"William and Harry" by Katie Nicholl (2010) plus Member Q&A with Author


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Shikha Pal said:
Is it possible for William to become the King of England instead of Charles?
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No - the only way Charles doesn't become King is if he doesn't outlive his mother.

In addition - why would William want to be King instead of the father he absolutely adores? It always bugs me when people assume that William would be privy to this idea as he so clearly admires and loves his father and basically what you are asking is - Would William stop his father from having his birthright?
 
Warren said:
The article consisted largely of direct quotations from the book so I'd imagine that any retraction or apology due to "unsubstantiated claims and lies" would fall firstly on the book's publisher, Random House, and not the Daily Mail which merely printed an excerpt.
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A newspaper that publishes false claims is liable to libel, even if it's only publishing extracts from a book, especially if these claims are presented as fact without an editorial disclaimer.

Also, it's highly unlikely that Random House was the reason the article got pulled.
No national publication would ever risk a costly copyright infringement lawsuit by publishing large extracts from a book without authorisation.
The Nicholl article was part of a serialisation deal that was beneficiary to all involved (exposure and money for Nicholl, free publicity for Random House, web traffic and print sales for the Mail).

The second reason you gave is likely but so is mine, I maintain, especially since it has happened before, with the debunked 'pearl earring' story.

I will quote from the British publication Private Eye to highlight my point. In both cases, I only typed a small part of the item to comply to the forum rules. The full articles can be accessed by buying the issues.

Private Eye no. 1259 (2 to 15 April 2010), page 28 :
Alas! This riveting yarn [The dog story] (...) swiftly collapsed (...).
The MoS has covered its embarrassment by removing all trace of the story from its website (...).
For the past few months [Katie Nicholl] has been busy writing William and Harry (...), and the dog story was one of the sensational "scoops" due to be included in the book.
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Private Eye no. 1263 (current issue), page 6:
(...) As well as being diary editor, Katie was made royal correspondent of the MoS a few months ago as a special favour to give her book some credibility. Not that it's worked: some royal aides refuse to speak to her on the grounds that her track record as a gossip columnist is a catalogue of writs, fabrications and general nonsense.
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Members are completely free to judge for themselves the level of credibility or possible value of Katie's book.
Personally, I'll find another summer reading.
 
Thanks to everyone who contributed. :flowers:

The publisher is pressing us for the questions so the thread is now closed to allow time for the best ones to be chosen.

Warren
 
:previous:
Actually I think the article is more about how Harry supposedly never let being in a relationship with Chelsy stop him having fun times with other girls. I wonder if this is more from the book.
 
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Amelia said:
I wonder if this is more from the book.
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I would hope, for the punters who will buy it, that it's not.

I browsed through the article and it was a rehash of DM stories, most of whom are still probably on their websites and accessible though the search section.
Just the laziest form of 'journalism'.
 
I remember that girl from many years ago. Harry was still at Eton. She was a blonde girl in the polo set. She may have been one of the Westonbirt? School girls. I think that's the name of the school..... It's near Highgrove, I think.
 
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Idriel said:
I browsed through the article and it was a rehash of DM stories, most of whom are still probably on their websites and accessible though the search section.
Just the laziest form of 'journalism'.
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Quite right. I don't know why anyone would give Katie Nicholl any credibility. She is a tabloid journalist. Reliable sources? I hardly think so! She's the one afterall who did that silly story about the dog eating the pearl earring, which after proven to be untrue the Daily Mail had to pull the story. She more than likely pieced together all of the tabloid stories from the past years and condensed them into this book.
And where does she get off making the claim (in her excerpt) that Harry reads her column? I doubt Harry or William waste their time reading the tabloids. :rolleyes: Such rubbish!
 
I think they read it, and realise all the shocking things they have not done. ;) And then proceed to laugh and throw it on the fire.
I think she is doing the environment some good, condensing all the stories into one book, so that other journalists don't re-print them to death because Katie Nicholl will sue for infringement or something. :lol:
 
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:lol: Good one lumut. She must need money or perhaps she's planning on leaving the Daily Mail and this is her attempt to try and make as much as she can if she won't have a steady paycheck.
She's also taking advantage of the Tina Brown engagement hype as I don't think it's just a coincidence that she chose the date of June 3rd.
 
