With the national media full of frothing indignation over the Queen Elizabeth 'Heil Hitler' picture storm, showing Nazi-sympathising Edward in close attendance, what better time is there to offer at auction an album of photos showing the Duke of Windsor giving the salute on a 1937 trip to Germany?
It is a happy coincidence for north Wales saleroom Morgan Evans, as auctioneer Simon Bower confirms. "It was catalogued two to three days before the video thing broke," he says. "It's the first time on the market for over 30 years - only the second time ever."
The album features in the July 30 sale at the Anglesey auction house.
The controversial film released by The Sun newspaper showing the future queen dates from 1933. These latest photos show the former Edward VIII, by then the Duke of Windsor after his abdication, on an October 1937 visit to the Friedrich Heinrich Colliery. The album was presented to Royal Engineers Major DG McLea by the mine's managing director. It shows the duke at various points during the visit, including wearing colliery work clothes and in conversation with Third Reich officials.
Bower adds: "The major's family put it up for sale in the early '80s which is when my client bought it, and this is the first time it has surfaced since then. It is a local vendor, not on the island [Anglesey] but north Wales, a client I've been dealing with a few years really. He'd been thinking about selling it for some time."
Inevitable media interest has followed. Whether that translates into a big price on the day remains to be seen, especially with online bidding, but the timing is of course excellent for Morgan Evans. They have pitched it at £1500-2500, although Bower admits that estimating such a lot is always going to be tricky.
The album is accompanied by Major McLea's First World War service medals and miniature groups, buttons, etc.
