A COLLECTION of lingerie once worn by the Duchess of Windsor - and belonging to a Worcestershire family - is going on rare public view to raise money for St Richard’s Hospice.
The unique collection is owned by Sally Simmonds, who lives near Clifton upon Teme.
Mrs Simmonds inherited them from her mother Lady Millichip who was given them by her friend Wallis Simpson’s lady’s maid, Frenchwoman Pauline Armitage who worked for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in Paris in the 1950s after the King’s abdication.

The couple, who became Duke and Duchess of Windsor, lived in Paris before the Second World War and returned after 1945. The Duke died in 1972 and the Duchess in 1986.

Wallis Simpson’s marriage to King Edward VIII led to the 1936 abdication crisis after the King was forced to choose between her and the throne because Parliament would not allow him to marry a divorcee.
 The collection will be displayed at a lunch and lecture in aid of the hospice which has supported Mrs Simmonds, who is living with secondary breast cancer.
Mrs Simmonds is living with secondary breast cancer and is being supported by St Richard’s Hospice.
She and her husband, Grant decided they wanted to help raise funds for the hospice as a way of saying thank you for the care and support they are receiving.
After the fundraiser the collection is going to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Mrs Simmonds said: “The needlework on the lingerie is exquisite and they are so beautifully made. It’s incredible to think about them being worn by the duchess.

“The V&A were keen to have the collection and we know they will be well looked after.

“St Richard’s has been marvellous for me, an absolute comfort blanket which is why we wanted to help raise funds for the charity.”
Mrs Simmonds has received support and advice from a St Richard’s specialist nurse at home as well as the hospice secondary breast cancer nurse. She has also benefited from complementary therapy and is a founding member of the new hospice patient group for women with secondary breast cancer.
 “We love coming to the group -  all of us are in the same boat,” she said. “We meet once a month and it’s very casual.

 “We see how everyone is and if they need any moral support, plus we have guest speakers on topics of interest to us such as nutrition, Citizen’s Advice and complementary therapies.”
“The best thing is talking to other women in a similar situation and how they cope, learning form others and sharing experiences.”
The lunch will take place at The Wood Norton Hotel and Restaurant, near Evesham on Thursday, July 6.
Guests will be able to view the collection, which includes silk nightdresses, French silk knickers, a negligee and kid gloves worn by the duchess and hear a talk by Susanna Cordner - will talk about the history of underwear with particular reference to the 1930s, the era from which the Duchess of Windsor’s collection hails.

Ms Cordner is a fashion history researcher and curator with a particular interest in the 20th century.She previously worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Tickets for the lunch are £30 each, tables of ten are available. To book visit strichards.org.uk/royal-lingerie or call the fundraising team on 01905 763963.