"On Duty With The Queen" by Dickie Arbiter (2014)

[Pranter]

Prince Charles 'furious' over memoir by former Buckingham Palace press secretary that will spill royal family's gossip: report - NY Daily News


Reportedly the PoW is not happy at all about the book....has anyone else heard anything about the book?


LaRae

 

[GracieGiraffe]

I've heard about it, but I did not know it would talk about anyone other than Charles and Diana.

 

[HRHHermione]

The royal family is never happy when former staff decide to talk. There's a long history of them feeling betrayed by this, even when the book is flattering. (Marion Crawford)


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[MichelleQ2]

Dickie Arbiter has always been incredibly loyal to HM as is his daughter Victoria. This could be a case of the DM making a story where there isn't one. I prefer to wait and see what is covered in the book.

 

[Marty91charmed]

Victoria Arbiter has tweeted that we should wait and read the book before forming an opinion or judge... and that what the media says it'n only rubbish...

 

[Iluvbertie]

I don't read books by people who betray the trust of those who employ them. I simply regard that person as beneath contempt and have very little regard for anyone who supports such a person so Victoria Arbiter can take a running jump as she is as bad as Dick in my opinion - disgusting betrayer of a trust.

 

[Marty91charmed]

I just reported what she tweeted! Because according to her in the book there is nothing about Diana's humilation etc like the media is blabbering....

 

[Dman]

Dickie Arbiter has said that his book isn't betraying the royal family and isn't juicy as the media has tried to make it. I know Dickie wouldn't do anything that would make the royals and palace officials frown.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The only way he isn't betraying the royal family is if he doesn't mention them at all - any mention is a betrayal and as the name makes a reference to The Queen he is betraying their trust.

He will get away with it because people like to read the 'inside story' regardless of how that 'inside story' was gained.

 

[Elenath]

I don't think it's that black and white. After all... if he mentioned in his book what wonderful people they are I don't believe that's "betraying their trust". Let's just wait and see.

 

[maryr0249]

News! Publisher promotes book!

 

[Iluvbertie]

I don't think it's that black and white. After all... if he mentioned in his book what wonderful people they are I don't believe that's "betraying their trust". Let's just wait and see.

To me that is still betraying them as he is revealing stuff about them - whether good or bad it is still a betrayal.

Crawfie, for instance, said only nice things but they and many others still see that as a betrayal of their trust.

He was in a position of trust and has decided, for money and money alone, to sell what he knows about their lives - that is totally wrong.

 

[tommy100]

I use to agree about people writing books about the Queen and her family as betraying their trust and 'selling out' but then, for example,the Queen's cousin Margaret Rhodes,wrote an autobiography which she talked about the Queen and Queen Mother in. She is still very much part of the family so I guess even the Queen has perhaps accepted that there is a difference between selling out with gossipy rubbish vs just writing about what happened in a factually type way.
Let's wait and see what the book is really like, I have to say based on how Dickie has been in past I'd find it rather out of character to go about writing a gossipy, tell all book. Bear in mind he comments alot about the RF on TV and in the media so being kept 'in the fold' as such is important to him (and his daughter) career wise.

 

[nascarlucy]

It would really depend on what was said. Supposedly Prince Charles isn't thrilled about the book coming out (this is what news accounts that I've read about the story say, well they actually say that he was furious over it).

 

[Iluvbertie]

I use to agree about people writing books about the Queen and her family as betraying their trust and 'selling out' but then, for example,the Queen's cousin Margaret Rhodes,wrote an autobiography which she talked about the Queen and Queen Mother in. She is still very much part of the family so I guess even the Queen has perhaps accepted that there is a difference between selling out with gossipy rubbish vs just writing about what happened in a factually type way.
Let's wait and see what the book is really like, I have to say based on how Dickie has been in past I'd find it rather out of character to go about writing a gossipy, tell all book. Bear in mind he comments alot about the RF on TV and in the media so being kept 'in the fold' as such is important to him (and his daughter) career wise.

Margaret Rhodes' book was approved and so she didn't sell out anyone as she had The Queen's permission to write what she wrote.

That is a different scenario to an unapproved work which is a sell out for money.

 

[COUNTESS]

Or, perhaps, freedom of speech. If you are a public figure and take public money what makes you think you are above someone writing a book about you. If there is slander sue. If you don't like the revelations, tough. This mystique about nobodies writes about them, is gone, I believe, in the 21st Century. They are just people. And, probably the book is less revealing than the Publisher would like, so ballyhoo.

 

[VictoriaB]

It would really depend on what was said. Supposedly Prince Charles isn't thrilled about the book coming out (this is what news accounts that I've read about the story say, well they actually say that he was furious over it).

The tabloids have an uncanny knowledge of what Prince Charles thinks. He is frequently 'incandescent with rage" no matter what the occurrence. He is so frequently incandescent with rage it's a wonder he hasn't had a stroke from high blood pressure.

 

[GracieGiraffe]

I'm not sure what else there is about the marriage of Charles and Diana that we don't know. I believe I've even read about their underwear in a book or too.

 

[MARG]

The tabloids have an uncanny knowledge of what Prince Charles thinks. He is frequently 'incandescent with rage" no matter what the occurrence. He is so frequently incandescent with rage it's a wonder he hasn't had a stroke from high blood pressure.

Well if he did he would probably be reported as incandescent with rage with his doctor or the hospital or . . .

But seriously, how else are they going to get "publicity" for the lastest tome from Fantasy Land. Of course . . . Charles is incandescent with rage about it!

