RBN - Royal Book News

Kamehameha's Crown a history of the Hawaiian Monarchy by Stephen R. Bunford

2012-03-02T00:12:00.002-05:00

One word: Wow. Briton Stephen R. Bunford has written a comprehensive and honest history of Hawaii's monarchy, Kamehameha's Crown that is a must read.

Hawaii is now an integral part of the United States, a paradise of unparalleled beauty, but before Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, before Pearl Harbor, before the United States sought to annex the islands, Hawaii was an independent country, a monarchy.

Not a western monarchy, but a monarchy nonetheless. The islands have a history going back thousands of years, but the written history, as we know it, did not begin until after the arrival of American and Britons, bringing religion, business, new political ideas, and largely upsetting the traditional balance, the traditional way of life.

It must be said that many Hawaiians embraced the new world. Members of the royal family converted to Christianity. There were marriages with the haoles, the Westerners.

Bunford notes that Hawaii's written history began with the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778. Hawaii, as a monarchy and an independent nation, ceased to exist in 1893, when the country was annexed by the United States. (In 1993, the US officially apologized for its mistakes in regard to the original annexation.)

This book is written in the style of a doctoral thesis, and it is packed with history, romance and Hawaiian and culture. As the western world quickly engulfed and encroached into paradise, Hawaiians learned to embrace western ways. Greed and ambition became the norm for Hawaiians and Americans.

King Kamehameha I united the islands into one nation, an action that would lead to modernization - and major changes for Hawaii.   For the next eighty three years, the Hawaiian monarchy was largely impacted by the arrival of the Americans and Britons, by the introduction of Christianity, and the effect of western culture on Hawaiian life. The monarchy ended with the reign of the very complicated Queen Liluokalani, a woman devoted to the Hawaiian people, but unsure of her own power.

Liluokalani was unable to maintain her control, and her world collapsed as the United States became the prominent power.

In 1898, Hawaii was formally became a territory of the United States. But this did not end the interest in members of the former royal family and their devotion to the islands.   Perhaps the most famous princess was the half-Scots Princess Kaiulani (1875-1899), who was seen as Liluokalani's heir, but whose life was torn between the West and Hawaii.

As Hawaii moved into the western sphere, members of the royal family became friends with European royals, especially with Queen Victoria and other British royals.   The Hawaiian royals were invited to several major British royal events.

But in the end, the Hawaiians were unable to maintain one foot in the old world, and another at the court of Queen Victoria.  The Hawaiian-born Sanford Dole emerged as President of the new republic. He believed the monarchy should have been restored, but within five years, independence melted into full annexation by the United States.

Kamehameha's Crown is a compelling and well-written history of the turbulent and passionate time between 1810 and 1893, an epoch-making time for the Hawaiian island. Bunford also includes several chapters on the family since 1893.

Stephen Bunford is to be commended and complimented on writing such an exact history. He brings alive the personalities of the kings and queens and their families, and he also possesses a more than competent knowledge of Hawaiian culture.

Read it! You won't be disappointed. Now I want to go to Hawaii to see the Iolani palace.

Kamehameha's Crown a history of the Hawaiian monarchy was published by Wordclay ($18.00). Available from Amazon and Amazon.co.uk.

Rosvall Royal Books' new website

2012-02-29T09:18:00.000-05:00

Finally, a new website for Rosvall Royal Books

http://www.royalbooks.se/

and do not forget that I am the only source for Dearest Missy in the United States. I get my books straight from Rosvall Royal Books.

Året I Billeder // 2011

2012-02-26T23:02:00.002-05:00

For many years, the Danish publisher Lindhart og Ringhof published an annual royal year book that covered the duties and events that comprised the roles of the Danish royal family. The publisher has ceased releasing the yearbooks, and now publishes Året I Billeder (The Year in Photos), which is in my view a real disappointment.

Judging the by the cover photo of Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark and their family following the baptism of the twins Vincent and Josephine, one would think the book celebrated a year in the life of the Danish Royal Family. This is not the case, however.

This is a photographic year book of events that took place in 2011 in Denmark and abroad. Yes, there is a bit of royal coverage including the weddings of Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock. There are also photos of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik, but the riyals are not the focus. The Arab spring, hunger in Africa, death of Qaddafi and Elizabeth Taylor are also featured in this volume

I think the publisher has done a disservice by eliminating the royal yearbooks. This is a nice book, but it is not a royal yearbook.
The author of the book is Kurt Stjernholm Riisberg. The price is 99.95 DK.

http://www.lindhardtogringhof.dk/da-DK/Titler.aspx?c=Item&category=4947&item=28848

A good source for Danish books is Gad. Here is a link to their website: http://gad.dk/GadsForlagdk.aspx

Det Kungliga året 2011

2012-02-26T21:55:00.002-05:00

It is always a joy to look through the latest edition of Det kungliga året (The Royal Year), the Swedish annual royal year book. The 2011 volume focuses on Crown Princess Victoria and her new husband, Daniel.

The young couple, who are expecting their first child in early March, are immensely popular, and are taking on more duties. The 2011 volume includes coverage of King Carl XVI and Queen Silvia's visits to Botswana, Poland and China. Victoria and Daniel also visited China.

Elisabeth Tarras-Walhberg, former press secretary to King Carl XVI Gustaf, is the author of the original Swedish text. The text is translated into English and German, which certainly enhances the sales of the book outside Sweden.

This volume includes the public duties of the King and Queen, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

Madeleine, the youngest child of the king and queen, now resides in New York City, where she works for a charity, carries out few engagements in Sweden.

Nearly 70 pages of superb color photographs of the Swedish royal family.

http://www.nok.se/

The best source for ordering Swedish books is Bokus.

I think I can guess what the cover photo will be for the 2012 edition: the first official photo of Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, and Princess Estelle. This book is a must have for fans of the Swedish royal family, especially for the photos and the tri-lingual text.

Coming Soon -- Dear Ellen

2012-02-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

The book is 144 pages and has 350+ photos, also includes a double page family tree. The price will be $43.95 plus shipping

The photos come from the albums of the late Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia (Princess Nicholas of Greece and Denmark)

Published by Eurohistory.com

COMING IN MARCH!!!

The German Woman by Janet Ashton

2012-02-15T23:01:00.001-05:00

Most of what we know about Empress Alexandra of Russia, consort of Nicholas II, comes from what others have written about her. Our views, our opinions, are largely based on biographies, histories, and original news accounts. The latter are, in my view, are largely biased because the early 20th century reporters were limited to what they could write about.

Nicholas and Alexandra did not have the benefit of living in a free society, nor did they have a public relations staff to counter the criticisms directed toward Alexandra.

