A few days later, the Windsors travelled to London to dine at Claridge’s with the Dudleys. While they were away, Simpson’s trunks – which were supposedly safely stored in the duchess’ bedroom – were broken into, and the contents stolen. Scotland Yard was ordered to investigate the crime, but before long, the police noticed that the details didn’t quite stack up. Why did the servants not spot anything unusual, for example? And why did the dogs not bark at signs of an intruder?
It was later revealed that some of the dogs were out on a walk with the head housemaid when the theft took place – in itself suspicious, as she would usually be on hand at dinnertime, when the theft occurred. Then, there was the question of how the thieves even knew where to go: they entered via an upstairs bedroom right next to Simpson’s room, within metres of the trunks, which seemed a little too conveniently placed to be a coincidence.
Everything was taken, but for two significant items, one of which was a brooch Simpson was wearing at dinner: a Cartier ruby and sapphire piece, featuring the entwined initials of ‘E’ and ‘W’, which her husband gave her during the abdication crisis. Another was a brooch that had been delivered by Cartier just that morning, a 65-carat sapphire and diamond bird of paradise, which had, for unknown reasons, been hidden under a vase in the room. Later, the duke was to claim this brooch had, in fact, been part of the stolen cache – a move that made some question whether murkier motives were involved. Exactly what was stolen, and what was its real value?
