compared to his wife who gets what can only be described as the literary equivalent of a good kicking whilst defenceless on the ground!

A good kicking!

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I find most stories behind the Royals interesting but this was extremely reveling. Bit disappointed with the performance which I found a bit flat, some times hesitant and on the odd occasion , words mispronounced ( at least in my books).
Overall , a good listen.

Extremely interesting.

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A very interesting book. So much information. Thoroughly recommend. Well written & narrated. I’m now listening to the story of the Mountbattens.

Couldn’t stop listening, recommended!

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An interesting viewpoint of a much written about characterVery readable or listenable,although I would have preferred a professional reading the audio book. Sometimes the author stumbled
Much is made of the German courtship of the Duke but little evidence presented of his replies. Also, little was made of the sheer German ness of our royal family, surely an influence? Another item somewhat neglected was the rift caused by the stinginess of the Duke, and the lies he told regarding his wealth and his brother’s equal stinginess in return. However, the writer does capture what a selfish self centred dull couple they were, and the shallow circle in which they moved. Despite my minor whinges it is an illuminating book. Recommended.

Fascinating story.

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This is a very interesting, important, well researched, well organised and well written piece of English social history. Sadly, it is almost wholly ruined by the terrible narration by its author. He reads mostly in a monotone, swallows many of his words, stumbles in long sentences and occasionally puts a sudden emphasis on random words. It is a pity he did not delegate the job of reading his book aloud to someone with a fluent speaking voice who could have done it justice.

Interesting book spoilt by terrible narration

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