To Catch a King

‘No, I didn’t have that pleasure.’

‘What is your personal opinion about the way in which the English dealt with the crisis surrounding his abdication?’

‘It seems to me they handled the whole problem very sensibly. Tradition and responsibility had to take precedence over personal emotions.’ Schellenberg shrugged. ‘I don’t really see how the British government could have acted any differently.’

Von Ribbentrop looked extremely put out. ‘I can see this is one matter about which you have been completely misinformed. The real reasons behind the pressure for the Duke to abdicate were political. He was too socially aware; too determined to change the decadent English society into something forceful and forward-looking. Something more suited to modern needs.’

‘I see,’ Schellenberg said dryly. ‘He told you this?’

Von Ribbentrop didn’t seem to hear him. ‘He was much impressed with everything he saw in Germany. The Führer received him at Berchtesgaden. They talked together for an hour.’

He paused at the window. ‘At the moment the Führer is totally immersed in the planning of Operation Sea Lion – the invasion of England – which is why he asked me to handle this most important matter for him.’

‘I see.’

‘The Duke, as you know, was serving as a major-general with Allied forces in France. During the débâcle that followed our magnificent victory, he and the Duchess, with a few friends, managed to cross into Spain. They were in Madrid until recently. In fact the attitude of the Spaniards in the matter may be best summed up by this telegram I received from our Madrid ambassador, von Stohrer. I have a copy here.’

He passed it across and Schellenberg scanned it quickly.

The Spanish foreign minister requests advice with regard to the treatment of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor who were to arrive in Madrid today, apparently in order to return to England by way of Lisbon. They assume we may be interested in detaining the Duke here and possibly in establishing contact with him.

Schellenberg handed the paper back. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘It’s really very simple. The English are racially a part of our Germanic brotherhood. The Führer has no wish to destroy them. They could have an important part to play in the greater European ideal. He is convinced that, any day now, the British government will see this and will sue for peace. After all, they don’t have much choice. They’re finished.’

‘There’s still the Channel to cross,’ Schellenberg pointed out.

‘But there won’t be any need, don’t you see? And once a peace treaty has been concluded, there would be the question of the throne to consider. Much better for all concerned to see it occupied by a man loved by his people, who was also a good friend to Germany.’

It was with difficulty that Schellenberg stopped himself from laughing out loud. ‘Are you really serious, Minister?’

Von Ribbentrop seemed mildly surprised. ‘But of course. I have here a copy of a report sent to the American secretary of state on the second of July by their ambassador in Madrid in which he states that in a conversation with a member of the embassy staff, the Duke declared that the most important thing now was to end the war before thousands more were killed or maimed to save the faces of a few politicians.’

‘Which hardly makes him a National Socialist,’ Schellenberg said.

Von Ribbentrop rolled on relentlessly. ‘The Duke and Duchess arrived in Lisbon recently and are staying at Estoril in the villa of a Portuguese banker, Dr Ricardo de Espirito Santo é Silva. On their arrival they found two British flying boats waiting to take them to England. The Duke sent them back. Refused to go. Don’t you find that interesting?’

‘Did he give a reason?’

‘According to our information, he insisted on the offer of a worthwhile post and assurances that the Duchess would be treated in future in full accord with her status as his wife.’

‘That seems reasonable,’ Schellenberg said. ‘They’ve hardly made the best use of his talents so far in this war. Has he had a reply?’

‘Apparently Churchill is offering him the governorship of the Bahamas.’

‘Clever,’ Schellenberg said. ‘And practical. Three thousand miles from the war. Has he accepted?’

‘Not yet. Quite obviously, he’s stalling for time. We feel he would probably far rather stay on in Spain or possibly even in Switzerland. Naturally that gangster Churchill and his clique wouldn’t like this and we may assume that the British Secret Service would take a hand.’

‘In what way?’

‘Oh, I should imagine the obvious ploy would be to make sure the Duke got on the boat to the Bahamas whether he wanted to or not, which is where you come in, Schellenberg. The Führer feels you would be the ideal man to speak to the Duke on our behalf. Offer any assistance he may need. Financial, for example, if that is necessary. Whatever happens, the Duke must be given help to reach the country of his choice.’

‘Even if that proves to be the Bahamas?’

Von Ribbentrop glanced at him. ‘My dear Schellenberg, as I’ve told you before on many occasions, that facetiousness of yours could well be the death of you one of these days.’

‘My apologies, Minister.’

‘To continue. If the Duke should prove in any way hesitant the Führer would have no objection to your helping him reach the right decision.’

‘By force?’

‘If necessary. Naturally, it will also be your responsibility to see that the Duke and his wife are not exposed to any personal danger. A hunting trip into Spain is all it takes. Once you have them over the border, the rest is simple.’

Schellenberg said, ‘And this is a direct order from the Führer himself?’

‘But of course.’ Von Ribbentrop passed an envelope across. ‘You’ll find everything you need in there. Total authority. I can only wish you well and envy your inevitable success in this matter.’

Heydrich sat by the window in his office holding the document in his hand.

FROM THE LEADER AND CHANCELLOR

OF THE STATE

MOST SECRET

General Schellenberg is acting under my direct and personal orders in a matter of the utmost importance to the Reich. He is answerable only to me. All personnel, military and civil, without distinction of rank, will assist him in any way he sees fit.

Adolf Hitler

‘Nonsense!’ Heydrich said. ‘Sheer bloody nonsense and all built on totally false assumptions.’

There was a knock on the door and a young secretary entered with a file which she placed on his desk. She went out without a word and Heydrich tapped it with a finger.

‘In here, Walter, is everything you need to know about the Duke of Windsor – everything recorded about him, but what have I taught you to be the first and most fundamental principle of intelligence work?’

‘As the Jesuits put it; by the small things shalt thou know them.’

‘Exactly. It is not what a man says or what people say about him that is the truth. It is how he behaves, for character is action.’ He tapped the file. ‘And nowhere more so than with this man. How would you describe him – in the world’s eyes?’

‘A contradiction. Concerned about his fellow men – his attitude to the English working classes proved that – and yet fond of luxury and pleasure. A difficult man; reserved.’

‘Perhaps. Certainly stubborn.’

‘Because of his stand on the question of marrying the Duchess? Some people might find that admirable. In the past, the hypocrisy of many kings of England in sexual matters is a fact of history. Perhaps the Duke was actually taking a moral stance on this occasion as a matter of principle. To do otherwise, to humiliate the woman he loved might have seemed to him the most contemptible thing he could imagine.’

‘When he was serving with the British Military Mission in France in what was meant to be a dead-end job, he managed to make several tours of the Maginot Line.’ Heydrich opened the file. ‘There is a copy here of a letter sent to the War Office by Major General Vyse. He gives details of a report by the Duke after an inspection of the French First Army and summarizes it as follows: