Books on Current and Recent British Royals


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Prince Phillip- I Know I'm Rude but it's Fun.

Any of you bought this book? I did on my Kindle, and have thoroughly been enjoying laughing my head off. Prince Phillip is- Prince Phillip, but you can't help but like him.
 
roseroyal said:
Any of you bought this book? I did on my Kindle, and have thoroughly been enjoying laughing my head off. Prince Phillip is- Prince Phillip, but you can't help but like him.
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Thanks for having mentioned it! I think I am gonna buy it then!:lol:. I also think Prince Philip is right mot of the times... he just things in too a rough way!:cool:
 
The the only time is was ever actually mean and people really got upset at according to the book was when he blew off the girl who wanted to say happy birthday and I charitably chalk that up to having a bad day.
 
"Coldstream Guards, 10 Years in Afghanistan, Guardsmen's Stories"

This new book relates details of Prince Harry's time in Afghanistan.

When deployed to Helmand, at age twenty-three, Prince Harry was sitting chatting with fellow officers - before the "evening scoff" of Gurkha curry - when a Chinese made 107mm rocket hit their battalion camp.

Seargeant Tom Pal, Captain Russell and the Prince just looked at each other - then hit the body armour and helmets.
 
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Yes, Harry was quite near when rockets exploded several times on that first tour of duty. Which is why people believing stories of him always being kept away from active duty and danger amuse me. It's clear from those serving with him that this wasn't so.
 
"The Royals in Australia"

Another book has been published about the Royal Family visiting Australia.

It is reviewed in today's Sydney newspaper and gets the thumbs up from the reviewer.

The author draws on her own experiences and personal knowledge as a "royal correspondent" for "The Australian Women's Weekly" - and she was also given access to the Royal Archives held at Windsor Castle.

It is a coffee-table size publication priced at $44.99 Oz dollars. The author is Juliet Rieden.

(Perhaps there will be more books yet as The Queen's big birthday gets closer.)
 
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"The Royal Touch: Simply Stunning Home Cooking From A Royal Chef"

Today's Sydney newspaper's "Home" magazine has a full page article based on the cookbook of a former personal chef to Charles/Diana/William/Harry.

Carolyn Rodd spent a decade of her life cooking for the family.

The article quotes Carolyn about white tableclothes and napkins, cake forks, sandwiches, scones and cakes.

Until just a few years ago you could get a good "mixed plate" of different types of sandwiches and various cakes at the cafe in the Botanic Gardens in Hobart, Tasmania. And for a very good price.

Alas no longer - now pre-packaged sandwiches from a kiosk are the go.

Funny how all these "high teas" are now something special - it used to be the norm once.

Anyone remember how hostesses would roll the butter up into butterballs and stack them in a pyramid on a dainty plate?
 
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Got this book on Wednesday- love it! Five stars! I collect both cookbooks- and books on royals- especially books by former members of British Royal staff. This is the best in my collection in both genres. What to make first?
Eton Mess
Trifle Royal
Apricot Queen of Puddings
Melting Moments cookies
Mile High Mini Victoria Sandwich Cakes
 
A Tale of two princesses

A Tale of Two Princesses: Royal Sisters Beatrice and Eugenie
by Ashley Michaels

I do know this author and have proofread it so I'm slightly biased in saying it's superbly written and researched!:lol: I just want to put this out there for my friend who is not on the forum. I'm told it will be available on the Amazon website Friday or Saturday. Kindle only.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076WYCKY...1295&sr=1-2&keywords=A+tale+of+two+princesses
 
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Fantastic news to hear about another book written about members of the British Royal Family. I am slowly but surely building up my own library of biographies on them.

As I prefer to own hardcopy books rather than electronic readers, I'll have to pass on this one. I wish your friend the best of success with the book though.
 
tatianacressida said:
A Tale of Two Princesses: Royal Sisters Beatrice and Eugenie
by Ashley Michaels

I do know this author and have proofread it so I'm slightly biased in saying it's superbly written and researched!:lol: I just want to put this out there for my friend who is not on the forum. I'm told it will be available on the Amazon website Friday or Saturday. Kindle only.
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I get so upset at the bad rap and unfair press the York sisters draw...mostly due to negative feelings about their parents(JHMO). I am happy to hear that there is a book about them. I can' t wait to read it. Thanks!?
 
