article_snippet: The US-born wife of King Edward VIII made the American Minister in Lisbon and the American consul in Nice find the Nile green outfit at the property in the South of France.
article_snippet: diplomats opened up the shuttered rental property even though that part of the coast was occupied by the Nazis at the time.
article_snippet: so Mrs Simpson enlisted the American diplomats to ‘repatriate the garment’.
article_snippet: ‘Even though their rented villa was locked and shuttered and that part of the coast occupied by the enemy, the American diplomats duly did Mrs Simpson bidding.
article_snippet: At the time the couple were hiding out from the row over his abdication in Spain and Portugal.
article_snippet: ‘The duchess was most concerned that the couple bed linens be protected from damage.
highlights_snippet: Duke of Windsor and Mrs Simpson were staying in Portugal .
  