I'm not sure what else there is about the marriage of Charles and Diana that we don't know. I believe I've even read about their underwear in a book or too.

That's probably what Charles is really thinking about!

 

[Tarlita]

The impression I get of Buckingham palace is that it is run a bit like a high class Hotel with offices running their business. Instead of conference rooms they have the White Drawing room for audiences etc. With many staff living under the same roof as members of the royal family. This royal household is very close to the family and trust is paramount between the two. So if we put ourselves in the RF's shoes it would be very upsetting when a trusted employee tells tales about you.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I have no trust in the mails sources.

 

[rominet09]

The tabloids have an uncanny knowledge of what Prince Charles thinks. He is frequently 'incandescent with rage" no matter what the occurrence. He is so frequently incandescent with rage it's a wonder he hasn't had a stroke from high blood pressure.

How right you are !!!!!

 

[nascarlucy]

Every week some drama is going on according to the tabloids. I doubt that anything in the book relating to Prince Charles's and Princess Diana's marriage isn't anything we have heard or read about.

 

[Queen Camilla]

His book is called 'On Duty With The Queen'.

I think some people are reading too much into it or expecting something that isn't there.

The book could just be an itinerary of the Queen's schedule during his time as her press secretary.

 

[Hilda Thomas]

What is the fuss about; the queen and Prince Charles did not even try to stop Hewitt;s book about Princess Diana at the time she was the wife of the future king of England and the mother of the future king.
Te Royal family is a member of the human race not above.

 

[VictoriaB]

What is the fuss about; the queen and Prince Charles did not even try to stop Hewitt;s book about Princess Diana at the time she was the wife of the future king of England and the mother of the future king.
Te Royal family is a member of the human race not above.

How were they supposed to stop it? As distasteful as Hewitt's book might have been, he did not, to my understanding, break any laws or any contract.

 

[Hilda Thomas]

They could have stopped it, Hewitt was one of the queens's soldier, Prime Minister John Major wanted to stop him from disgracing a member of the royal family, the queen did not support Mr. Major to do it" what goes around comes around". Let God be our judge!!.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

They could have stopped it, Hewitt was one of the queens's soldier, Prime Minister John Major wanted to stop him from disgracing a member of the royal family, the queen did not support Mr. Major to do it" what goes around comes around". Let God be our judge!!.

That is not true. According to Wikipedia, People and several other sources, James Hewitt retired from the military in March 1994--6 months before the book was published. How could John Major stop a former soldier from publishing a book about his private life?

Diss and Tell - Affairs, Dark Secrets, James Hewitt, Princess Diana : People.com

The trouble with spreading these false stories (other than they are easy to disprove) is that it is really ineffective. If the detractors have to make up things about the royal family, the royal family can't be that bad.

 

[Warren]

"On Duty With The Queen" - Dicke Arbiter (2014)

"On Duty With The Queen
My Time as a Buckingham Palace Press Secretary"
by Dickie Arbiter

Hardcover
Publisher: Blink Publishing
Publication date: 1 October 2014

Blink Books blurb
Dickie Arbiter was the Press Officer for Buckingham Palace for 12 years. Previously Court Correspondent for IRN, Dickie was a poacher turned gamekeeper before moving to work at the Palace in 1988. At the forefront of royal engagements Dickie was privileged to work alongside Princess Diana, Prince Charles, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen as well as some of the minor royals. His career spanned some of the most turbulent times for the monarchy, the divorce of the future King and the death of Princess Diana, to name just two.

His memoir will convey what life was like behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace and his personal and witty anecdotes bring detail to events and warmth to the royals that has never been seen before.

MailOnline
The book promises to share what life was like 'behind the scenes' during the time that Mr Arbiter worked at the Palace in 'the most turbulent period in the history of the modern British monarchy'. It was previously reported that Mr Arbiter, a respected royal pundit around the world, had turned down countless previous offers to write his memoirs.

Mr Arbiter worked at the palace between 1988 and 2000. He witnessed the breakdown of Prince Charles' marriage to Diana and the affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles. He was also working for the palace the day Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris.

A palace source told the paper: 'It is just a case of a man who he [the Prince of Wales] thought was a friend and who could be trusted cashing in on the misery of that time. It is disloyal.' Mr Arbiter has previously said the book 'is not a kiss-and-tell but an autobiography'. He said: ‘It’s a candid look behind some of the most salacious and sensational royal stories of those days from the perspective of someone who was not only there, but who also had experience of the monarchy.’

A Palace spokesman told the MailOnline: 'We wouldn’t comment on the contractual obligations of employees, past or present, of the Royal Household.'

Express
Prince Charles is said to be "furious" that a trusted aide has written a book which gives details about the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana.

The Queen's former press secretary Dickie Arbiter is promoting his memoirs, which are believed to contain explosive insights into the inner workings of the royal family. His book, On Duty with the Queen, is said to claim that Diana felt "humiliated" by Charles' affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles. It is also reported to describe the reaction of Prince Charles and the Queen to Diana's sudden death in a car accident in 1997.

Arbiter, who worked for the palace between 1988 and 2000, is the first former press secretary to write a book about his time with the royals.
He signed a confidentially agreement as part of his role - but has denied that the book breaks any obligations of secrecy. He is reportedly set to make £250,000 from the memoirs, despite previously criticising former royal butler Paul Burrell for cashing in on his royal connections.

v cover
Reproduced for promotional purposes

 

[cepe]

Lets wait and see. This thread should be locked until the book is publsihed