Autobiography: royalty Books

Book Synopsis''A unique insight into the isolated childhood of the future queen and her sister'' YOU MAGAZINE, THE DAILY MAIL~The touching and ground-breaking stories of the Queen and Princess Margaret''s childhoods told by their nanny, Marion Crawford. With a foreword by former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond, Marion reveals the royal family''s life before The Crown.Now, more than ever, the Royal Family''s private lives are the stuff of soap opera and it seems anyone who comes into contact with them sells their story to the magazines or to the newspapers. Marion Crawford, ''Crawfie'', as she was known to the Queen and Princess Margaret, became governess to the children of the Duke and Duchess of York in the early 1930s, little suspecting she was nurturing her future Queen. Beginning at the quiet family home in Piccadilly and ending with the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948, Crawfie tells how she brought the priTrade ReviewA valuable piece of social history, detailing every aspect of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood through the crucial years of the abdication and the war, as well as Lilibet's courtship and marriage . . . Crawfie produced an important social document, taking us behind the palace walls to enjoy a unique insight into the isolated childhood of the future queen and her sister * YOU MAGAZINE *An utterly charming depiction of a wholesome childhood in a loving family * THE WEEK *An utterly charming depiction of a wholsome childhood in a loving family. * THE WEEK *

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Book Synopsis'Honest, insightful and vulnerable' Forbes'Compellingly artful... a blockbuster memoir' The New Yorker'The most insightful royal book in a generation' Financial Times'A rattling page-turner... As a personal insight into one boy's life in an extraordinary spotlight, it may never be better' Sunday Times________Sunday Times Memoir of the Year 2023It was one of the images of the twentieth century: two boys, walking behind the coffin of their mother, Princess Diana. Billions wondered what the princes must be feeling - and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last. Before then, Prince Harry was known as the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. But grief changed everything. At twenty-one, he joined the Army but was soon more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn't find true love. Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple's romance and wedding. But

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Book SynopsisPlatinum Jubilee editionFull of gems Angela Kelly is a jewel in the crown'Daily TelegraphEntertaining and beautifully illustrated'The Sunday TimesFor real intel, [The Crown] can't come close to The Other Side of the Coin by Angela Kelly'The New York TimesWhen Angela Kelly and The Queen are together, laughter echoes through the corridors of Buckingham Palace.'Angela worked with The Queen and walked the corridors of the Royal Household for twenty-eight years, initially as Her Majesty's Senior Dresser and then latterly as Her Majesty's Personal Advisor, Curator, Wardrobe and In-house Designer. As the first person in history to hold this title, she shared a uniquely close working relationship with The Queen.Her Majesty personally gave Angela her blessing to share their extraordinary bond with the world. Whether it was preparing for a formal occasion or brightening Her Majesty's day with a playful joke, Angela's priority was to serve and support. Sharing never-before-seen photographs manyTrade Review‘For the nearly seven decades of her reign, Her Majesty The Queen has used clothing to create a powerful visual identity that transcends fashion and has made her perhaps the most readily identifiable person on the planet. Angela Kelly, building on the work of the great designers and milliners who have worked with Her Majesty through the years – including couturiers Sir Norman Hartnell, Sir Hardy Amies, and Ian Thomas, and milliners such as Simone Mirman and Freddy Fox – brings her own imagination to bear on an iconic ‘uniform’ that suggests continuity and tradition, and ensures that the wearer is always the most visible person in a room or a crowd.’– Anna Wintour,Vogue ‘The book documents the unique working relationship between Her Majesty The Queen and the woman who has been her Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser for more than two decades: Angela Kelly. It gives a rare insight into the demands of the job of supporting the Monarch, and we gain privileged insight into a successful working relationship, characterised by humour, creativity, hard work, and a mutual commitment to service and duty. Angela is a talented and inspiring woman, who has captured the highlights of her long career with The Queen for us all to share.’ – Samantha Cohen, Assistant Private Secretary to The Queen (2011–2018) ‘Fascinating book’– HELLO! ‘The book is a trove of warm and insightful anecdotes’– Daily Mail ‘Angela Kelly shares fascinating and charming anecdotes’– Good Housekeeping ‘Life with the Queen uncloaked. It is the Queen, and Angela’s photographs of her, that make this anecdotal book unique. The pages are full of small pranks and light-hearted fun. The Other Side of the Coin lifts the royal curtain without offending anyone. *****’– Daily Express