I've commented on all the engagement rumours and the thread about the book, and I never put the connection together that the dates were the same. Wow, she really wants to cash in. :)
 
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cd255 said:
Reliable sources? I hardly think so! She's the one afterall who did that silly story about the dog eating the pearl earring, which after proven to be untrue the Daily Mail had to pull the story.
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All journalists claim to have reliable sources or sources on the inside, and of course they really don't.
 
cd255 said:
She's also taking advantage of the Tina Brown engagement hype as I don't think it's just a coincidence that she chose the date of June 3rd.
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Could we just clear this one up again. Authors don't determine the release date of their books, the publishers do, in this case Random House.
 
Why is this forum giving this tabloid writer a platform just to give her credibility that she doesn't deserve? What's the point of asking her questions. Do people think she's going to ask William and Harry to get any answers?
I'm a little surprise (and disappointed) at this forum for doing this.
 
:previous:
I'm disappointed that you're dismissing the Q&A out of hand before you even know what's in it.

You'll have the opportunity to see for yourself in about 24 hours time. Until then I'd suggest you reserve your judgement lest it appear a knee-jerk response or worse, prejudice.
And yes, Katie Nicholl has met both Princes and their support staff, as have most royal correspondents.

This is not the first time that an author has explained and/or defended their book in these Forums and we have several authors of royal works who are contributing members. It would be preferable that the contents of the book and the contents of the Q&A be considered on their merits rather than prejudged or met with antagonism before being read.

We would like to think that TRF has some degree of standing and credibility in the royal-watchers world. We were approached by the publisher, Random House in London, with the offer of members being given an opportunity to put questions directly to the author. We hope it is not the last such offer. I consider that such an approach reflects well on the reputation of TRF as a royal discussion forum and on the knowledge and maturity of the members.

We are not taking an editorial position on the content of "William and Harry". The book is current, it will be released tomorrow, and many members will be interested in its contents. It is therefore worthy of discussion in these Forums and members can make their own assessment. If the author has taken some time to answer member's questions by sharing her opinions and observations, then so much the better.

Warren
TRF Admin
 
^the book has been serialized with three long extracts so far published and Nicholl has a weekly column the MoS where all can see examples of her royal reporting.

I think we're past prejudice here.
 
Ah, but not with the Q&A.
Anyway, there's nothing terribly startling in the extracts published so far, just a history of William & Harry's maybe girlfriends and love lives. The extract from the 29th of May describes Camilla Al Fayed's recollection of some events (Diana and post-Diana), Harry's pot smoking (reported at the time), and the author's encounter with Harry at a bar. Nothing there that I can see to take exception to.
 
^very true. There is nothing remotely harmful or spiteful about the contents of Nicholl's book, as far as one can tell.

I suppose I should choose my battles a bit more carefully (wave white flag). :lol:
 
I'm pleased to be able to post the questions asked by TRF members and sent to Katie Nicholl for her responses.
I hope members will gain some insight into the lives of William and Harry from what follows.

We owe an acknowledgement to Random House, the publishers, for proposing this exchange with TRF members and to Katie Nicholl for taking the time to respnd.

The Q&A will also be posted in the "William and Harry" thread in the Royal Library Forum where members are free to discuss the Q&As and of course the book itself.

Once again, thanks to those TRF members who participated. :flowers:

​

Warren
on behalf of the TRF team
 
Q&A With Katie Nicholl

From Katie Nicholl

First of all I would like to say what a pleasure it is to be on The Royal Forums. Thank you so much for having me and I really hope you enjoy the book!

Here are the questions posed by TRF members and my responses...


* William's recent stint in Australia turned out to be a very successful. What was William's reaction to the enthusiasm with which he was greeted, and what did Buckingham Palace and Clarence House make of it?