We do get to learn a little about Alexandra's personality through her letters to Nicholas and final diaries, but her voice has always been muted. Others have chosen to speak for her, but the voice has not always been adequate.

Janet Ashton has given Alexandra a voice in The German Woman (Belgarun), a print on demand book that was first published in 2008.

Yes, this is historical fiction, but this is Alexandra's story through her own eyes,, aided and abetted by a very capable writer, Janet Ashton, who made copious use of excellent sources.

This is what I call a comfy read. Settle down into a comfy chair with a cup of hot chocolate (or a glass of wine) and enjoy a good read.

Robert Hardman's book on Queen Elizabeth II due out in April ...

2012-02-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

here in the USA, published by Pegasus

Queen Elizabeth II Her Life and Times by Sarah Bradford

2012-02-01T00:09:00.000-05:00

Way back in 1996, Sarah Bradford published Elizabeth: A Biography of Her Majesty the Queen, which was a decent and competent work.   Fast forward to 2012 -- Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee - and Bradford publishes a new biography of Queen Elizabeth.

Except for the fact that Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life and Times (Viking: L20:00) is neither new nor very good. This 300 page effort offers nothing new about the Queen's life, nothing we didn't already know from her birth through marriage to motherhood and succession .. and of course, her relationship with the late Lady Diana Spencer.

By page seven, I knew there was going to be a problem. Bradford was writing about Elizabeth's birth in 1926, the General Strike, and how "newspapers cooed over the birth of the King's first grandchild."    Turn to page 22, where Bradford again writes about the birth of Elizabeth and how the Duke and Duchess of York were happy to have a daughter.   The Duke wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, asking "would you sooner have another grandson? Bradford refers to Princess Mary's son, George, who was born in 1923.)   Thus, if George was born in 1923 and Elizabeth was born in 1926, George would be the first grandchild ... and he had a brother, Gerald, born in 1924, which gave George V and Mary two grandsons.

Move to page 26, where Bradford writes: "Prince John, who had died of a final fit at Sandringham in 1917 -- perhaps on even on insider recollections of his great-uncle, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, who had been similarly affected."   Bradford was writing about George VI.   Prince John, who was mentally handicapped and suffered from epilepsy, died in 1919, not 1917.   Prince Leopold, a hemophiliac, bled to death, after falling at his villa in Cannes, France.

And then there is the reference to the late Duke of Saxe-Coburg being a relative of Prince Philip, and not being invited to Philip's wedding. Yes, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was educated at Eton, and was a committed Nazi, but he was not a close relative of the Duke of Edinburgh.   But he was the son of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, and by birth, a British prince.    Prince Philipp of Hesse is also tossed into the mix as a Nazi prince and, thus, missed out on an invitation to the wedding.   Philipp's brother, Christoph, was married to Philip's sister. Sophie. Christoph was killed in a plane crash in 1944.

(What do editors do these days? It seems very little when such errors get past them .. have you heard of fact checking ... yes, there are people who are royal experts who can read manuscripts for you .. and make sure the facts are accurate.)
There is nothing special about this book, which largely rehashes Bradford's first book. Why bring out a book (to compete with other books) which has no real new information, brings up the same old stories over and over again, and has no real merit as a worthwhile biography.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times is a real disappointment. Bradford has produced winners, especially her biographies of Princess Grace and Diana, Princess of Wales.  Her biography of George VI was a major achievement. This biography achieves nothing.

Sarah Bradford is said to be at work on a new biography of Queen Victoria. Say it ain't so, please ... not Victoria ... unless you found a secret stash of Victoria's letters and diaries that were burned by Victoria's youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, please find another royal to write about. There are so many superb biographies on Victoria from Lady Longford's Queen Victoria: Born to Succeed to Cecil Woodham-Smith's first volume of what was to have been a two-volume biography.

Prince Philip by Philip Eade

2012-01-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

I looked forward to reading Philip Eade's Prince Philip (Henry Holt: $28.00) largely because I hoped it would be a good book.   There are so very few good books on the life of Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, the consort of Queen Elizabeth II.   In fact, I can think of only two biographies that are worth having in your royal library: Tim Heald's Philip: A Portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh (1991) and Philip: An Informal Biography by Basil Boothroyd (1971).

Heald's biography is largely considered an official biography as Prince Philip made sources available to the author. Boothroyd's biography is based on conversations with the Prince Philip.

Now add Eade's book to to the must have, must read.   This book fills an important niche as the book deals specifically with Philip's early life, ending with the Coronation. Although this book was not authorized or official, Prince Philip's office made it possible for Eade to get the help he needed. This help included access to archives and to conversations with close relatives and friends, including Lady Pamela Mountbatten and Lady Butter, the former Myra Wernher, the sister of Philip's friend, Alex Werhner.

So much has been written about Philip and his relationship with Uncle Dickie, with the idea that Uncle Dickie raised him. But sometimes the truth is very different, and Eade, a respected broadsheet journalist, gets it right on all accounts.   The early years of Philip's life was peripatetic. He was born on a dining room table at the family home at Corfu. Exile soon followed, and the young Philip found himself living in Paris with a mother, descending into mental illness, and a father who was unable to face all the changes in his family's life.   Between 1930-1931, all four of Philip's older sisters were married to German princes.   His mother, Princess Alice, was placed in a mental hospital, and his father, Prince Andrew, preferred the more sunny climes of Monte Carlo.

Prince Andrew agreed that Philip's maternal relatives should care for him. This included Philip's maternal grandmother, Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven, and her eldest son, George, Marquess of Milford and his wife, Nada, whose sister, Lady Zia, whose daughters, Georgina and Myra, were childhood friends of Queen Elizabeth.

This connection has been largely ignored by British journalists and biographers as most tend to focus on Uncle Dickie. But Lord Mountbatten had very influence on the young Philip, who was shuttled among several relatives and schools in Germany and Scotland.

Philip soon was brought into the Wernher circle as Lady Zia's sister, Nada, was married to George, the 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, who was Philip's primary guardian until his premature death from cancer in 1938.   Lady Zia was far more stable than Aunt Nada, and Philip became good friends with Zia's only son, Alex, who was killed in the second world war.

Philip's friendship with his first cousin, David Milford Haven, lasted until the wedding, where David blotted his copybook with his back stage behavior.

Eade portrays in detail how remarkable Prince Philip really is, and how well he has turned out in spite of his capricious upbringing: a Greek prince raised outside Greece, baptised in the Greek Orthodox church, but always considered himself to be Anglican because his mother's family was largely Church of England.

