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At 91, legendary actress Joan Collins is set to portray Wallis Simpson, the controversial Duchess of Windsor, in the upcoming biopic The Bitter End. The film explores the final years of the American socialite whose romance with King Edward VIII led to his abdication, creating one of the biggest constitutional crises in British history.
Collins shared the announcement on Instagram with a side-by-side black-and-white image of herself and Simpson, stating, "I'm delighted to be playing #WallisSimpson in an untold story about her final years." The film will shoot in London and Paris, starting in May, coinciding with Collins' 92nd birthday.
Fans expressed excitement over the casting, with one commenting, "This is going to be great—I've always been curious about her final years." Another fan wrote, "No one could play the role more exquisitely than you, Joan!"
Simpson, born Bessie Wallis Warfield in Pennsylvania, gained infamy after her marriage to King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry her. The couple lived primarily in France, spending their later years in isolation at the Villa Windsor in Paris. The Duke died in 1972, and the Duchess lived until 1986, enduring years of ill health and solitude.
Written by Louise Fennell, mother of The Crown star Emerald Fennell, and directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), The Bitter End promises to reveal the "shocking untold story" of Wallis Simpson's twilight years.