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Book SynopsisBorn Emma Watkins, the Duchess of Rutland is the daughter of a farmer from Knighton, Powys. She worked as an estate agent, marketing properties in Worcester, and later as an interior designer. Today, the Duchess runs the commercial activities of Belvoir Castle, including shooting parties, weddings and a range of furniture. She has presented on various television programmes, including ITV's Castles, Keeps and Country Homes, appeared in an episode of Alan Titchmarsh on Capability Brown, and has produced a book about Belvoir Castle. The Accidental Duchess is her fourth book.The Duchess has a podcast titled Duchess, where she interviews chatelaines of castles and stately homes throughout the United Kingdom. Her interviewees include Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill of Blenheim Palace and Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace.Watkins married David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, in 1992. The pair have five children.

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Book Synopsis'This second volume of memoirs is as fascinating as the first....full of wit, joy, vivid vignettes and useful insights...she has another bestseller on her hands' India Knight, Sunday Times'It's great to have another memoir from Lady Glenconner . . . as open-minded and entertaining as she clearly is' Lynn Barber, Sunday Telegraph'A jolly anecdote for every day of the year and excellent advice' Hilary Rose, The Times'As glorious and highly readable as its predecessor - as well as being packed full of new stories' ipaper'Full of eye-popping detail' Sophia Money-Coutts, Daily TelegraphBracing honesty, rare insight and hilarious revelations from internationally bestselling author of LADY IN WAITING as she shares everything she's learned from her extraordinary and unexpected life.Anne Glenconner's glittering life hasn't always been golden. As she revealed in her astonishing bestselling memoir Lady in Waiting, it has been one of stark contrasts - from growing up in the splendour of Holkham Hall to living in a tent in the jungle of Mustique, from travelling the world with Princess Margaret to coping with her wildly unpredictable husband Lord Glenconner. Tragically, she has also survived the loss of two of her sons and nursed a third son back from a coma.Now in her ninetieth year, and at her happiest, Anne brings her bracing honesty, characteristic wit and courage to reflect on and reveal more about her long and unexpected life, her extremely volatile marriage, and what it's taught her.As a wife, she became a master in the art of keeping the peace, knowing when to pick her battles, when she needed help - and when to take a lover. As a hostess, she acquired great practical skills in throwing marvellous parties and looking after magnificent homes, and, as a lady in waiting, became well versed in diplomacy and etiquette. It was as a mother she learnt the toughest lessons of all, and through them the value of friendship, family, and laughter to get her through the worst moments in life, as well as celebrate the best of them.Anne Glenconner's Whatever Next? is the richly entertaining proof that staying open to every new adventure and being ready for whatever happens sets an inspiring example for us all.

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Book SynopsisIt was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrow-and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling-and how their lives would play out from that point on.For Harry, this is that story at last.Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness-and, because he blamed the press for his mother's death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn't find true love.Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple's cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

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Book SynopsisInspired by the 1910 bestseller Where's Master? Muick is the Queen's loyal corgi. Loving, attentive, but with an occasional tendency to nip ankles. But Muick can't find his Queen. The courtiers won't let him into the bedroom. The corgi handlers won't explain what is happening. Why are all the family suddenly here? Muick gives his own account of events and travels through his grief from Scotland to the funeral as he seeks to make sense of his loss and find a future beyond. Funny, touching and hopeful, Where's Ma'am is the story of the loss of a friendship like no other and the brave journey back to love and happiness. Illustrated throughout with black and white line drawings, meet the wonderful friends that help a small dog to overcome his biggest challenge.

