The 30 Minute Rule begins July 15 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By July 15 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
ALS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page both sides, 5 x 8, Home Office, Whitehall letterhead, January 30, 1911. Handwritten letter to newspaper magnate Lord Northcliffe, marked "Secret" at the head, concerning the criminal libel prosecution intended to extinguish rumors that King George V had secretly married in Malta before his marriage to Queen Mary. In full: “My dear Northcliffe, I wanted to speak to you about the King’s libel action wh[ich] will be tried on Wed. I daresay we shall be in complete agreement; but I should have liked to have discussed it with you beforehand if possible. It is most important that the trial should kill that lying story once & for all. The reception of the event by the press will count for a good deal in this respect. I thought you w[oul]d like to be informed so as to give any necessary instructions. I am v[er]y sorry you have to fly this harsh weather.” In fine condition. Accompanied by a handsome custom-made quarter-leather clamshell case.
A remarkable and historically charged Churchill letter written in his capacity as Home Secretary, discreetly coordinating press treatment of one of the most sensitive royal scandals of the reign. The “King’s libel action” concerned the prosecution of Edward F. Mylius, who had revived a persistent false rumor that George V—then Duke of York—had contracted a secret marriage in Malta and later abandoned his supposed wife to marry Princess May of Teck. The case came to trial on February 1, 1911, just two days after Churchill wrote this letter. Mylius was convicted and sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment, and the proceedings allowed an official denial to be placed before the public in the strongest possible terms.
Churchill’s blunt phrase—“kill that lying story once & for all”—is especially powerful, revealing both the government’s urgency and his awareness of the press’s decisive role in shaping public acceptance of the verdict. Addressed to Lord Northcliffe, proprietor of the Daily Mail and one of the most influential press figures in Britain, the letter offers rare insight into Churchill’s behind-the-scenes management of royal reputation and public opinion at the highest level.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
Third-party authentication service applies only to signatures and handwriting, and does not cover the addition of sketches, artwork, musical quotations, etc.