When I spoke to one of Prince William's most senior aides just days after the prince returned home from Australia and New Zealand, they admitted to being 'delighted' with the reception Prince William had received. Apparently William had been told to meet 'as many people as possible' and both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace were thrilled with how warmly the public greeted him. When he was younger the Prince hated 'Wills mania' but he seems to quite enjoy it these days! When William landed in Auckland, he was aware of the mixed reviews in the New Zealand and Australian newspapers, but he was determined to give the trip his best shot. I think he handled the crowds and the attention with great aplomb. For me, he is a fantastic ambassador for Great Britain. One has to wonder whether Prince Charles and Camilla would have received the same warm welcome. I'm sure you will recall that when the Prince and Duchess of Cornwall visited Canada in place of Her Majesty The Queen, the welcome they received was less enthusiastic.

* Has Prince Harry ever had any problem with his position as "the spare" and the fact that William will always be number 1?
Does William resent the fact that Harry has less pressure and more freedom than himself?

That's a really interesting question. I do think Prince Harry felt very left out when he was younger. It was William who was packed off to Clarence House to meet with the Queen Mother, while Harry, who was never deemed as important, stayed behind. I think as Harry was growing up it must have been hard for him being 'the spare'. Diana was acutely aware of this and would always make sure Harry got extra cuddles and attention. It must be incredibly hard watching your older brother being groomed for the 'top job' while you wait in the wings. I think nowadays Harry realises that he has certain advantages of being 'the spare' - it certainly entitles him to more freedom. Having met both of the princes I think that Harry is more relaxed and a bit more laid back than William and that is probably because he does not have the same pressures as William who will one day be the King of England.

In my book, there's a fascinating anecdote about the two boys falling out over Harry's underage drinking and cannabis smoking in 2002. Harry was angry that William, who was also drinking at the Rattlebone Inn, escaped from the whole episode unscathed. It was Harry who bore the brunt of the story, and he really resented his brother for that. I don't think William resents the responsibility he shoulders, I think he used to (you'll read all about that in the book) but he's 30 next year, he knows what is expected of him and he has accepted his fate and duty. In many ways I think he's grateful to have Harry who he loves dearly at his side. I'm told William thinks of them as 'Team Wales' which must help him a great deal.

* Between Charles and Diana, the Princes appear to carry the best of both of their parents' characteristics with them.
What influences/traits do you see William and Harry exhibiting during their adult Royal duties and why? Has Camilla influenced them?

Having closely observed the boys carrying out public duties I think they've inherited the best of both their parents' attributes and characteristics. Prince Charles was often considered 'out of touch' compared with Diana, but when I spoke to their former press secretary Dickie Arbiter, he said Charles was often misunderstood. Charles is actually very caring and compassionate, he genuinely cares about the welfare of the people of Great Britain and I think the boys have inherited those characteristics. When it comes to them actually 'working' in the public domain on royal duties, they are both so like Diana.

When I was in New York with Prince Harry for his first overseas tour last May I was so impressed with the immediate connection he had with children that he met; he was a total natural. He would crouch down to their level to talk to them and make them laugh. I will be really interested to see how the princes work together in Botswana Lesotho and South Africa later this month. Seeing William and Harry work as a team is going to be fascinating. They are a great double act and I bet they win everyone they meet over. As regards Camilla, I don't see any evidence of her having 'rubbed off' on the boys as such. I think the most obvious effect the Duchess has had is to make Prince Charles a happier man, which can only make the boys happy too.

* Why do you think William has stayed with the one girl for much of his adult life?

The one thing I am told about Prince William is that he has never got over the death of his mother which is probably why he is a 'one woman' man. Friends of William say he wants stability and loyalty in a relationship, and Kate embodies those qualities. They have a very solid relationship, they don't have rows like Harry and Chelsy, they seem to be very comfortable with one another. William can depend on Kate, she is always there for him and he can trust her with anything. A lot of people think Kate is boring because of this, and perhaps she is not as spontaneous and impulsive as Chelsy, but imagine the pressures of the role that also lie ahead of her.

I know I have been critical of Kate in the past. I do think she should have done the dragon boat race when she and William split up in 2007, if only to show us a bit of her character and what she is made of! I know she is now working at Party Pieces full time, but to the casual observer, no one really knows what Kate does and she does seem to take a lot of holidays and mostly to Mustique. When I wrote an article about the Queen wanting Kate to get a job (Kate was not working at the time) I agreed with HM. If Kate is one day going to be Queen, she needs to understand the struggles of being in a recession, she needs to be able to relate to her public. I think a lot of people feel they don't know much about Kate which is a shame because by all accounts, she is a really great girl. William clearly thinks so, so let's hope they marry and live happily ever after!

