An Audience with the Duke of Windsor written and sensitively performed by Bob Kingdom, is a stylish, well-researched piece of theatre. It’s a delightful history lesson with Kingdom beautifully adopting the mannerisms of Edward.
We discover him writing his memoirs following a lucrative million-dollar deal with his publisher whilst keeping in phone contact with his beloved Wallis who is in New York to force Windsor to concentrate on his writing which he's reluctant to do.
Much is revealed about his early childhood and his vindictive nanny who made him cry when presented to his mother and father and his role as Governor of the Bahamas during World War II.
Humour abounds as we learn about the hazards of shaking hands and waving that were expected of the King.
He was desperate to change the image of the monarchy, “in my own way as I would wish,” but he had constant battles with the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin.
It was his passionate yet scandalous love affair with Wallis that shocked and divided the nation and eventually led to his abdication.
Once he stood down from the throne he found himself without a purpose, and with nowhere to live they eventually stayed with the Rothchilds and he was created Duke of Windsor by his brother Bertie.
He invented the Windsor knot and made zip flies acceptable and called his grandmother Queen Victoria Gangan.
Kingdom’s intimate, well-paced performance had the audience enthralled in what is an intriguing and charming 75 minutes.