Death of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor

Death of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor

On April 24, 1986, The Duchess of Windsor passed away at her home in Paris, France. She was 89.

The official cause of her death was bronchial pneumonia, although for years prior she had been suffering from dementia. She fell over a number of times, and broke her hip on two separate occasions. By 1980, she had lost the ability to speak, and spent most of her time in bed, being cared for by a nurse.

She outlived her husband by 14 years, the Duke having died in 1972 from throat cancer.

Her funeral was held on April 29, 1986, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. In attendance were The Queen, Prince Philip, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and her once arch-nemesis, The Queen Mother.

She is buried beside her husband in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore. Her tombstone plainly reads: “Wallis, Duchess of Windsor”; notably missing the long-sought after “HRH” that Edward had so desperately wanted for his wife.

📸: Wallis photographed by Patrick Lichfield for Vogue, 1968.

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