* What sort of King does William want to be?

From what we have seen so far, I think William has the potential to be a great leader, he has certainly already won the respect of many of the public. Although he is at great pains to stress that he is not being lined up as a 'shadow king' I think we will be seeing a lot more of William being lined up as an ambassador for Britain, alongside his father. The
prince, like his father, cares passionately about the environment - so much so that he and Harry joined their father in a save the rainforest campaign. William is also genuinely passionate about conservation especially in Africa so I imagine that will have an influence on what he does in the future. William has also chosen to speak out about issues that affect our country – gun crime and homelessness. These are not fluffy or safe issues, they also suggest that the prince is not afraid to confront the very real and grave issues affecting the people of Great Britain. He recognises, and has said that the monarchy needs to modernise, and I think William will ensure that the Monarchy does not become an outdated constitution. In doing so, he will preserve the future of the House of Windsor.

Thanks again for having me on The Royal Forums, and enjoy the book!

Katie


"William and Harry" is available through Amazon:
William and Harry: Amazon.co.uk: Katie Nicholl: Books
 
:previous:

The Q&A will also be posted in the "William and Harry" thread in the Royal Library Forum where members are free to discuss the Q&As and of course the book itself.


° ~ °
​
 
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I've just read the book, and I hated the way that Katie wrote certain parts of the book as if they were definete fact when they quite obviously weren't.
However the book did enlighten me to some new information, like how William felt about his mother and the press.
It's odd how after their mothers death, the roles reversed. Harry went from quiet to wild and William was vice versa.
 
Lumutqueen said:
I've just read the book, and I hated the way that Katie wrote certain parts of the book as if they were definete fact when they quite obviously weren't.
However the book did enlighten me to some new information, like how William felt about his mother and the press.
It's odd how after their mothers death, the roles reversed. Harry went from quiet to wild and William was vice versa.
Click to expand...

I've just finished the book here and have to say I enjoyed reading it. I could definitely tell where Katie used "poetic license" in certain areas where you know there's no way she could have been there in person to witness what went on. The wording was more "fictionalized" rather than straight reporting and I think that's exactly what she wanted to put across to readers. As with you, I learned things I otherwise wouldn't have known about the Wales family and really showed me how close the brothers are.

I really am glad I was not drinking hot coffee reading the part "Yo wassup! This is Liz. Sorry I'm away from the throne at the moment. For a hot line to Philip press 1, for Charles press 2, for the corgis press 3." :ROFLMAO:
 
The book was recently reviewed by the Toronto Sun.
-----------------------------------

Although readers won't find anything new or startling in Katie Nicholl's rather pedestrian biography of princes William and Harry, the book is a good summer read. Nicholl, a journalist with Britain's Mail on Sunday and a commentator with the BBC, has done her background checks. Her findings may seem sparse, but royal watchers will undoubtedly enjoy the book.
William and Harry is, essentially, a recap. Appealing young princes. Beautiful but unhappy mother, prone to moping. Eccentric father. Busy grandmother. Doting great-grandmother. Palaces. Posh schools. Leaning to be royal. Walkabouts. Horses. Polo. Stylish young women. And, of course, tragedy and its aftermath. It is a too-familiar but intriguing story and one told here with some degree of empathy and skill.

'William and Harry' a decent biography | Books | Entertainment | Toronto Sun
 
Marilyn Braun's tweet about the book: Finished Katie Nicholl's book. Not quite sure what to make of it. Is she a royal writer or a wannabe novelist?
 
An excerpt from Katie Nicholl's book, entitled William & Harry, is online. This excerpt covers Prince William & Kate Middleton's romance -- from their student days in St. Andrews, breakups, makeups, leading to a possible royal wedding in 2011.

Katie Nicholl also gives an interview to Vanity Fair. (she's promoting big time!)
Book Excerpt: Prince William & Kate Middleton's Love Story | British Royals
 
Don't see why she shouldn't promote her book, every other author does it.
 
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