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Book SynopsisA tsarevich, Nicholas visited Bangkok in 1891 as part of his Eastern Tour, celebrating the opening of the eastern branch of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Lavishly entertained by the Thai monarch, the two become close and an enduring friendship ensued. The king's son, Prince Chakrabongse, was invited to study in St Petersburg at the Tsar's court, and his 8-year stay was paid for by Nicholas. He was treated as a member of the family and had a unique insight into Tsarist Russia. His letters home to his father, the king, are insightful, full of observations and news about the Russian court. The king was equally candid in his replies, making for a revealing read for anyone with an interest in this period of history.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Narisa Chakrabongse 1896 Departures: to Europe & Java 1897 The King’s Visit - Studies in England 1898 Learning Russian - Life in St. Petersburg 1899 Corps des Pages - First Trip Home - Constantinople 1900 The Crown Prince’s Visit - King Umberto’s Funeral 1901 Exams at the Corps - the Kschessinka Affair - The King’s Trip to Java - Page to the Empress 1902 Joining the Hussars - Trip to America - Corps des Pages Centenary 1903 Regimental Life - the Great Ball - Second Trip Home 1904 Return to Russia - Russo-Japanese War - Military Academy 1905 The Hussar Officer - Representing the King - Revolution 1906-1910 From Russia to Siam - Scandal & Fatherhood - The King’s Last Years Appendices Summary of the Letters Selected Bibliography and Photographic Credits Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisThe most scandalous Royal book of the yearIn a rapidly changing world the Royal Family own swathes of the country, most of the seabed and more money than anyone could ever spend. It is the role of the Chamberlain of the NDAs to keep things that way.From transgressions to successions, travesties to majesties, follow eighteen months in the life of trusted toady Fenton Footlicker Esquire as he takes Queen Elizabeth to rehab, foils a breakout from the Balmoral Labour Camp and runs a counter-espionage unit of royal lookalikes the Crown Duals.Fenton knows better than anyone that without the monarchy UK tourism would instantly collapse. Which is why he calls himself the Royal Flush: because he always cleans up the messes his charges leave behind.Trade Review‘Henry Morris is incapable of writing a not-brilliant sentence’ Caitlin Moran ‘Crowns, tiaras and brilliant satire – it’s the best of British!’ Chris Packham

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Book SynopsisCatherine the Great ruled Russian from 1762 until her death in 1796. Her letters provide an intimate history of the Russian state as well as a portrait of her character and qualities.Trade ReviewThese selected letters are an irresistible encapsulation of emergent Russia in the mid-to-late eighteenth century and involve the principal players in Europe during the Age of Reason. This volume, with its careful annotation by Kahn and Rubin-Detlev, is a valuable companion to Catherine the Great scholarship. * Patrick Hunt, Comitatus: A Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies *With their wide range of correspondents and topics, these letters, which have been ably translated, will help further understanding of this most charismatic of Russian rulers, whose tastes and personality helped shape Enlightenment Europe. * Vera Proskurina (2019) Catherine the great: selected letters, Women's Writing *Table of ContentsIntroduction Note on the Text and Translation Select Bibliography A Chronology of the Life and Reign of Catherine the Great SELECTED LETTERS Explanatory Notes Gazetteer

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Book Synopsis2022 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR FROM THE TELEGRAPH (UK) AND THE SUNDAY TIMES (UK)  2022 BEST AUDIOBOOKS OF THE YEAR FROM THE TIMES (UK) This darkly funny, confessional memoir from the star of What Not to Wear tells all: from her posh upbringing and the dishy details of her career in fashion to her journey as a recovering alcoholic. The fact that Susannah Constantine made her name as a 'style guru' as part of “Trinny and Susannah” from What Not to Wear is the least interesting thing about her. Susannah grew up amongst the great and good of British aristocracy and (unwittingly) trained to be a society bride. Fittingly, Barbara Cartland was her touchstone for romance: she wanted to be the underdog heroine who ended up marrying a prince. Instead she dated Princess Margaret’s son for several years and traveled in royal circles, including on the island of Mustique, where P

