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Earl Winfield Spencer, 1st husband of Wallis Simpson
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Earl Winfield Spencer, 1st husband of Wallis Simpson
Commander Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. (1888-1950), pioneering U.S. Navy pilot who served as the first commanding officer of Naval Air Station, San Diego. He was the first husband of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor. Date: 1936
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Media ID 23047236
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Duchess Husband Jan18 Simpson Spencer Viii Wallis Windsor Winfield
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This striking photograph captures Commander Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. (1888-1952), an pioneering U.S. Navy pilot and the first commanding officer of Naval Air Station, San Diego. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Spencer joined the Navy in 1911 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a commander in 1935. At the time this image was taken in 1936, Spencer was married to Wallis Warfield Simpson, who would later become the Duchess of Windsor. Their marriage was a scandal, as Simpson was still married to her second husband at the time, and King Edward VIII of England, who was smitten with her, abdicated the throne in order to marry her. Despite the controversy surrounding his marriage, Spencer continued to serve in the Navy with distinction. He was a decorated pilot and flew numerous combat missions during World War II. After the war, he retired from the Navy and settled in France with his wife. This photograph offers a glimpse into the life of a man who defied convention and made history both as a pioneering naval officer and as the first husband of the Duchess of Windsor. The image captures Spencer's strong and determined character, as well as the elegance and sophistication that would later come to define his wife. The photograph is a fascinating reminder of a time when personal scandal intersected with history in unexpected ways.
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