Bonhams to Sell King Edward VIII Abdication Car
Published December 1st, 2007
The specially commissioned 1934 Buick motor car, which carried HRH King Edward VIII to Downing Street to announce his abdication from the British throne in December 1936, will be sold by Bonhams at Olympia, in London, on 3 December 2007. It is expected to fetch £40,000–50,000.
In the summer of 1935, the Prince of Wales arrived unannounced at the showrooms of Lendrum & Hartman Limited in Albemarle Street, London, to purchase an American built Buick that would be tailor made for him. He gave detailed instructions for a range of luxury fittings that remain in the car today.
Finished in gleaming black with beige ‘West of England’ trim, the Buick features special fittings such as two silver gilt cigarette boxes, a silver jewellery box, six silver top decanters, and two posy holders. It also has a blue light on the front that was used to let police know the King was in the car.
Included in Bonhams’ sale will be the original buff log book stating the first owner to be H.M. The King, St James’s Palace, SW1 and a leather bound album showing a photographic account of the car to the point when it was handed over to the King.
The car was delivered in February 1936, by which time King George V had died and Edward VIII had acceded to the throne. The controversy over his long standing relationship with Wallis Simpson grew and the pair used the car regularly – with blinds drawn down – to hide from prying eyes. Rumours that the King intended to marry led to public outrage – it was unthinkable that Wallace Simpson could be Queen of England.
On 10th December 1936, King Edward VIII was driven to Downing Street in the Buick where he told Prime Minister Baldwin that he intended to abdicate the throne for the woman he loved – throwing the country into a constitutional crisis. The following day the King made a speech that rocked the nation on BBC Radio:
“…I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love… ”
After the speech he left in the Buick for Portsmouth where the car was loaded on a British battle ship and taken to France. He then drove on to Cannes to meet with his thrice-wed American lover who had already made her way there.
Edward and Mrs Simpson, by then the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, kept the car for a further three years during which time they were married in France.
The Bonhams sale at Olympia will also feature:
·The world’s oldest Rolls Royce – estimated to fetch up to £2-million;
· The 1930 Bentley 4 ?-litre Supercharged Tourer – a rare and important ‘Blower’ Bentley (estimate in excess of £1-million);
· 1956 Bentley S1 Continental – The property of Sir Alan Sugar and formerly the property of Sir Elton John (estimate £70,000 – 100,000).
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