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Romanov Sisters and Caught in the Revolution, The Last Days of the Romanovs is Helen Rappaport''s riveting, moment-by-moment account of the last fourteen days of the Russian Imperial family. The brutal 1918 massacre of the Romanov family may be familiar, but in Russian scholar Rappaport''s hands, the tale becomes as shocking and immediate as a thriller. . . . A gripping read. People magazine This is the story of the murders that ended three hundred years of Romanov rule and set their stamp on an era of state-orchestrated terror and brutal repression. Counting down to the last, tense hours of the Imperial family''s lives, Rappaport strips away the over-romanticized versions of previous accounts. The story focuses on the family inside the Ipatiev House, capturing the oppressive atmosphere and the dynamics of a groupthe Romanovs, their servants, and guardsthrown together b

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Discover the global phenomenon that tells an unforgettable story of love, loss, and healing.“Compellingly artful . . . [a] blockbuster memoir.”—The New YorkerIt was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.For Harry, this is that story at last.Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to ac

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Book SynopsisThe dramatic and inspiring story of one woman's incredible journey into the heart of a man and his nation.Trade ReviewHere she tells the story of her life as a young royal bride, her humanitarian work, her miscarriage and the births of her four children. Above all she describes her abiding love for her husband who died in 1999. * SUNDAY TRIBUNE *

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Book SynopsisPrince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, is a husband, father, humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist. He resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his family and three dogs.

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Book SynopsisBorn Emma Watkins, the Duchess of Rutland is the daughter of a farmer from Knighton, Powys. She worked as an estate agent, marketing properties in Worcester, and later as an interior designer. Today, the Duchess runs the commercial activities of Belvoir Castle, including shooting parties, weddings and a range of furniture. She has presented on various television programmes, including ITV's Castles, Keeps and Country Homes, appeared in an episode of Alan Titchmarsh on Capability Brown, and has produced a book about Belvoir Castle.In 2021, the Duchess created a podcast titled Duchess, where she interviews chatelaines of castles and stately homes throughout the United Kingdom. In her podcast's first season, her interviewees included Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill of Blenheim Palace and Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace.Watkins married David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, in 1992. The pair have five children.Trade ReviewThe Duchess does indeed seem a remarkable woman . . . this is an engaging book -- Lynn Barber * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAlexander Larman, the master chronicler of the House of Windsor, brings his acclaimed trilogy to a dramatic and poignant conclusion.When the Royal Family took to the balcony of Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945, they knew that the happiness and excitement of the day was illusory. Britain may have been victorious in a painful war, but the peace would be no easier. Between the abdication crisis, the death of King George VI, and the ascension of young Elizabeth II to the throne, the continued existence of the monarchy seemed uncertain. And the presence of the former Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, conniving and sniping from the sidelines in an attempt to regain relevance, even down to writing a controversial and revelatory memoir, could only make matters worse. Still, the question of whether or not Elizabeth could succeed and make the monarchy something that once again inspired international pride and even love remained.In Power and Glory, Alexande

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1950, The Little Princesses was the first account of British Royal life inside Buckingham Palace as revealed by Marion Crawford, who served as governess to princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. A twenty-two year old teacher recruited to look after the Duke and Duchess of York's young daughters in 1931, Marion Crawfordaffectionately known as Crawfie by her chargesspent sixteen years with the Royal family as the children's governess. From King Edward VIII's abdication of the throne in order to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson and King George VI's subsequent crowning, through World War II, and all the way to Elizabeth's courtship and marriage to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Crawfie's memoir offers an intimate and revelatory perspective of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood during one of the most momentous eras in British history. Initially honored as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for her loyal service to the crow

