A Birmingham secretary who saw a former king as 'fair game' boldly approached the Duke and Duchess of Windsor for their autographs, even lending them her pen.
Encounter in Portofino
Hilda Hutt, from Aston, spotted Edward and Wallis Simpson while on holiday in Portofino, Italy, in July 1951. A family friend said the 'upstanding' spinster would not have dreamed of approaching serving royals but felt confident fronting up the couple after Edward gave up the crown for the American divorcee.
Hilda bagged autographs from the reluctant pair, having lent them a pen so they could sign her postcard. She also recorded the moment on film as she and friend Ethel posed for photos during the encounter.
Archive Under the Hammer
Now the unique archive is going under the hammer and is expected to fetch hundreds of pounds. Seller Ann Morris, 55, from Gloucestershire, inherited the collection from her mother Josephine Morris, Hilda's goddaughter.
'Hilda and Ethel encountered the couple while on holiday,' said Ann. 'From what I remember, Auntie Hilda said the Duke and Duchess seemed less than pleased at being asked to sign autographs and tried to brush them off, saying they didn't have a pen.'
'They possibly didn't want to mix with people who they might have perceived to be common. But Auntie Hilda was a force of nature. She produced her Biro and gave the couple no further excuse!'
Fair Game
Ann added: 'She was that sort of woman, she was prepared for anything and would not have been put off by any haughty behaviour. Hilda wouldn't have accosted just anyone for an autograph. She was an upstanding lady and I don't think she would have approached any other member of the Royal Family – they were on a pedestal and she wouldn't have thought herself worthy.'
'But given that Edward had abdicated, rejected his monarchy so controversially, I think for her that would have made them fair game. They were a much talked-about couple and maybe, when Hilda saw them coming ashore, she thought that guy owes us [the British people] something! She always held the rest of the Royal Family in very high regard.'
Life in Aston
Hilda lived her whole life in Aston and worked as a secretary for Norton Motorcycles when the firm was based in the area. She never married and lived with her older sister Doris in their family home until moving to a care home in the 1990s following Doris' death. Hilda died in February 1998 aged 91.
The Windsors' autographs and photos came to Ann's mum Josephine, from Sutton Coldfield, who was also 91 when she died in February 2025. Edward's and Wallis' signatures are on the back of a postcard depicting Rapallo, a coastal town on the Italian Riviera some eight kilometres from Portofino. Two 9cm x 6cm photographs mark the occasion.
One shows Hilda with Edward and Wallis and the Duke's equerry; written on the reverse is: 'Hobnobbing with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Portofino, July 1951. Loaned Duchess my Biro.' The second photograph shows the party with Hilda's friend Ethel. On the reverse is written: 'July 1951. The Duke of Windsor borrows my pen to sign autograph. Duke and Duchess of Windsor & Duke's equerry. Ethel looks on.'
A fourth item, the Italian press photocard of Edward and Wallis in Portofino, shows the couple wearing the same outfits as in Hilda's photographs.
Wicked Sense of Humour
'Auntie Hilda was a very 'prim and proper' lady with an incredible eye for detail,' said Ann. 'However, she also had a wicked sense of humour, which seemed quite at odds with her outward appearance. Her tongue would have been firmly in her cheek when she wrote 'hobnobbing with the Duke and Duchess' on the back of one of the photos!'
'It is a fascinating little collection and we are not parting with it lightly. But they have just been stored under my mum's wardrobe in a safe box since Auntie Hilda died. We would like them to go to someone who will appreciate them for their historical context and ensure they are well-kept.'
Rob French, valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said: 'These items provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of two of the most notorious people from the 20th century. We have guided the collection at £200 to £300 but they could make far more on the day at auction.'
The haul will go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers at The Lichfield Auction Centre on Monday, June 22.