Prince Philip's childhood was not easy. He was, in essence, a latch-key child, with no real roots nor a real home base although he had several places to rest his head.  His education and his family life played roles in his determined, resilient personality.    It is unlikely that King George VI and Queen Elizabeth would have originally considered Philip as their elder daughter's consort. They assumed that Elizabeth would have chosen one of the eligible heirs to dukedoms who moved in her social circle.   In hindsight, however, Lord Dalkeith and the others were all the wrong choices. It would have been far more difficult for a duke in his own right, to walk behind the Queen, and to maintain his own castles. Moreover, there also would have been the issue of the ducal succession, as his peerage would largely disappear into the crown after his death.

As it turned out, Philip was the perfect choice. Elizabeth fell in love with him because he was not like the other men. He had an independent life, which largely ended with marriage, and especially after Elizabeth succeeded. He was devoted to the Royal Navy, and he had to give up his career in order to be his queen's helpmate. This has allowed Philip to define a new career as a successful career as a consort. He has his job, and the Queen has hers.

Prince Harry recently spoke about his grandparents: "Regardless of whether my grandfather seems to be doing his own thing: the fact that he's there - personally, I don't think that she could do it without him."

The young Prince Philip's life was certainly turbulent, but that turbulence was largely buffered by support of an extended family, and the love of one very special woman, Queen Elizabeth II.

Dearest Missy for residents of North, Central & South America

2012-01-24T11:58:00.001-05:00

I can offer copies of Dearest Missy for sale to residents of Canada, Mexico and Central and South America.

The cost of the book is $55.00. This is set by the publisher.   The postage for Canada and Mexico is $12.95 (flat rate envelope) and for Central and South America ($16.95.) The USPS does not offer book rate for books sent outside the 50 states.

If you live in Canada, Mexico or Central or South America, and you want to order a copy, you can contact me through the email address for this blog:

royalmusings   at cox dot  net    (This is not my paypal address.)

Paypal only. $67.95 for Canada and Mexico and $71.95 for Central and South America.

Several new Royal DVDS

2012-01-19T11:07:00.000-05:00

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother's letters

2012-01-19T10:47:00.001-05:00

In the fall of 2012, British publisher Macmillan will publish a selection of the Queen Mother's letters. The late Queen Elizabeth's official biographer, William Shawcross, is the editor of the letters.

The book will be published simultaneously in the US (Farar, Straus & Giroux) and Canada (HarperCollins).

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/macmillan-publish-queen-mothers-letters.html

Dearest Missy -- back in stock

2012-01-19T10:40:00.002-05:00

I have more copies of Dearest Missy up for sale on Amazon ... USA only.

Sally Bedell Smith talks about her new biography on Queen Elizabeth II

2012-01-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

In Vanity Fair

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2012/01/QA-Sally-Bedell-Smith-on-Her-New-Book-iElizabeth-the-Queeni

A paperback edition due out in February in the UK

Vild med Mary

2012-01-05T23:22:00.000-05:00

Mary Donaldson was an ordinary Australian girl, a college graduate, who move from the family home on Tasmania to an apartment in the big city, Sydney, and a new job.

In the late summer of 2000, Mary Donaldson and a few girlfriends visited a local bar, where they met several young men, who were in town to take in the Summer Games.

But these young men were no ordinary tourists. Two were heirs to the throne, the Prince of Asturias, and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.   There appeared to be a mutual attraction between Frederik and Mary Donaldson.

This mutual attraction led to love and marriage and four kids in the baby carriage.   On May 14, 2004, Mary Donaldson, escorted down the aisle by her Scots-born father, John Donaldson, married her prince.

The Tassie Lassie had become a princess, a Crown Princess, the wife of the heir to the throne do Denmark.

It was not an easy transition from Australian commoner to a royal princess. A new life, a new country, a new culture, and a very different new language to learn.    The last Crown Princess was her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe II's mother, Ingrid, a princess of Sweden by birth.

Ingrid was very much a royal princess, the daughter of the King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, the British Princess Margaret of Connaught.   Ingrid was raised to marry well, and she married the future King Frederik IX of Denmark in 1935.

It is not a surprise that Frederik found his bride outside Denmark. His father was born in France (and found the transition as the consort of a formidable woman to be rather difficult.)

The transition has also not been easy for Mary. But as Denmark's future Queen Consort, Mary has largely stepped up to the plate, and had become a positive symbol for Denmark. She has produced the required heir and spare (and a set of twins as back up). She accompanies Frederik on many occasions, but has now become a a star in her own right. Her Danish improves with each year. Mary may never become an international star in the same heaven as the younger Duchess of Cambridge or Crown Princess Victoria, the heiress apparent to the Swedish throne.

In Denmark, however, Crown Princess Mary's star in the ascent, and Vild med Mary showcases Mary's transformation from the ordinary Australian to a Danish princess.

Celebrating this achievement is a new book, Vild med Mary (Politikens Forlag) that examines all the facets of Mary's life.   The authors are two respected journalists, Jim Lyngvild, and Karen Seneca. Lyngvild is known for his fashion reporting,

Do not be dissuaded by the Danish text because the photographs are awesome. What a delight to turn the pages (235 or so) of this attractive book. The authors offer a brief comparison between Mary and Ingrid in photographs, cuddling pets, wearing hats, that sort of thing.

The two authors provide coverage of the career princess, the cover girl princess (the Australian magazines love putting Mary on the cover of local magazines -- although the Duchess of Cambridge may be giving Mary a run for her money.)

Crown Princess Mary will one day be the Queen Consort of Denmark. The Duchess of Cambridge will become the Queen Consort of Australia. In Australia, Mary is the local girl who became a princess.

Mary -- and Frederik - have their respective charities and foundations. In recent months, Mary has traveled to Africa to under charitable duties.

The authors have included chapters on jewels and fashions, on the wedding, the children, Christian, Isabella, and the twins Vincent and Josephine.

Vild med Mary is a stunningly gorgeous book that largely documents the life and career of Crown Princess Mary. The title translates to Wild About Mary. The price is 300 DK.

http://www.saxo.com/dk/item/jim-lyngvild-karen-seneca-vild-med-mary-hardback.aspxod

Books on Friedrich III, German Emperor

2012-01-01T11:07:00.000-05:00

Harvard University Press recently published Our Fritz: Emperor Frederick II and the Political Culture of Imperial Germany by Frank Lorenz Miller ($45.00).

This is not the first biography of the son of Wilhelm I and father of Wilhelm II. Friedrich III, married to Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Vicky, suffered from throat cancer, and reigned for only eighty-eight days.

I am aware of two other biographies published in English. The scholarly Frederick III Germany's Liberal Emperor (Greenwood Press: 1995) and John van der Kiste's easy-reading Frederick III German Emperor 1888 (Sutton: 1981)

John van der Kiste has also written a two-act drama based on the Emperor's illness, which is available in a Kindle edition.