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Book SynopsisThrough a rich and beautiful series of images, British fashion journalist Eloise Moran decodes Princess Diana's outfits in this smart visual psychobiography of an icon.From the pink gingham pants and pastel-yellow overalls of a sacrificial lamb, to the sexy Versace revenge dresses, power suits, and bicycle shorts of a free woman, British fashion journalist Eloise Moran has studied thousands of pictures of Princess Diana. She soon discovered that behind each outfit lay a carefully crafted strategy: What Lady Di couldn't express verbally, she expressed through her clothes.Diana's most show-stoppingand poignantoutfits are all here in The Lady Di Look Book, incisively decoded. Moran sees things no one has before: Why, for example, did Diana have a rotating collection of message sweatshirts? Was she mad for plaid, or did the tartan have a deeper meaning? What about her love of costume jewelry on top of the tiaras and oval sapphire engagement ring? With new i

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Book SynopsisUsing never before seen sources, Once a King is a fresh, revelatory and gripping insight into the Duke of Windsor - King Edward VIII - who gave up the throne to marry the woman he loved, twice divorced American Wallis Simpson. Considering Edward VIII's travels and interests as Prince of Wales as well as his relationship with Wallis Simpson and the course of events leading up to his abdication and subsequent exile, Once a King offers a previously unexplored lens through which we encounter first-hand the hitherto concealed subtlety and raw emotion of two of the twentieth century's most iconic Royal figures: the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  

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Book SynopsisThe 12th Duke of Beaufort, known to his friends as 'Bunter', inherited his Dukedom and Badminton House in 2017, at the age of sixty-five.  But he is also a singer and songwriter with the rock group The Listening Device. Now he combines his responsibilities as Duke with his line as a rock performer.  In this lively and anecdote-filled memoir, Harry Beaufort takes us behind the scenes of his varied life: from playing poker with politicians, to partying on Ibiza with film stars to people watching with The Queen from a balcony at Windsor Castle. He offers an intimate portrait of aristocratic privilege and a lifetime filled with rock stars, royalty, eccentrics and jaw-droppingly unbelievable stories.    But Harry also offers a sensitive and perceptive insight into the worlds he has inhabited and the friendships and laughter that he has experienced along the way.  This is the story of an ordinary man facing up to his extraordinary inhe

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Book SynopsisIn this sumptuous group portrait of the six daughters of “Mad” King George III, acclaimed biographer Flora Fraser takes us into the heart of the British royal family during the tumultuous period of the American and French revolutions.Drawing on their extraordinary private correspondence, Fraser gives voice to these handsome, accomplished, extremely well-educated women: Princess Royal, the eldest, constantly at odds with her mother; home-loving, family-minded Augusta; plump Elizabeth, a gifted amateur artist; Mary, the bland beauty of the family; Sophia, emotional and prone to take refuge in illness; and Amelia, “the most turbulent and tempestuous of all the Princesses.” Never before has the historical searchlight been turned with such sympathy and acuity on George III and his family.

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Book Synopsis'Lovely... delivers the warmest of glows' - Telegraph'Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest' - Good HousekeepingA sparkling celebration of our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II including special writings and illuminating insights around key moments in her 70-year reign, introduced and edited by her biggest fan Joanna Lumley.In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She was Britain's longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. A Queen For All Seasons, edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she played. Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and in more recent events, as our matriarch, the Queen kept the national ship steady through seven decades, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen's life - her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird's-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.This book is a special and unique portrait of the life of Queen Elizabeth II.Trade ReviewLovely...Delivers the warmest of glows * TELEGRAPH *Lovely...Delivers the warmest of glows * TELEGRAPH *You couldn't ask for more cheerful company than Joanna Lumley to lead you through an anthology of the Queen...moving * Daily Mail *You couldn't ask for more cheerful company than Joanna Lumley to lead you through an anthology of the Queen...moving * Daily Mail *A fascinating portrait of Her Majesty * My Weekly *A fascinating portrait of Her Majesty * My Weekly *You'll find interesting snippets about protocol, fashion and events - its definitely one to pull out after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. * PRESS ASSOCIATION *You'll find interesting snippets about protocol, fashion and events - its definitely one to pull out after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. * PRESS ASSOCIATION *A touching tribute to a remarkable woman * Woman *A touching tribute to a remarkable woman * Woman *Full of golden memories from people of all walks of life, it offers a wonderful and unique insight into Her Majesty's life * THE PEOPLES FRIEND *Full of golden memories from people of all walks of life, it offers a wonderful and unique insight into Her Majesty's life * THE PEOPLES FRIEND *Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *

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Book Synopsis'Lovely... delivers the warmest of glows' - Telegraph 'Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest' - Good Housekeeping In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She was Britain's longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.A Queen for All Seasons is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman: a treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of The Queen during key moments of her reign and life, through to her death in September 2022. Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and brings us through to the twenty-first century when, in the role of matriarch, The Queen kept the national ship steady through seven decades, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Together this forms a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she played.Trade ReviewLovely...Delivers the warmest of glows * TELEGRAPH *You couldn't ask for more cheerful company than Joanna Lumley to lead you through an anthology of the Queen...moving * Daily Mail *A fascinating portrait of Her Majesty * My Weekly *You'll find interesting snippets about protocol, fashion and events - its definitely one to pull out after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day. * PRESS ASSOCIATION *A touching tribute to a remarkable woman * Woman *Full of golden memories from people of all walks of life, it offers a wonderful and unique insight into Her Majesty's life * THE PEOPLES FRIEND *Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *

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Book Synopsis'A pleasure to read... a timely reminder of the need for service' -- The Daily Telegraph'The voices and reminiscence of family and friends merge seamlessly, giving the impression of gathering round the fire on a winter evening' -- The OldieHRH The Duke of Kent has been at the heart of the British Royal Family throughout his life. As a working member of the Royal Family, he supported his cousin The Queen, representing her at home and abroad, until her death in 2022. His royal duties began when, in 1952, at the age of sixteen, he walked in the procession behind King George VI's coffin, later paying homage to The Queen at her Coronation in 1953. Since then he has witnessed and participated in key Royal occasions.A Royal Life is a unique account based on a series of conversations between the Duke and acclaimed Royal historian Hugo Vickers. It covers the Duke's upbringing, his army life, his royal tours and events and associations with organisations. Here too are recollections of family members including his mother, Princess Marina, his grandmother, Queen Mary, his cousin, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his uncle, King George VI.Other members of the Royal Family contribute their memories, including his wife, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke's siblings, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent, his son, the Earl of St Andrews, his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor as well as his cousins, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Archduchess Helen of Austria and her brother, Hans Veit Toerring.Containing never before seen photographs from the Duke's private collection, A Royal Life is an unprecedented and remarkable insight into Royal history.Trade ReviewA pleasure to read... a timely reminder of the need for service -- Jane Ridley * Telegraph *Vickers has chosen an ideal format. With his minimal yet informative editorial interlacing, the voices and reminiscence of family and friends merge seamlessly, giving the impression of gathering round the fire on a winter evening. We realise how fortunate it is for the Queen to have such a reliable, human and sensitive figure to shoulder so many of her responsibilities, and how selflessly indeed he has served his cousin and monarch. -- Nicky Haslam * The Oldie *