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Moonmaiden23 said:
I get so upset at the bad rap and unfair press the York sisters draw...mostly due to negative feelings about their parents(JHMO). I am happy to hear that there is a book about them. I can' t wait to read it. Thanks!?
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As a fan I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's written very respectfully. My friend is a librarian so she comes to the writing in that spirit, essentially staying above the fray, although at times in the book she does call out the more extreme nonsense that has been written about them.
I was skeptical at first because they are so young, how much could there be to write, but when you consider all they had to deal with in the royal spotlight, not only as relates to themselves but their parents and friends, and how they have struggled here and there to find the balance, I think it was a worthy undertaking. I'm a fan of anything that makes us more conscious of the human experience.

The book is live now on Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076WYCKY...1295&sr=1-2&keywords=A+tale+of+two+princesses
 
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Lord Snowdon by Helen Cathcart

I've had this little hardback on my bookshelves for years and somehow I'm just getting around to reading it. It's funny because this particular gem was published by W.H. Allen in 1968. I read Anne de Courcy's much more recent "semi-authorized" biography of him (it would have been authorized, but he wasn't given copy approval.) Anne's book is on my kindle and I love it. She has so many delightful anecdotes about this colorful man. Well, I've been thinking about him again, because of his death this year, yada yada. So I was cleaning today and I came across Helen Cathcart's old book from the 1960s and I thought, what I great way to commence the royal books blog I've always wanted to do. I've made a post introducing this book and in the coming days I will dive into it, chapter by chapter, giving you my thoughts about it, my questions, my wonderings, and just... well, my "take" on things. My hope is that by giving you my take, you will give me yours likewise! :big grin:

Chapter 1 analysis:
http://tatianacressidacoco.blogspot.com/2017/11/cathcartsnowdon1.html
http://tatianacressidacoco.blogspot.com/2017/11/snowdonsummit.html (still chapter 1)

Chapter 2 analysis:
http://tatianacressidacoco.blogspot.com/2017/11/olivermessel.html

Chapter 3 analysis:
http://tatianacressidacoco.blogspot.com/2017/11/snowdonisborn.html
 
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Cathcart's book is very interesting. It's short and was written in the 60s, when there was so much going on that people did not know about. I like how you break things down on your blog. I'm eager to see how you break down the rest of the book. I'm also looking forward to see how The Crown on Netflix portrays Margaret and Snowdon.
 
Huh! I have glanced at this on amazon. Ashley Michaels has quite a few books about royals, a very wide range: Prince Harry, the Duke of Gloucester, Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto, and even Monaco.... Very unusual to see such a wide range. I have noticed another self-published author on amazon, called Jessica Jayne, she writes about the British royals (she has one about Prince Andrew). Michaels seems to be mostly British royals, but a little bit Monaco as well.... I think I am rather interested in the York Sisters (I don't know anything about them or their parents!!!) and also the Duke of Gloucester.
 
This book is one of my most treasured. It seems to be little known. I wanted to bring this up because I notice there's a thread for Theo Aronson's book about her. But this book is her autobiography. Her own words. It's extremely touching the way she talks about her father, Prince Leopold. I want to post of you some quotes from this book if that's allowed?

Princess Alice was a bold! She spoke her mind!

Wilhelmina and Aunt Emma, whose queen regency of Holland had ended in 1898, came to stay with us when Wilhelmina became engaged to Henry, Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin. He was a very dull, thick young man whom I had met on occasions and I must say I was horribly disappointed that he had been chosen when there were so many, to my mind, more eligible young men I had met. I remember writing to Grandmamma Victoria about the engagement and saying nothing on earth would have induced me to marry him. However, Wilhelmina was blissful and that was all that mattered.
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From For my Grandchildren: Some Reminiscences of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, VA, GCVO, GBE, DLitt, LLD, Evans Brothers, 1966
 
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Books by and about the Gloucesters

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (love)
http://amzn.to/2BdWNId
I own a copy of this beautiful coffee-table version of her memoirs. I own a copy of her memoirs too. It looks like there is not a copy of the actual memoirs currently available on amazon.