John van der Kiste also wrote Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz (Sutton:

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee : new books

2011-12-27T20:42:00.000-05:00

From the Royal Collection:

and due to be published in February

Albert & Charlene of Monaco: New books on the wedding

2011-12-27T16:19:00.001-05:00

There are (at least) three new books on the July wedding of the Prince of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock.

Albert et Charlene: Mariage princier a Monaco was published by Paris-based Editions Didier Carpentier.

Albert et Charlene: Mariage Princier 1er et 2 Julliet 2011 by Michel Dagnino
and Stéphane Bern's L'Histoire du Mariage Princier were published by Monaco by Editions du Rocher.

All three books are also available from Amazon.fr. Stéphane Bern's book is also available from van Hoogstraten.

Book of the Year: Dearest Missy

2011-12-27T00:37:00.004-05:00

I read a lot of royal books, naturally. Some are good, some are terrific, and there are always a few duds.

And then there is the book that rises right to the top, a book that soars above all the other titles, a book that richly deserves the title: best book of the year.

That book is Dearest Missy, a compilation of the letters of Marie Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, Duchess of Edinburgh, and of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and of her daughter, Marie, Crown Princess of Romania (1879-1900.)

The letters were edited by Diana Mandache, a Bucharest-based expert on Romanian royal history. The letters are held at Romania's National Archives, where Diana was given full access to the material.

The nearly 500 pages covers the period from 1879 thorough 1900.   If this book sells well, Diana (and Rosvall Royal Books) will be able to publish the second volume.

The correspondence offers the reader an insight into the relationship between the proud Russian-born mother and her eldest daughter, married at seventeen, to Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania, a man she barely knew.

Marie, known as Missy, had a limited education, despite being a British princess. She was headstrong, naive, and knew little of the world when she was married off at age seventeen to a man she barely knew.

Crown Princess Marie's first years in Romania were difficult due to the tension-fraught relationship with der Onkel, King Carol I.   Missy's mother was often called upon to act as a mediator between the headstrong Missy and her husband's uncle.

The letters also offer a perspective into Missy's relationship with her sister, Victoria Melita, known as Ducky. The two were very close, often shared confidences, regarding their own marital problems.

Ducky's marriage to her first cousin, Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and By Rhine, was also a frequent topic between Missy and her mother, especially as the marriage disintegrated so quickly.    In a letter to Missy on January 19, 1898, Duchess Marie wrote: "Ducky writes seldom and says very little, I am not at all happy about her, though Ernie writes that they are intensely happy now! I don't see it at all in her letters. He is a curious man one cannot get hold of him in any way he seems always pleased and in the best spirits."

Marie also acknowledged that her son-in-law was not interested in sex with women. It is unlikely that Marie or Missy would have ever thought that their private letters would be published and read by the general public. Think of this book as a bit of royal eavesdropping.  Mama knew how to dispense the advice -- and the family news with alacrity.

Mother and daughter provide family news to each other, Missy was anxious to move into her new home, Cotroceni Palace, with her husband and her growing her family, and away from the cruelty of King Carol I.

Missy's older brother, Prince Alfred, was also a topic of contention.

"I am very unhappy about Alfred, he seems completely done up morally and physically looks like an old man. I never saw him in such a state before, he hardly utters, feels weak and depressed and I feel ashamed of him..." Marie wrote to Missy on September 7, 1898.

Marie was troubled by young Affie's behavior, his mistresses, his gambling, his illnesses (syphilis), under arrest in Berlin. In the fall of 1898, young Affie visited his sister in Bucharest, making it virtually impossible for him to have met a teenage girl, Mabel Fitzgerald, who lived in Ireland, and married her. In early December 1898, Marie wrote "our despair at the moment is Alfred....it is naturally also the effect of his nasty illness, which has attacked the brain..."

One month later, young Affie was dead, a suicide.   Affie's tragic death was soon followed a new scandal for Missy. Her children's nanny, Miss Winter, had spied on Missy, and told everyone about Missy's affair's affair with a Romanian officer, Zizi Cantacuzino.

One again, Marie intervened on behalf of her daughter against Ferdinand who was supported by King Carol. She suggested that Missy leave the country permanently with her son. "You ought to insist upon taking the boy with you and leave the country altogether, renouncing, if possible completely in his name the Romanian succession."   The Duchess also had a "fierce correspondence" with Ferdinand and King Carol, and pushed for Missy to give birth in Coburg.

Ferdinand took some of the blame for his wife's affair. Both he and Missy believed that her child was his, and they both wanted a reconciliation.    The Duchess also chastised Miss Winter "But your sin, the sin of a person in charge of young souls is ten times greater, than the fault of a young woman who may repent it her whole life and keep her position amongst her relations as solid and friendly as before? ... My daughter has greatly sinned, and I have no excuses for her, but I have no words of blame strong enough for those who are payed to spy upon her, to denounce her daily and hourly and who spread the scandal around the world."

Diana Mandache has done a wonderful job in editing the book with footnotes and translations of French and German words. Marie and Missy wrote to each other in English, but often added a French or German word when an English world would not do. She has done an amazing job, and deserves all the fulsome praise she has received so far.

Dearest Missy will be a great success. Many copies will be sold, and Diana will be able to complete the second volume.
Duchess Marie may not have been the perfect daughter-in-law for Queen Victoria, but she certainly went to bat more often for her children.

Dearest Missy was published by Rosvall Royal Books.    Ted's books are available from Van Hoogstraten in the Hague and Majesty Magazine. No bookstore in North America carries Ted's books, which is why I am distributing his books through Amazon.

This is a must have. a superb read, an entry into the very personal lives of Crown Princess Marie and her family -- and, yes, mother and daughter do talk about (gasp!) sex!

(Diana, when you have finished the second volume, could you do a book of letters between Missy and Ducky?)

Rosvall Royal Books -- at Amazon!

2011-12-23T20:25:00.014-05:00

I have become the U.S. distributor for Rovall Royal Books. The books are available through Amazon.com. The orders will be fulfilled by me. At this time. If this proves a success, Ted will send more copies of his books for distribution in North America. The price of all the books is $50.00, except Dearest Missy, which is $55.00. This is the price set by the publisher, and reflects

DEAREST MISSY IS BACK IN STOCK!!

The Unknown Habsburgs: Die Unbekannten Habsburger

One book is not available through Amazon: Royal Cabinet Portraits of the Victoria Era by David William Cripps. The price is $50.00 plus $3.99 for postage (US only). International readers can order Ted's books from Hoogstraten in the Netherlands.