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Book Synopsis'A pleasure to read... a timely reminder of the need for service' -- The Daily Telegraph'The voices and reminiscence of family and friends merge seamlessly, giving the impression of gathering round the fire on a winter evening' -- The Oldie'A remarkable memoir penned by the Duke of Kent, whose entire life has been dedicated to Queen and country... an insider's account of what it is like to be a working royal.' -- Daily MailHRH The Duke of Kent has been at the heart of the British Royal Family throughout his life. As a working member of the Royal Family, he supported his cousin The Queen, representing her at home and abroad, until her death in 2022. His royal duties began when, in 1952, at the age of sixteen, he walked in the procession behind King George VI's coffin, later paying homage to The Queen at her Coronation in 1953. Since then he has witnessed and participated in key Royal occasions.A Royal Life is a unique account based on a series of conversations between the Duke and acclaimed Royal historian Hugo Vickers. It covers the Duke's upbringing, his army life, his royal tours and events and associations with organisations. Here too are recollections of family members including his mother, Princess Marina, his grandmother, Queen Mary, his cousin, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his uncle, King George VI.Other members of the Royal Family contribute their memories, including his wife, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke's siblings, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent, his son, the Earl of St Andrews, his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor as well as his cousins, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Archduchess Helen of Austria and her brother, Hans Veit Toerring.Containing never before seen photographs from the Duke's private collection and a new chapter on the Platinum Jubilee and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, A Royal Life is an unprecedented and remarkable insight into Royal history.Trade ReviewA pleasure to read... a timely reminder of the need for service -- Jane Ridley * Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller 'This second volume of memoirs is as fascinating as the first....full of wit, joy, vivid vignettes and useful insights...she has another bestseller on her hands' India Knight, Sunday Times'It's great to have another memoir from Lady Glenconner . . . as open-minded and entertaining as she clearly is' Lynn Barber, Sunday Telegraph'A jolly anecdote for every day of the year and excellent advice' Hilary Rose, The Times'As glorious and highly readable as its predecessor - as well as being packed full of new stories' ipaper'Full of eye-popping detail' Sophia Money-Coutts, Daily Telegraph'Charm itself' Spectator'Anne Glenconner returns to charts her fascinating life and the hard-won lessons learnt in diplomacy, marriage and motherhood' Tatler.comBracing honesty, rare insight and hilarious revelations from internationally bestselling author of LADY IN WAITING as she shares everything she's learned from her extraordinary and unexpected life.Anne Glenconner's glittering life hasn't always been golden. As she revealed in her astonishing bestselling memoir Lady in Waiting, it has been one of stark contrasts - from growing up in the splendour of Holkham Hall to living in a tent in the jungle of Mustique, from travelling the world with Princess Margaret to coping with her wildly unpredictable husband Lord Glenconner. Tragically, she has also survived the loss of two of her sons and nursed a third son back from a coma.Now in her ninetieth year, and at her happiest, Anne brings her bracing honesty, characteristic wit and courage to reflect on and reveal more about her long and unexpected life, her extremely volatile marriage, and what it's taught her.As a wife, she became a master in the art of keeping the peace, knowing when to pick her battles, when she needed help - and when to take a lover. As a hostess, she acquired great practical skills in throwing marvellous parties and looking after magnificent homes, and, as a lady in waiting, became well versed in diplomacy and etiquette. It was as a mother she learnt the toughest lessons of all, and through them the value of friendship, family, and laughter to get her through the worst moments in life, as well as celebrate the best of them.Anne Glenconner's Whatever Next? is the richly entertaining proof that staying open to every new adventure and being ready for whatever happens sets an inspiring example for us all.

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Book SynopsisTender, moving, heartfelt and warm (and sporadically scandalous and outrageous too), these are the private messages between people in love. Yet they are also correspondence between the rulers of nations. From Henry VIII's lovelorn notes to Anne Boleyn and George IV's impassioned notes to his secret wife, to Queen Victoria's tender letters to Prince Albert and Edward VIII's extraordinary correspondence with Wallis Simpson - these letters depict romantic love from its budding passion to the comfort and understanding of a long union (and occasionally beyond to resentment and recrimination), all set against the background of great affairs of state, wars and the strictures of royal duty.Here is a chance to glimpse behind the pomp and ceremony, the carefully curated images of royal splendour and decorum, to see the passions, hopes, jealousies and loneliness of kings and queens throughout history. By turns tender, moving, heartfelt and warm (and sporadically scandalous and outrageous too), these are the private messages between people in love. Yet they are also correspondence between the rulers of nations, whose actions (and passions) changed the course of history, for good and bad.This morning I received your dear, dear letter of the 21st. How happy do you make me with your love! Oh! my Angel Albert, I am quite enchanted with it! I do not deserve such love! Never, never did I think I could be loved so much. Queen Victoria to Prince Albert (28 November 1839)Trade Review'Love Letters of Kings and Queens is a real treat for any royalist and anyone who enjoys reading historical letters, and it's the ideal book to dip in and out of.' - Short Books & Scribes -- Short Books & Scribes