Prince William of Gloucester (favorite)
http://amzn.to/2BHQWXG (Pioneer Prince, edited by Gyles St Aubyn)
I own a copy of this too. I also own on my kindle Parker Healy's book:
http://amzn.to/2jqEtkG

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
http://amzn.to/2j3gACL
I just bought this so I don't have anything to say about it, as I have not read it yet.

Prince Henry, the late Duke of Gloucester
I own Noble Frankland's book of him which Is great.
http://amzn.to/2AB1E5e
 
The Forgotten Prince William by Parker Healey is an excellent approach covering the short life of William of Gloucester. I like the description about participating in Princess Elizabeth's 1947 wedding.
 
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CyrilVladisla said:
The Forgotten Prince William by Parker Healey is an excellent approach covering the short life of William of Gloucester. I like the description about participating in Princess Elizabeth's 1947 wedding.
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Oh yes Parker Healy did an excellent job. I was lucky to obtain a copy of Pioneer Prince, but I know it's not widely circulated, so I appreciate Parker Healy for his modern, accessible biography of Prince William.
 
Royal service

Can anyone recommend books on royal service, pre-Diana?

There was a spate of books around her time from ex-royal servants, but I am seeking earlier examples covering the post-war period. I have 'Butler Royal' by Peter Russell, but would be grateful for any other suggestions from members. Many thanks.
 
christowilson said:
Can anyone recommend books on royal service, pre-Diana?

There was a spate of books around her time from ex-royal servants, but I am seeking earlier examples covering the post-war period. I have 'Butler Royal' by Peter Russell, but would be grateful for any other suggestions from members. Many thanks.
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I think the best book I've read that delves into life inside Buckingham Palace with its hierarchy, the roles they play and how it all works and is put together is "Not in Front of the Corgis: Secrets of Life Behind the Royal Curtains" by Brian Hoey.

Another one is "Behind Palace Doors : My Service as the Queen Mother's Equerry" by Major Colin Burgess. I really enjoyed this one as it gives insight into the personal interactions between the Queen Mum and her staff with a lot of amusing anecdotes.
 
Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret

I couldn't find a thread about this bestseller but I'm guessing others here have read it. I just finished it & thoroughly enjoyed every page. It's a different style of biography but one I appreciated because of the wide range of people's comments (& I found the parodies amusing). I'd love to know what posters here think of it.

The kindle edition is a bargain on amazon at the moment:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maam-Darling-Glimpses-Princess-Margaret/dp/0008203636/
 
Lilyflo said:
I couldn't find a thread about this bestseller but I'm guessing others here have read it. I just finished it & thoroughly enjoyed every page. It's a different style of biography but one I appreciated because of the wide range of people's comments (& I found the parodies amusing). I'd love to know what posters here think of it.

The kindle edition is a bargain on amazon at the moment:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maam-Darling-Glimpses-Princess-Margaret/dp/0008203636/
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I listened to this one, and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of the anecdotes were familiar, but there were lots of bits and pieces that were new to me, as well. I did find that listening to it as opposed to reading it, some of the satirical sections seemed to drag on and seemed a little bit self-indulgent. I think the readers who would get the most enjoyment from the book are ones who are already familiar with Margaret, her life, and the various controversies about her.

I also ended with a real loathing for Antony Armstrong-Jones. I was never an admirer, but he was really a terrible person to Margaret.
 
There is a book I want to order, and it is out of print and thus expensive. It is "King's Counsellor: Abdication and War The Diaries of Tommy Lascelles", edited by Duff Hart Davis.

Has anyone here in the RF community read this? If so, would you recommend it? Thanks in advance.
 
Some recent minor publications on the Duchess of Sussex's Fashion and Style:

A British magazine special edition, published by Future plc:
Meghan's Style: How the Duchess pushes the boundaries of royal fashion

Meghan Duchess of Sussex: Queen of Style, by Alison James, Danann Publishing Ltd., 2019
 
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