Memo to Thailand - respect free speech

2011-12-12T14:01:00.000-05:00

Thai-born American citizen Joe Gordon remains in a Thai prison. He was found guilty of lese-majeste, or insulting King Bhumipol, the aged and ill king of Thailand.

And what is the insult: While living in Colorado, Gordon uploaded excerpts of Paul Handley's excellent biography, The King Never Smiles.   The excerpts were translated into Thai.    Handley's book has never been published in Thailand.   The King and his minions prefer fictionalized accounts of the king's life.

Gordon's blog was on an American server, just as mine is. He was arrested after he traveled to Thailand for medical treatments.   The "crime" occured in the United States, not Thailand.

Thailand government officials prefer hagiographies to facts when it concerns biographies of their not-so-benevolent king.

My view: the King of Thailand is not fit to be called a king. He does not deserve respect. He is not worthy of the role.

It is time for the U.S. government, including Gordon's congressman, to speak up and speak out against the tyranny in Thailand, and remind them that Gordon is an American citizen, who posted the translations in the United States, and did not violate any US law.

Lese-majeste indeed. More likely Lousy Majesty!

Free Joe Gordon now!

Shame on the Thai King --The King Never Smiles - FREE JOE GORDON

2011-12-08T11:17:00.002-05:00

The King Never Smiles is a very honest and illuminating biography of King Bhumibol of Thailand. The book was written by Paul Handley and published by Yale University Press in 2008.

Unfortunately, the Thai government does not see the book in a positive light, and considers it an insult on the King.

An American citizen, who was born in Thailand, Joe Gordon was recently convicted of lese-majeste, or insulting the king. According to the BBC, " Gordon, 55, reportedly translated parts of the widely available biography, The King Never Smiles by Paul Handley, several years ago and posted them on a blog while he was living in the US."

I read the book shortly after it was published, and can state that the book is honest, well-researched, and an excellent accounting of the life of the longest reigning monarch, and the only monarch to be born in the United States of America.

Shame on Thailand and the Thai justice system. King Bhumipol is far from being a constitutional monarch.    He needs to speak out about the right of free expression. His "court" system violated the rights of an American who posted a translation of excerpts of Handley's book on an American blog. The postings were done in the United States, which means the Thai court violated US law. Shame on the king for allowing censorship and the right of free expression.

Free Joe Gordon now!     All the king needs to do is say an injustice was done, apologize to Mr. Gordon, an American citizen.

Mr. Gordon is protected by US law, thanks to the "Securing the Protection of our
Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act. The Thai justice system and their king, are violating the rights of an American citizen, whose postings were on an American-based blog, like mine.

It is time for the King of Thailand to act like a real monarch, and not someone who allows his government to stamp out free speech.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16081337

Haakon og Mette-Marit i ti år

2011-12-06T23:54:00.001-05:00

On August 25, 2001, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway married the woman he loved, Norwegian commoner, Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby.   The path to the altar was paved with obstacles, starting with Mette-Marit's background.

It did not matter that she was a commoner.  Haakon's mother was Miss Sonja Haraldsen when she married Crown Prince Harald in 1968.  Harald and Sonja had to wait ten years before King Olav would give his permission for the marriage to take place.

Sonja, the daughter of a draper, did not have Mette-Marit's problems. Before meeting Crown Prince Haakon, Mette-Marit moved in a circle that favored hard partying, drugs and alcohol. She bore a child out of wedlock.

In spite of Mette-Marit's background, Haakon fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. His parents took their time in making their decision regarding Mette-Marit, but they realized that their only son loved Mette-Marit and wanted to marry her. King Harald V and Queen Sonja came around, and gave their son and his girlfriend the support they needed.

It also took time for the Norwegian people to accept Haakon's choice.

Fast forward ten years to 2011. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. They have two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. As Ingrid is the eldest, she will succeed her father and grandfather as Norway's sovereign.

Norwegian journalist Liv Berit Tessem is the author of Haakon og Mette-Marit i t år (Schibsted). The title translates to Ten years with Haakon & Mette-Marit. The book is divided into eleven chapters, one for each year from the marriage through June 2011, two months before the book was published.

Tessem, a former court correspondent for the Norwegian newspaper, Aftenposten, offers insight and perspective into the lives of Norway's future King and Queen.

It is also apparent that Mette-Marit, the former party girl, has evolved into a professional Crown Princess, respected, and perhaps, even loved by the Norwegian people.

Do not be put off by the Norwegian text.   The 184-page book includes nearly 100 color photos of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess from their wedding to recent photos with their children.

Haaakon and Mette-Marit are hands-on parents, and are devoted to their children. Lots of affection, hugs and kisses, but one wonders, with a smile, how Ingrid Alexandra will react when she is older when she sees how she behaved at her younger brother, Sverre's baptism. A priceless photo.

Each chapter also includes a month- by-month list of engagements, official trips and other events for that particular year.

The price of Haakon og Mette-Marit I ti  år is 199 Norwegian kroners.

Norli is a Norwegian bookstore.   The book also can be ordered from the publisher, Schibsted.
http://www.norli.no/SamboWeb/produkt.do?produktId=6232606

http://www.schibstedforlag.no/no/Kategorier/Sakprosa/Biografi-historie-og-dokumentar/HAAKON-OG-METTE-MARIT-GJENNOM-TI-AR/

Sarah Bradford: perhaps I got it wrong about Prince Philip

2011-12-03T08:39:00.001-05:00

A new interview with Sarah Bradford, one of Queen Elizabeth's biographers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/8932374/Sarah-Bradford-perhaps-I-got-it-wrong-about-the-Duke-of-Edinburgh-but-he-does-like-to-flirt.html

Das Fürstliche Haus Hohenzollern

2011-11-21T23:49:00.002-05:00

What a wonderful addition to my library ... and yours, too!   Das Fürstliche Haus Hohenzollern Private Einblicke in die Fotalben is a superb book, from start to finish.

Yes, there are few misidentified photos -- easily correctable for the next edition -- but on balance, this book strikes a golden shot, wonderful glimpses into the photograph collection belonging to the Princely family of Hohenzollern.

German publisher Gmeiner was given access to the private family albums of the princely house of Hohenzollern. The book is divided into seven chapters: Writing in Light, The Imperial Prussian House, Castles and Residences, Celebrations and Recreation at Court, Small Worlds and Related Royal Houses.

Oh, did I tell you the book's text and captions are in German and English. Woo hoo!

The authors, Karen Kuehl and Anette Hahnel, offer a perspective on how the Hohenzollerns adopted the use of the camera, especially from Karl Anton, Prinz of Hohenzollern.

One of the oldest photos in the collection is from 1858, and shows Ferdinand II, Pedro V and Queen Stephanie of Portugal. The photo was taken at the time of Pedro and Stephanie's wedding near Sintra. Princess Stephanie, born a Princess of Hohenzollern, died only a year after her marriage. Her husband died a year later from cholera.

