Duke and Duchess of Windsor autographs: Edward, Wallis and the plucky Brummie secretary who braved haughty brush-off to secure signatures

Sale date Monday 22nd June

AUTOGRAPHS of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor obtained by a Midlands woman who spotted the couple whilst holidaying in Italy are going to auction in Lichfield.

Hilda Hutt from Aston, Birmingham, encountered the ‘notorious’ Edward and Wallis Simpson in Portofino in July 1951.

A fervent royalist, she would never have approached serving monarchy.

But given Edward’s rejection of the throne – and the couple’s post-abdication reputation for self-serving, entitled behaviour – ‘upstanding’ Hilda must have thought them fair game.

The plucky Brummie even wangled photos of Edward and Wallis signing her postcard, and these are included with the autographs when they go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers at The Lichfield Auction Centre on Monday, June 22.

Recovered following a house clearance in Sutton Coldfield, the collection also features a photocard of the Duke and Duchess taken by an Italian press photographer on what is believed to be the same day.

The scandalous affair between King Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite, caused a constitutional crisis leading to Edward’s abdication in December 1936 less than a year after becoming king.

After abdicating, the former monarch was made Duke of Windsor and married Wallis six months later – who in later years is reported to have summed up her life with the sentence: “You have no idea how hard it is to live out a great romance.”

In the 1950s and 1960s, the Duke and Duchess lived a high society life between Europe and America – although they never shook off suspicion of being Nazi sympathisers, having infamously visited Hitler in Germany in 1937.

This, together with a lingering sense of betrayal amongst everyday British citizens for their abdication of duty, made their celebrity lifestyle and expectation of luxury hard to swallow.

The story behind Hilda Hutt’s encounter with the couple plays into this narrative.

Vendor Ann Morris, 55, from Gloucestershire, inherited the collection from her mother Josephine Morris – ‘Auntie’ Hilda’s goddaughter.

“Hilda and her friend Ethel encountered the couple whilst on holiday,” said Ann.

“From what I remember, Auntie Hilda said the Duke and Duchess seemed less than pleased at being asked to sign autographs and tried to brush them off, saying they didn’t have a pen.

“They possibly didn’t want to mix with people who they might have perceived to be common.

“But Auntie Hilda was a force of nature. She produced her Biro and gave the couple no further excuse!

“She was that sort of woman, she was prepared for anything and would not have been put off by any haughty behaviour.”

Ann added: “It is notable that Hilda wouldn’t have accosted just anyone for an autograph.

“She was a very upstanding lady and I honestly don’t think she would have approached any other member of the Royal Family – they were on a pedestal and she wouldn’t have thought herself worthy.

“But given that Edward had abdicated, rejected his monarchy so controversially, I think for her that would have made them fair game.

“They were a much talked-about couple and maybe, when Hilda saw them coming ashore, she thought that guy owes us [the British people] something!

“She always held the rest of the Royal Family in very high regard.”

Hilda lived her whole life in Aston, Birmingham, and worked as a secretary for Norton Motorcycles when the firm was based in the area.

She never married and lived with her older sister Doris in their family home until moving to a care home in the 1990s following Doris' death.

Hilda died in February 1998 aged 91.

The Windsors’ autographs and photos subsequently came to Ann’s mum Josephine, from Sutton Coldfield, who was also 91 when she passed away in February 2025.

Edward’s and Wallis’ signatures are on the back of a postcard depicting Rapallo, a pretty coastal town on the Italian Riviera some 8km from Portofino.

Two 9cm x 6cm photographs mark the occasion.

One shows Auntie Hilda with Edward and Wallis and the Duke’s equerry; written on the reverse is: “Hobnobbing with the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, Portofino, July 1951. Loaned Duchess my Biro.”

The second photograph shows the party with Hilda’s friend Ethel. On the reverse is written: “July 1951. The Duke of Windsor borrows my pen to sign autograph. Duke & Duchess of Windsor & Duke’s equerry. Ethel looks on.”

A fourth item, the Italian press photocard of Edward and Wallis in Portofino, shows the couple wearing the same outfits as in Hilda’s photographs.

“Auntie Hilda was a very 'prim and proper' lady with an incredible eye for detail,” said Ann.

“However, she also had a wicked sense of humour, which seemed quite at odds with her outward appearance.

“Her tongue would have been firmly in her cheek when she wrote ‘hobnobbing with the Duke and Duchess’ on the back of one of the photos!”

She added: “It is a fascinating little collection and we are not parting with it lightly.

“But they have just been stored under my mum’s wardrobe in a safe box since Auntie Hilda died.

“We would like them to go to someone who will appreciate them for their historical context and ensure they are well-kept.”

Rob French, valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said: “These items provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of two of the most notorious people from the 20th century.

“We have guided the collection at £200 to £300 but they could make far more on the day at auction.”

Following the duke's death aged 77 from throat cancer in 1972, Wallis became increasingly frail and lived out her final years as a recluse, supported her husband's estate and an allowance from the Queen.

She suffered several falls, broke her hip twice and, in 1980, lost the power of speech.

Bedridden towards the end, she received no visitors apart from medical care and died in Paris in 1986 at the age of 89.

In July 2022, earrings, belts and stationery from the Duchess’ estate sold with Richard Winterton Auctioneers for £1,730.

There was a huge amount of interest for the items, with five fabric and suede belts in a variety of styles and colours achieving £850.

A pair of Bergere gold-plated clip-on earrings in a red and gilt case with an interlinked WE – for Wallis and Edward – below a coronet sold for a hammer price of £500, and a parcel of unused stationery made £380.

Mr French added: “We are anticipating much enthusiasm from collectors for the Windsor autographs and photos.

“Not only is the story behind the encounter intriguing, the pictures of the couple signing provide superb provenance.”

The catalogue for the June 22 auction will go online a week before the sale via our Auction Calendar.

Viewing in person at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, takes place between 10am and 4pm on Friday, June 19. The auction starts at 9am.

For more information, to arrange a free valuation of all types of collectables and antiques, or to enquire about a home visit for large collections or house clearances, email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.