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Book SynopsisThis is the intimate and revealing autobiography of the late Margaret Rhodes, the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the niece of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Margaret was born into the Scottish aristocracy, into a now almost vanished world of privilege. Royalty often came to stay and her house was run in the style of Downton Abbey. In the Second World War years she 'lodged' at Buckingham Palace while she worked for MI5. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin, Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. Three years later the King and Queen attended her own wedding; Princess Margaret was a bridesmaid. In 1990 she was appointed as a Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen Mother, acting also as her companion, which she describes in touching detail. In the early months of 2002, she spent as much time as possible with her ailing aunt, and was at her bedside when she died at Easter that year. The next morning she went to Queen Elizabeth's bedroom to pray, and in farewell dropped her a final curtsey.

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Book SynopsisWherever she went, in public or in private, she was shadowed by her Scotland Yard personal protection officer, Inspector Ken Wharfe, whose job it was it keep her safe, even to the extent of sacrificing his own life, if necessary. In public Diana was feted wherever she went, greeted by adoring crowds and fawned over by the media. In private she craved anonymity, and it was Ken Wharfe's brief to protect her and keep her away from prying eyes. The SAS-trained officer from the Yard's elite Special Operations 14, Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department, was with the Princess every step of the way. As she dazzled among Washington society or walked the sand of exclusive Caribbean beaches he watched over her. In the foothills of the Himalayas, the heat and dust of India and the heart of Africa, he was always just a heartbeat away. 'Purple Five Two' - the woman, the princess - was Ken's charge. In private when they travelled, they often posed as man and wife under assumed names, 'Mr and Mrs Hargreaves', to throw the determined paparazzi desperate for a photograph off the scent.Whenever she wanted a private holiday it would be to Ken she would turn, who would be despatched in secret to find the idyllic spot. In the six years that Ken was at Diana's side they travelled hundreds of thousands of miles together, sharing secrets, laughter and tears on a truly extraordinary journey. This is their exclusive story.

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Book SynopsisJane Parker, later Viscountess Rochford, was the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn and was executed alongside Katherine Howard, yet she has remained in the shadows throughout the years, surrounded by more myths than facts. She is often portrayed as a malicious woman who was jealous of her husband's relationship with his sister, but the evidence does not support that. So why is she portrayed as such? It may be the ambiguous nature of her dealings with Henry VIII's fifth queen, Katherine Howard, that have influenced our view of her, but her real story deserves to be told in full. Jane Parker: The Downfall of Two Tudor Queens? is the next instalment in an exciting new historical true crime series from Chronos Books.

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Book SynopsisThis intimate and personal memoir of the present incumbent of Firle Place, the home in the South Downs of the Gage family for 500 years, is described as follows by Charles Moore: In this book, Nicky Gage describes his father's memoirs as 'masterly but short'. The same could be said of his own. Both when being funny - which, again and again, he is - and when being serious, he has a gift for economy of style. Take this chapter opening: 'Sadly, the sexual revolution of the 1960s passed me by, as I was either sitting on my tractor looking after sheep or occasionally visiting my parents - whose butler disapproved of my agricultural attire.' Without being tediously confessional, Nicky is direct about his own failings. One of these, he thinks, is that he took much too long to grow up. Is that such a failing? No doubt it caused some difficulties along the way, but his childlike quality is central to the charm to which all his friends testify. It has allowed him to stay open to the world. He became a father in his seventies and continues to paint and hunt in his mid-eighties, an age when most men would long have put aside such things. He possesses an invincible innocence, which lights up his blue eyes, and makes this book a delight. Sir John Gage made the family fortune in the first half of the 16th century. Nicky, his descendant, writes admiringly of Sir John's good intentions towards Firle expressed in his will. We should all admire Nicky's fulfilment of those intentions in the 21st.

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