Was Sydney Johnson A Real Person?

Sydney Johnson was a Black valet who was the footman to Edward VIII until Edward died in 1972.

Sydney Johnson is best remembered for serving as a footman to the abdicated king and former Duke of Windsor, Edward VIII, for over 30 years. Johnson began working as an attendant for Windsors when Edward became governor-general of the islands in the 1940s, during World War ii.

Johnson was just 16 years old at the time and would progress in his role until he became a footman in 1960, according to Vickers, who says he also married his french wife that year.

He stayed on in this capacity until a year after Duke’s death in 1972.

Despite Johnson’s fondness of the royal couple, Vickers says that he would have been treated as a servant in those times, and the Duchess’ view of him would like have been influenced by her Baltimore roots, and the racial segregation that was a codified way of life there and across the US.