The English can really hold a grudge

Recently, I've moved away slightly from my favorite topic of Victorian social culture and have started reading nonfiction books and watching movies set in early 20th century England. Hey, I said slightly.

What I've really started to realize is that the English can REALLY hold a grudge. I'm talking here mostly about the entire country's hatred of Wallis Simpson, who caused Edward VIII to abdicate in 1937.(See what I mean in this article from the British Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-return-of-wallis-simpson-2219771.html Even the woman writing a book on her can't like her).

Wallis Simpson first made it onto my anglophile radar during a visit to the National Portrait Museum, my favorite museum ever and a place I visited multiple times when studying abroad in London. There's a tiny room (or there was, in 2006) with sketches and small portraits of the current royal family. There was a single picture of Wallis, with a brief note about her relationship to the Windsors. She continued to pop up during reading, but as I don't often venture into the 20th century, it wasn't often.

Then I saw The King's Speech in January, during which Wallis makes a brief appearance in person (played, of course, as an obnoxious, frivolous American) and a frequent appearance in the plot, as she was the main reason for Edward VIII's abdication, as mentioned, and a large part of the strife in the movie..

Then, the Upstairs, Downstairs remake appeared on PBS in April, again briefly featuring Wallis (the main "Upstairs" character was told she had to invite her to a party, even though she was nobody important). This time, Wallis appeared with von Ribbentrop (yes, the Nazi one) in tow, with the implication that Wallis was a Nazi sympathizer, and was sleeping with von Ribbentrop to boot.

Ouch.

Then, I started reading a book on the Curzon sisters (Irene, Cimmie, and Baba), who were intimates of Edward VIII. The author spends nearly 1/3 of the book talking badly about Wallis, her obnoxious character, how ugly she was, the incredible amount of money she spent, her unaccountable pull over the King/Duke (once he abdicated) and how badly she treated him, their servants, and basically everyone else.

These people REALLY dislike her.

I don't feel one way or the other about Wallis Simpson, but then I have to say I also am not a huge fan of anyone in the 20s and 30s who was upperclass and did nothing but spend money, Winston Churchill and the Queen Mum excepted.

But the English could really teach the Mafia something about disliking someone for generations.