British Royal Family

[Skydragon]

If it's Saturday, it must be Sandringham

What really goes on behind the royals' gilded doors? And how would an arch-republican feel about staying overnight in a palace? Jeremy Paxman, in the first of two extracts from his new book, recalls the shock of finding himself in a world of equerries, valets and hand-pressed underwear.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts...rc=rss&feed=10

[Henri M.]

It is a bit embarassing that such an renowned journalist as mr Paxman can loose himself in futilities which trap himself.

He wrote about Prince Charles' demand that for breakfast there must always be seven eggs, boiled from extremely soft (number one) to rock hard (number 7) and all gradations in between. The Prince then makes a choice between the seven eggs, depending on his taste.

Asked about the source for this information mr Paxman: he heard it 'from friends'. But apparently he had not checked this information at all.

Chris Barber, who for 11 years was Chef of the princely kitchens: 'Prince Charles never ever throws food away. And he also never eats an egg at all for breakfast'.

[Skydragon]

The zoo must go on

How has a supposedly powerless institution like the British monarchy survived all calls for its abolition? In the second excerpt from his book on the royals, Jeremy Paxman examines the relationship between princes, prime ministers and the people.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts...rc=rss&feed=10

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

If it's Saturday, it must be Sandringham

What really goes on behind the royals' gilded doors? And how would an arch-republican feel about staying overnight in a palace? Jeremy Paxman, in the first of two extracts from his new book, recalls the shock of finding himself in a world of equerries, valets and hand-pressed underwear.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts...rc=rss&feed=10

Skydragon, thank you for posting this link.

I started reading the article but stopped rather early on when I read that" A few years ago, Buckingham Palace advisers decided that the Queen really ought to see a little of the working lives of her subjects." - sorry, but I decided that this reader ought not to read the rest of either articles or the book.

Because I don't buy into a view of the Royal household where "advisors" decide what the queen has to do. It's such a direct - well, not longer just a hint, but a broad one or - clue that the author has no idea of Her Majesty's personality at all. Mind, I don't know Her Majesty apart from reading about her, but the overall picture that is painted of the queen is that she knows exactly what she wants and while she listens to advisors and treasures their efforts, she is the one who is in charge. Full stop.

So, this Paxton guy really seems to be at a complete loss when it comes to royality. But who might be interested in "The world of royality according to Paxton"? - to paraphrase Irving's Garp a bit.

BTW - why doesn't the Prince of Wales use egg coddlers? AFAIK they were invented to prevent exactly the problem as mentioned by Paxton: they are filled according to the master's wishes and cooked à la minute right in the butler's pantry.... I've quite a couple of those by Royal Worcester and my family loves to fill them on a sunday brunch or a High Tea. And I don't think Clarence House knows less than me about British tradtions when it comes to breakfast or High Tea.

[wartenberg7]

I´m looking pretty "desperately" for the 1977-biography about the late eldest son of Prince Henry and Princess Alice, former Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, "William of Gloucester: Pioneer Prince"
Can someone help?!

[Warren]

You'll find it on this page of Amazon.com.

[wartenberg7]

Originally Posted by Warren

You'll find it on this page of Amazon.com.

Thanks a lot - I was unlucky enough to have lost it at an ebay auction recently...
Can somebody give som pre-informations about it (about photos and the quality of informations about Prince William in it, etc.)?

[love_cc]

This is a new biography published in 2007 about Prince Charles. The author is Howard Hodgson.The book is quite objective but it is a pity that the author focused on Prince Charles and Diana. His book focused on 1945-1997. He said that his motivation was to correct the untrue facts in Morton's book Diana: Her true story and to present a fairer account about Prince Charles to avoid any history whitewashing.

In some parts,he is quite harsh about Diana especially about her decisions involving with Morton's book and the BBC interview. But equally he is quite strainght about the flaws in the characters of Prince Charles and Diana.He crticised solely Charles for the decision to marry Diana but acknowledging Diana has hided the other side of herself from the Prince and certainly her family did not give any warning before the proposal. He seems to rather believe that Diana's prblems are rooted with an insecure childhood and her unknown metal problems rather than her natural character of manuplation and other possible negative personalities. He mentions the possibility of Diana suffering from BPD or other unknown mental problems.

Some of his parts are quite controversial since he studied about Diana, Princess of Wales. The information probably from Charles: Victim or Villian by Penny Junor, The Real Diana by Lady Colin Campell, Diana: the life of a troubled princess by Sally Beddell Smith, and Diana: story of a princess by Tim Clayton and Phil Craig.

I want to know more about Prince Charles and Camilla. But I am dispointed. The author failed to notice the publications of Diana by Sarah Bradford and Portrait of a love affair by Gyles Bradreath which also dispointed me.

But I still find this book provoking deep thinkings. The author actually wants to use the lives of Charles and Diana to present the images of British society in past five decades rather than focusing on the two people. He said he used five years to try to do the research and write the books. I guess using clear sources are always difficult because Prince Charles is still alive and many people still have their resevervations in this matter.