There is a wonderful family group photo taken at Doorn on the occasion of Kaiser Wilhelm II's 75th birthday.

The Romanian royal family, a branch of the princely family, are also included in this book. There are also photographs of more recent members of the princely family, including a rather sweet photograph of twin sisters, Princesses Maria Adelgunde and Maria Antonia licking a tree.

The princely family owns Schloss Sigmaringen and several other residences, including Schloss Umkirch and Joseflust.   The Small world chapter focuses on the children of the family. My favorite photo in this chapter is from 1895 and shows Prince Carol of Romania, Hereditary Prince Friedrich Victor, Prince Franz Joseph and Princess Auguste Viktoria of Hohenzollern. There are also several photos of the present Prince of Hohenzollern, Karl Friedrich, as a child.

160 pages. Publisher by Gmeiner. The cost is €19.90.   The best way to order is from Amazon.com. Overseas postage is not prohibitive, and if you have a credit card set up for Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, you can breeze through the Amazon.de checkout .. it will be in German, but that should not be a major issue.

A Fine Romance

2011-11-14T23:53:00.003-05:00

British royal wedding have a way of creating a mini-publishing industry with the publication of books about the couple getting married -- and royal weddings in general.

This was the case of the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981 with the publication of dozens of books about royal weddings.

The same can now be said about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding. There have been at least a dozen books published about the couple's wedding (not including all those special magazines), as well as several books on Royal Weddings.

Australian-British publisher Hardie Grant is the latest to jump on the wagon with A Fine Romance (£20.00), 200-page book that covers 75 years of royal weddings and the most recent British Royal Wedding.

The book opens with the 1930s and the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The only royal wedding of the 1940s was the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Although there were several major royal weddings of the 1950s (Ragnhild of Norway, Josephine Charlotte of Belgium and Jean of Luxembourg, Prince Albert of Belgium and Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria), the publishers concentrate on the wedding of American film star, Grace Kelly, and Prince Rainier of Monaco.

There were more than a dozen of royal weddings in the reigning royal houses in the 1960s. This volume focuses on the marriages of Princess Margaret, Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophie of Greece, Princess Irene of the Netherlands and Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma, Princess Anne Marie of Denmark and King Constantine II of Greece, and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Claus von Amsberg.

Princess Anne's wedding leads the chapter for the 1970s, followed by the weddings of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Princess Caroline of Monaco.

It is not a surprise that the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer is the primary focus of the 1980s. Eight pages of photographs, followed by two pages on the wedding of the Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson.

The two marriages featured for the 1990s are the weddings of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Belgium.

Four weddings are featured in the section for the 2000s: the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway, the Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima, the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark and the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, but not the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, which I consider a major gaffe on the part of the publishers.

The first part of the book ends with the 2010 marriage of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling.

Part Two is about the romance, engagement and wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Plenty of color photos of the couple at university, their engagement and the wedding.

The photographs are wonderful, and are enhanced by 20 double-page spreads.

I think the book would have been better if the publishers had chosen to include all of the weddings that are included in the time lines. They erred grievously by not including the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

The timeline is not complete. The 1950s include the wedding of the present King of the Belgians, but the wedding of his older brother, King Baudouin, does not even get a mention in the 1960 timeline.

The text also should have been more carefully vetted. It is Archduke, and not Arch-duke. Piccadilly, not Picadilly, for example.

A Fine Romance can be captivating, which is largely due to the photographs. But I think the book could have been a lot better if the publishers had decided to provide a more comprehensive look at European royal weddings of the 20th century, a book that would have included all of the reigning royal houses.

It was a grievous error to exclude the Asturias' marriage, which took place only two weeks after the Danish royal wedding.

In spite of the omissions, A Fine Romance is a very lovely book, thanks to the superb collection of wedding photos.

A Fine Romance was edited by Lisette du Plessis.

Prince William of Gloucester: books

2011-11-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

Yes, there are two books on the late Prince William of Gloucester.
Just click on the link to order from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Giles St. Aubuyn edited Prince William of Gloucester: Pioneer Prince, which was published after William's death in a plane crash in August 1972.

William of Gloucester: Pioneer Prince     (UK)

William of Gloucester: Pioneer prince   (USA)

and the Lisa Sheridan book published in 1945, titled Prince William

Prince William of Gloucester    (UK)

Prince William of Gloucester   (USA)

The Royalty Weekend in Ticehurst

2011-11-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

ROYALTY WEEKEND

Ticehurst and Flimwell Church of England Primary School,

Steellands Rise, Ticehurst, East Sussex, TN5 7DH, UK

Saturday and Sunday, 14-15 April 2012

Speakers include:

Coryne Hall on the Romanovs

Griffith Henninger on The Last Empress & The First World War

Neil Rees on Escaping Revolution & Awaiting Restoration – the story of King Louis XVIII of France in Exile at Hartwell House, near Aylesbury 1809-1814

Helen Rappaport on The Trouble with Albert

Richard Thornton on The Harrington sisters – from barmaids to princesses

Christophe Vachaudez on The Belgian Royal Family Through Photography

Charlotte Zeepvat on Royal Costume

There will also be other royal authors present including Robert Golden and Janet Ashton

Cost: £100 for all lectures, tea, coffee and snacks, two buffet lunches & one evening meal with wine.

Cheques in sterling payable to "Mrs S M Woolmans" and to be sent to 12 Lockswood, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey, UK, GU24 OHL. Payment can be accepted by PayPal for overseas attendees. Further details from royalweekend@gmail.com or call 0044 (0) 208 319 0696.

Books on the Romanian Royal Family

2011-11-06T00:08:00.002-04:00

During my week visit to Romania to attend the 90th birthday celebrations for King Michael, I visited several bookstores, looking for books on the Romanian royal family. Much to my delight, I came home with several nice books.

The first book I found was Familia Regala o Historie in imagini (The Royal Famiy in History and images), which was published by Editura Cetaatea de Scaun in 2009.   This book was the companion volume to an exhibition at the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest.

The text is in Romanian.   The book has 168 pages, and includes an exellent array of photographs of the royal family, beginning with Carol I and Elisabeth, followed by Ferdinand and Marie, Michael, Carol and Helen, Michael and Anne and their children. The exhibition also included images of Ferdinand and Marie's younger children, Elisabeth, Marie, Nicolas, Ileana and Mircea.

