Take a Look Inside the Former French Estate of the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson

Following the Edward VIII's abdication of the British throne in 1936, in which he gave up his position of king in order to marry Simpson, an American divorcée, the couple lived in relative exile in France, and in 1952, they purchased an estate called Le Moulin de la Tuilerie.

The sprawling house is located near Paris, and it's where the couple, who were also known as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, resided until Edward's death in 1972. Once an 18th-century mill, the French home was frequented over the years by the couple's celebrity friends, including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Marlene Dietrich, and Cecil Beaton. And according to the Sunday Times, the Duchess once described it as "our only real home."

The private estate sits on 26 acres, and features an impressive six properties along with lush grounds, which include a polo pitch. It has also been reported that the Duke nurtured his passion for gardening at Le Moulin de la Tuilerie. And when the couple settled on renovating the home, they turned to famed French interior designer Stéphane Boudin, who worked closely with Jacqueline Kennedy, and also helped decorate their 14-room manse in the Parisian park Bois du Boulogne, later known as Villa Windsor.

A piece of wall art commissioned by the Duchess reportedly still remains in the home. "I am not the miller’s daughter,” it reads, according to the Times. “But I have been through the mill.”

In 2019, the home was listed for £5.6 million (or roughly, $7.3 million).

You Might Also Like

• Oprah’s Favorite Things of 2022 Is Here—Gift These 20 Amazing Finds This Year

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game