That story about Mrs Simpson apparently came from Jimmy Donahue, son of the
Woolworth dime store heiress Jessie Woolworth Donahue and (my respondent
thinks) first cousin to Barbara Hutton.
“Donahue was a notorious homosexual, at one time handsome and sleek but
later florid and rather worse for the wear from drink. He had very bad
breath, my grandfather told me.
“Donahue was a regular on the Palm Beach, New York, Newport circuit and was
a close friend of the Simpsons in the late 40’s and 50’s. The friendship
declined after Donahue became a little too familiar—telling cruel stories
about WWS, alleging that he had an affair with WWS and it was not quite the
thing… e.g., like sleeping with the Ancient Mariner was one of his bon
mots.
“The friendship ended when after a drunken evening, Donahue kicked WWS in
the shins, drawing blood. The Duke of W. ordered Donahue out and that was
that.”