The palace that has become a jewel again… The palace where Edward VIII lived in exile with his wife Wallis Simpson before it was razed to the ground by disgraced businessman Mohamed Al Fayed.

These rooms were once the glittering home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

A gilded villa on the outskirts of Paris where former King Edward VIII of England and his wife Wallis Simpson lived in forced exile for 30 years, waiting in vain for the call to return to the lands they once ruled.

But today, with its cracked ceilings, faded paint and bare walls, Villa Windsor is an empty shell, stripped of its trappings of grandeur.

After the Windsors passed away (the Duke died in 1972, aged 77, followed by Wallis in 1986, aged 89), it was taken over by the now disgraced Mohamed al Fayed, who went on to found the Harrods empire, the Paris Ritz hotel and Fulham Football. Club.

The ancient Egyptian street merchant wanted to show the world that he, too, was a king. He boasted that he had spent millions of pounds renovating the stately stone mansion, tucked away in the wooded Bois de Boulogne, where the Windsors reigned in glamor, hosting countless star-studded parties with guests including Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Aristotle Onassis and more. Rothschilds.

After ruling there for ten years, Fayed wiped out its contents like bits of old flavor from an Alexandria market stall.

He briefly put a stop to this plan when his son Dodi lured Princess Diana into Al Fayed’s web of deceit. On the last day of her life in 1997, Diana visited the house with Al Fayed, hoping to become a couple and make it their marital home.

Bois de Boulogne Villa, France. The villa where Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson lived

Interior of the home of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, in the Bois de Boulogne near Paris, France 1974

After the Windsors passed away (the Duke died in 1972, aged 77, followed by Wallis in 1986, aged 89), it was taken over by the now disgraced Mohamed al Fayed, who went on to found the Harrods empire, the Paris Ritz hotel and Fulham Football. Club

The princess left after a brief inspection. Even if he didn’t die a few hours later, this would never happen.

So Fayed sold the entire contents of the house at Sotheby’s auction in New York; He made a huge profit on his initial outlay, generating $23 million for 40,000 products.

He took everything; lighting fixtures, chandeliers, even door handles.

I visited Villa Windsor in 1970 and I can say that the walls of these elegant, spacious rooms have not been painted since then.

That same year, the then-Prince Charles visited his great-uncle Edward and said afterwards: ‘The Duchess kept flying back and forth like a strange bat. She looks incredible for her age and her face has obviously lifted. I found the butlers and servants wearing the same uniforms as our folks wear at home. It was pretty pathetic.

I came back recently. Once elegant doors now have cheap plastic handles; But such wanton destruction of a historical collection meant nothing to Fayed, who died aged 94 in August last year.

In fact, he didn’t care about the building. He visited very little until Sotheby’s gave him back the keys to the city of Paris three years before 1998, the year of the sale.

Former King Edward VIII of England and his wife Wallis Simpson lived in forced exile, waiting in vain for the call to return to the lands they once ruled.

The ancient Egyptian street merchant wanted to show the world that he, too, was a king. He boasted he spent millions of pounds renovating the magnificent stone mansion

Fayed sold the entire contents of the house at Sotheby’s auction in New York, netting $23 million from 40,000 items, a huge profit on his initial expenses.

Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, with her boxer dogs at home

But now Villa Windsor is rising from the ashes, having been taken over by Fondation Mansart, the respected French conservation organization that protects and promotes the national heritage.

Following a multimillion-dollar restoration project, the house is expected to reopen as a museum, exhibition and events center next summer.

Hallway of the villa formerly the Paris residence of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

But now Villa Windsor is rising from the ashes, having been taken over by Fondation Mansart, the respected French conservation organization that protects and promotes the national heritage.

The villa will reopen and become the center of global attention for those still fascinated by the story of a king who gave his throne for ‘the woman I loved’.

Following a multimillion-dollar restoration project, the house is expected to reopen as a museum, exhibition and events center next summer.

It will be the center of global attention for those who are still fascinated by the story of a king who gave his throne for ‘the woman I love’.

What I can say for sure is that, despite all Fayed’s depredations, the ghosts of Edward and Wallis still hang in the air.

Edward vs George: The Windsors at War is on Channel 4 in two parts on 8 and 15 December.