I bought the book at an open air market in Bucharest's Old Town. The cost was 40 Ron (about $13.00).   However, the book is still available from the publisher.

http://www.cetateadescaun.ro/en/shop/search?search%5Bname%5D=familia+regala&search%5Bauthor%5D=

It was at Humanitas, one of Bucharest's better known bookstores, where I found Coroana română - la 140 de ani, which was published in 2008 by Curtea Veche. The text of this book was written by Crown Princess Margarita and Prince Radu.   The book celebrated the 140th anniversary of the Romanian monarchy, beginning with the succession of Carol I, who was born a prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.

The majority of photographs in this book come from the Royal Family's private collection, and includes all members of the Royal Family, including King Michael and his family.   An excellent compilation of historical and modern images, Romanian text.

http://www.curteaveche.ro/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=818&Nume=Coroana_romana_la_140_de_ani&newvaluta=ron

The price of this book is 85 Ron (about $27.00.)

Robert Massie to give talk at Hillwood

2011-11-04T16:03:00.000-04:00

Tuesday,
November 29. 2011
6:30-7:30pm
Book Talk & Signing: Robert K. Massie Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman
History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this newly released book, the eternally fascinating woman is returned to life—as an obscure young German princess who became the the bullied wife of Peter III, and finally the Empress of Russia. Ruling Russia for three decades, Catherine rose to become one of the most powerful women in history, applying principles of the Enlightenment to a new Russian constitution, pioneering public health, and established the Hermitage Museum, housing her impressive art collections.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author or Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs, returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, rich with historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.

$20, $7 College Students. Free for Members, including a Members-only reception with the author from 5:30-6:30 pm.

http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/

David Linley books

2011-11-03T16:46:00.001-04:00

Today is the 50th birthday of Viscount Linley. To honor his birth, here is a selection of Linley's books:

And his website: http://www.davidlinley.com/

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory: A must read

2011-10-18T17:22:00.001-04:00

It was about five or six years ago when I first discovered Philippa Gregory.  I was browsing in an airport bookstore, when I picked up Gregory's Meridon, the first book in the Wildacre Trilogy.

Meridon was a real page turner. When I got back home, I headed back to the bookstore and bought the second and third books in the trilogy.   I was hooked. I had found a new author to love and devour and wait anxiously for each new book.

Philippa Gregory is one of the best, if not the best historical novelists, writing today. For starters, she's got a Ph.D in history from Edinburgh University, and she is an acknowledged expert in women's history. She's very different from the late Jean Plaidy, another favorite, because she is not afraid to tackle the strong, controversial women of history. Her characters are fleshed out with reality, reflecting the warts and all.   The women Gregory writes about are not always virtuous. They use their bodies and their minds to get what they want, not just for themselves but for their families, too.

All of her novels feature strong women, allowing Plantagenet and Tudor women to step forward and be the stars, determined women with roles to play.   Her Tudor Court Novels included The Other Boleyn (about Mary Boleyn) and The Boleyn Inheritance.   The Other Boleyn was made into a BBC Series and a movie. (The BBC adaptation was far better than the movie.)

Gregory's latest series, The Cousins' War, is about the women who feature in the War of the Roses, the Plantagenet battles between the Houses of Lancaster and York. The first book in the series, The White Queen, a superbly crafted novel about Elizabeth Woodville, the wife of Edward IV.   After the death of her husband, Elizabeth found herself trying to keep her family together after her brother-in-law, Richard III usurped her son's throne. What happened afterward remains open to historical interpretation.

The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War)

Elizabeth played a role, arranging for the marriage of her eldest daughter, Elizabeth, to Henry Tudor, the son of Margaret Beaufort, one of the leading protagonists for the House of Lancaster. The marriage between the York and Lancaster heirs brought the war of the Roses to an end and established the House of Tudor.

Margaret Beaufort's story was brought to life in The Red Queen, an equally riveting tale of intrigue, where the heroine is first seen as the puppet, in an arranged marriage with Edmund Tudor. But as Margaret matures, marries two more times, feigns loyalty to the Yorkists while plotting to restore the House of Lancaster to the throne, she becomes pro-active, a very determined woman. She sees Elizabeth Woodville as one of her greatest adversaries, but for Margaret's plan to come to fruition, she needs to arrange a marriage between Elizabeth's daughter and her son.

Margaret was a Beaufort, a scion of the House of Lancaster with the blood the Plantagenets coursing through her veins. Elizabeth Woodville was the daughter of a minor English nobleman and Jacquetta of Luxembourg, a descendant of Melusina, the water goddess.

Jacquetta is the star of Philippa Gregory's newest book, The Lady of the Rivers (Simon & Schuster $27.99). She is one of the under appreciated Plantagenet (by marriage) woman But her story needs to be told, and Gregory tells it well.   She weaves a tale of a woman who never gives up, who loves deeply and strongly, and who remains loyal to the Lancaster side until circumstances lead to her family switching sides. This decision ultimately led to Jacquetta's daughter marrying the Yorkist king.
Jacquetta grew up a Luxembourg court that is allied with England.  She is a young child visiting her uncle, the reigning Lord of Luxembourg, when she meets the imprisoned Joan of Arc, who claims to have visions.   Jacquetta, even as a child, is aware of her ability to see things. She cannot convince the young Joan to save herself, and Joan's death will haunt her for years to come.

The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War)

Family connections lead to a marriage between Jacquetta and the Duke of Bedford, a member of the English royal family, who is the Regent of France. The Duke, a younger brother of Henry V, is much older than Jacquetta, a widower, and a man of means. He is well-read, and he dabbles in alchemy.

This is a dangerous time for Jacquetta as her husband wants her to use her powers to assist him. He is not interested in the marital bed, and when he dies several years after the marriage, Jacquetta is a very young woman, very wealthy, a member of the English royal family, in love with Richard Woodville, one of the Duke of Bedford's squires.   They are in married in secret before Henry VI can arrange a new marriage for the young duchess.

Jacquetta becomes a close friend of confidante of Henry VI's wife, Margaret of Anjou, an equally strong woman, who fights tooth and nail to save her husband's throne for their son.    Years of battles between cousins led to the growing strength of the House of York. Margaret relies on Jacquetta for council, for her friendship, and for her visionary gifts.   It is Jacquette and several other noblewomen who try to arrange for Margaret and Henry to enter London, but are unsuccessful.   Margaret flees to Wales and then to the north to regroup.

The Yorkist led by Richard, Duke of York, and his eldest son, Edward, Earl of March, take the city and the crown. Edward eventually takes the crown, and, in secret, marries Jacquetta's widowed daughter, Elizabeth, Lady Grey.

But Edward IV's throne is not safe, not from Margaret of Anjou's forces or from Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, who captures the king. He also conspires against Jacquette with trumped up charges of witchcraft, charges that are later dropped after Edward is released and restored to the throne.