For me, I hope that someone can help me evaluate the realibility of sources of these books I list above.

[selrahc4]

Zara Phillips: A Revealing Portrait Of A Royal World Champion

LINK

"Mr Hoey, official biographer of Zara’s mother Princess Anne, lifts the lid on the 26-year-old’s unique bond with her grandmother"

[norwegianne]

Published 1991. 263 p.

I've been interested in reading more about Prince Philip for quite some time now - and while I thought Gyles Brandreth's book Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a marriage was very interesting - I wanted something more. I'm not sure if this book by Tim Heald was what I was looking for, but after reading it I feel satisfied with what I've read, with a few minor exceptions.

I think that it is interesting that Heald have chosen to bring along sources that he personally find to be dubious, such as Crawford's accounting of events, or Philip's cousin Alexandra of Yugoslavia. He states that [paraphrased] while these sources have been decorated on, they still may contain some grain of truth from time to time. I also thought it amusing how the Duke countered a lot of the statements he was asked to comment on, and told the author that he'd never been there, and he didn't remember it like that... and so on.

In a way I think Hugo Vickers' biography on Princess Andrew of Greece, Prince Philip's mother, is a more interesting read - both in the fluency in which it is written, and the fact that the author writes more objectively. What I do find admirable in this book is the fact that the author has tried to take up both negative and positive sides of his subject. The emphasis being on has tried - given that it was supposed to be read through by the Palace, I doubt he's taken up some things.

What I find surprising, is that the only one of Philip's children who contributed was the Princess Royal. Certainly, it is rumoured that she has the closest relationship with him of the children, but I can't help but feel that the picture would be a bit more nuanced with the others chiming in as well. As for the grandchildren - aside from a picture at the end, they're hardly mentioned at all. Heald has focused on the Duke with his work, and less on the personal family life.

A conflict with Brandreth's book, as far as I can recall, is that it was mentioned there as well as in this book by Philip's friends that he never had a home growing up - which Philip himself disputes in this book, which was published before Brandreth's. (Heald has a kick in Brandreth's direction once or twice, by the way.)

Last tidbit that I found interesting: One of the enemy ships that he faced early in WWII was called Zara. Approx. 40 years later, his granddaughter was given the same name.

All in all, an interesting read, but I wouldn't say particularly well written.

[milla Ca]

You can get the book of
HRH The Prince of Wales ( with Stephanie Donaldson) :
The Elements of Organic Gardening
now in German language.
It has here the title:
Highgrove, Clarence House, Birkhall - Königliche Biogärten ( 29,90 Euro)

Really a recommendable book!

[Avalon]

I may go for the book (although in English). I have read some parts in the newspapers, and I must say I really like it.
This suits me so much better because my childhood dream was to become gardener.

[frank22]

Interesting books:

“Zara Phillips: The Biography: A Revealing Portrait of a Royal World Champion”
by Brian Hoey
Amazon.co.uk

“Margaret: The Last Real Princess”
By Noel Botham
Amazon.com

“Princess Margaret”
By Theo Aronson
Amazon.com

“William & Harry”
By Ingrid Seward
Amazon.com

“My Story”
By Sarah Ferguson, Jeff Coplon
Biographic book written by Sarah Ferguson.
Amazon.com

“Anne: The Private Princess Revealed”
By Brian Hoey
Amazon.com

[zembla]

I'm reading this at the moment...

Amazon.com: The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life: Books: Charles Higham

[attaininggrace]

What do you think of it, Zembla? One review on Amazon was very bad.

I haven't got much time for either of them. I'm inclined to think that she was just a gold-digger and he shouldn't have given up the throne.

Attaining Grace

[CourtSprite]

Is anyone aware of a good book or two on the Duchess of Cornwall? I'm interested in factual rather than speculative.

[BeatrixFan]

Hi! I'd really recommend Gyles Brandreth's "Charles and Camilla". Very factual because he interviewed most of her close friends and a few (nameless) Royal Family members. Also the Mountbattens. Very factual, a little sycophantic in places but better than the other books out there on HRH.

[love_cc]

I will suggest Gyles Brandrth's "Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a love affair" as well. This is the best book and balanced book from all sides.If you need a replacement, there are other choices.

Rebecca Tyrrel, Camilla: the intimate portrait
Christohpher Wilson, The Windsor Knot
Caroline Graham Charles and Camilla: a love story

Brandreth's book is stil the best because he is the person who really met Charles and Camilla and have established relationships with Charles and Camilla' circle. Other authors are not.

[sthreats]

I would not recommend the Tyrrell book. It is not an "intimate portrait" but a stringing together of stories from newspaper articles and other books (not referenced) with some clever lines thrown in. eg.-"he missed his big-bosomed Goons fan". The Brandreth book is the best researched but some of the emphasis on past family history is tedious. The Graham book is actually well-written and enjoyable although it reads more like a novel than an biography.
The Windsor Knot attempts to give a balanced view of the Charles/Camilla/Diana triangle but it still seems biased against Camilla.

[BeatrixFan]

I agree where Tyrrell is concerned. To say it is literary excrement is a gross understatement.