Fine Autograph Letter Signed in pencil "David" to "Oh! Oh! My Precious darling beloved" (1894-1972, King of Great Britain, Later the Duke of Windsor) by EDWARD VIII

to his mistress Freda Dudley Ward, asking what has happened "that its been yet another blank mail for me to-day! I'm nearly going mad to-night Fredie particularly as I now know there isn't a chance of getting another letter from you before we meet" he says that he has had a letter from Philip "in which he opens with 'Freda tells me it is quite useless writing to you any more as there is no chance of you receiving the letter'!! Well I suppose I have only my rotten self to blame for not having let you know up to what date to carry on writing tho I just won't entertain for an instant the thought that you have'nt (sic) written to me since 21st July … My beloved please don't think for a moment I'm grousing or finding fault with you for not having written; I know you have & even if you had'nt (sic) or done anything else that upset me or that I did'nt (sic) agree with I could never find fault as I love you love you so so madly & desparately (sic) & blindly that you could never never do wrong in my eyes!! This must all sound the most ghastly & futile sob stuff Fredie mine & its merely the efforts of a sad & despondent little boy to show the woman he loves how devastatingly hard hit he is when he doesn't hear from her!! I feel that perhaps I'm hurting you by writing all this but I just can't help it mon amour & if only you knew what a trying day I've had & I'm not feeling at all well!!". The Prince further gives news of his recent activities, "We got thro the canal and its 6 locks much quicker than in April ... but he Admiral Dickie & I left the ship at the Gatun Locks at 2.00 with some of the ship's officers to fish for tarpon in the Chargres (sic) river where we spent the whole - - afternoon!! We only caught one & I was bored stiff & I was done out of my walk in Colon that I had planned for later (I never wanted to fish at all) as we did'nt (sic) return to the ship till 7.30 & I had to have the President of Panama & the leading U.S. & Panamanian officials on bd. to dinner which just about put the lid on it for me sweetie!!' My vehemence will probably make you laugh angel but I am vehement to-night as a result of a combination of utter misery from disappointment on top of intense peevishness from which I've been suffering from real badly all day!! What a completely foul letter this is up to now Fredie darling & now I'm your oh! so so repentant little David tho you don't know or understand just all that the mere sight of your handwriting means to me & the effect that a too long silence from you has on me!!…." he says how very hot it is and then goes one "You have forgiven me for my wee outburst have'nt (sic) you my beloved but as its only resulted from again no Fredie letter & because I love you love you so so hopelessly!! Its real torture to me now my sweetheart tho may it ever ever remain so is my fervent prayer & I know I know it will!!". The Prince ends in a crosswritten postscript "We sail for Trinidad at 7.00 am so no time for more!! Again bless you bless you my very very own little Fredie. Toujours toujours ton David. A bientôt", 4 sides 4to., on HMS Renown headed paper, together with autograph envelope written in ink and sealed with a wax impression from a spider seal which was a gift to the Prince of Wales from Freda, "Colon. Atlantic end of Canal", (Panama), 13th September Freda DUDLEY WARD (1894-1983, Marquesa de Casa Maury, English Socialite, the mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales from 1918-23) Ward remained a close confidante of Edward's until 1934 when his relationship with Wallis Simpson began. The Prince wrote the present letter during his 1920 tour to Australia and New Zealand (making many stops en route) on board the refitted HMS Renown. He was accompanied by his 20 year old cousin, Louis Mountbatten, whom he refers to in the letter as 'Admiral Dickie'.