William et Catherine by Philippe Delorme

We Americans are not the only foreigners who go gaga over the British royals.  The French, in spite of their decision to toss out their kings several times, also have a great interest in the British royal family.
The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was front page news in France, and the French were glued to their TV sets, just as we were. 

Philippe Delorme is a French historian and journalist who covers royalty for Point de Vue, the French weekly magazine. He has written books on Henri IV and the Monaco Princely Family, which means he has an impressive range of royal history.

His most recent book, William et Catherine 150 de Noces Royales en Grand-Bretagne, (Express Roularta Editions: 15 Euros)  examines British royal marriages from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 to Prince William and Catherine Middleton's engagement.  

Delorme does not include all of the royal weddings since 1840; rather he offers a selection of what he feels are the most interesting and important weddings.  The weddings covered in this book are: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark, George V and Mary of Teck,  George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon,  Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson,  Elizabeth II and Prince Philip,  Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Anne and Mark Phillips, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and, surprisingly, Lady Helen Windsor and Tim Taylor.  The final chapter celebrates Prince William's romance and engagement.

The text is in French, and there are no plans for an English translation.  The English-speaking market is already over saturated with English-language books on William and Catherine, and more are expected to be published within the next few months.

This is a competent and well-researched book that will be appreciated and enjoyed for some years.  The title translates to William and Catherine: 150 years of British Royal Weddings.


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