So how does a power hungry Lord deal with a strong woman: call her a witch. For many women, such charges led to death, something Jacquetta knew well.

The Lady of the Rivers is an amazing book, a true page turner, emboldened by the character of a truly fascinating woman: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford. Her story, a historical linchpin in the war of the Roses, has been largely untouched by historians.   I am glad Philippa Gregory gave Jacquetta her due.

This book is full of pathos, adventure, passion, the struggles of an internecine conflict that was largely focused on women and the succession to the throne.

The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War)

When Edward III, the father of twelve children, died in 1377, he was succeeded his grandson, Richard II, the son of Edward's eldest son, Edward, the Black Prince, who had died a year earlier.   Richard was ten years old when he came to the throne, and his government was ruled by a regency that included John of Gaunt, one of Edward III's younger sons.

The family struggles began during the final years of Richard's reign. In 1389, he wrested control from the regency, turned against John of Gaunt and his family, and disinherited John's son, Henry Bolingbroke.

But this did not sit well with Bolingbroke, who raised an army, and deposed Richard in 1399.   But Henry was not the rightful heir to the throne. There was no defined act of succession in the 14th century, but the English monarchs largely followed primogeniture, sons before daughters, brothers before sisters.   John of Gaunt was the third son of Edward III.   In theory, Richard's heirs were the descendants of the second son of Edward III: Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, who died in 1368.

Lionel had one daughter, Philippa (1355-1382). She was Richard's heir, and would only be displaced in the succession by Richard's own children. Her son, Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, was named as Richard's heir after Philippa's death. Roger died a year before Richard II, and his son, Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, became Richard's heir.

Henry Bolingbroke took the throne from Richard II, causing a major rupture in the line of succession, ignoring the descendants of Lionel largely because of the female line of descent.

This usurpation would lead to what is known as the War of the Roses. Although Edmund Mortimer supported Henry V and was one of Henry VI's regents, his brother-in-law (and cousin), Richard, Earl of Cambridge, who was married to Edmund's sister, Anne, was a part of an attempt to put Mortimer on the throne, but Mortimer would have none of it, He told the king, and Cambridge was attainted and executed.

Mortimer's titles were inherited by his sister, Anne's son, Richard Plantagenet. (The late Earl of Cambridge was a descendant of Edmund of Langeley, fourth son of Edward III).   Richard, Duke of York, had a very strong claim to the throne due to his descent from Philippa Mortimer.)
The Duke of York was a particularly ambitious man, and determined to secure the throne for he and his sons, claiming the the right due to their senior line of descent from Richard III.

By 1460, York, aided by Richard Neville, Earl of Neville, lead another campaign to claim the throne. He was killed in battle.   Only weeks after his death, his eldest son, Edward, was proclaimed king, after a Yorkist defeat of the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Towton.

But Warwick, known as the Kingmaker, soon turned again the young king he put on the throne.   Among other things, he did not approve of Edward's secret marriage with Elizabeth Woodville.   Warwick married his daughters, Isabel, to Edward's younger brother, George, Duke of Clarence, and Anne, first to Henry VI's son, Edward, and later to King Edward's youngest son, Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

The Earl of Warwick turned against Edward VI, and restored Henry VI, briefly to the throne, after a failed attempt to replace Edward with his younger brother, George.   But in April 1871, King Edward defeated Warwick in battle, and reclaimed his throne. He reigned until April 1483, when he died suddenly, and was succeeded by his elder son, twelve-year-old Edward V.

The Plantagenet family had come full circle. One hundred and six years after the death of Edward III and the ascension of the child king, Richard II, a new child sovereign is on the throne, setting up yet another struggle between the Houses of York and Lancaster. This time a new line emerges: the Beauforts, the descendants of John of Gaunt and his third wife, Katherine Swynford, a line that was originally illegitimate.

Enter Lady Margaret Beauford, daughter of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, grandson of the Duke of Beaufort,   Margaret inherited her father's fortune and estates, and an great asset to the House of York. She feigned support for the Yorkists, hiding her true desires to see the House of Lancaster back on the throne.

She bided her time, watching as the House of York collapsed after the death of Edward VI, and the turncoat actions of the Earl of Warwick. She watched as Edward's brother, Richard III, usurped the throne from his nephew, the young Edward V, who disappeared with his younger brother, soon afterward. The boys were sent to the Tower of London and never seen again.

Biding his time, too, was Margaret's only son, Henry Tudor, and only two years after Richard took the throne, he was killed in at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry Tudor, who was proclaimed king. He cemented his position by marrying the Yorkist heir, Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Edward VI and Elizabeth Woodville, The young Elizabeth was the rightful heir to the throne after the deaths of her two brothers.

The Plantagenet women, in spite of their sex, played important roles in the War of the Roses. Elizabeth Woodville married a king for love, trusted her brother-in-law to protect her sons (he didn't), and forged an alliance with Margaret Beaufort, fighting to bring her son to the throne.

Elizabeth's power came from her mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, an equally formidable, determined woman, not afraid to use her wiles or her brain, to fight for what she believed in, and what she wanted for her family.

These ladies are power characters, nourished by the rich writing of Philippa Gregory, who certainly knows how to bring her stories to life.   The Lady of the Rivers is terrific. A wonderful book to curl up with on the couch or something to tuck into while commuting to work.

The fourth book in The Cousins' War series will be about Isabel and Anne, the two daughters of the Earl of Warwick.   One usually thinks of these two women being used by their father solely for his desire for power. I am sure, however, Philippa Gregory, will give these two women voices as well.

Read The Lady of the Rivers. You will not regret it.

The Lady of the Rivers (The Cousins' War)

The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War)

The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War (Touchstone Paperback))

Philippa Gregory is also one three authors of The Women of the Cousins War: the Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother (Simon & Schuster: $26.00)   This book is pure history, not historical fiction.   I will be reviewing this book soon.

The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother

More Diamond Jubilee books

2011-10-13T23:11:00.000-04:00

J.H. Haynes & Co. will publish Sixty Glorious Years: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee in February 2012. The price of the book is £20.00.

In September,Thames & Hudson published Elizabeth II: A Photographic Portrait (£35.00)

And The Queen's Year by David Oakley.

The Real Elizabeth by Andrew Marr (Henry Holt: $32.00)

Mette-Marit Prinsesse av Folket

2011-10-08T00:41:00.002-04:00

Perhaps emboldened by his American university education, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway was determined to marry the woman he loved.   It didn't matter that Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby's first impression was not a successful one.  She was a former party girl, a member of a circle that used drugs and alcohol on a regular basis. Mette-Marit did not have a university degree ... and she gave birth to a son out of wedlock.

Hardly the right qualifications for a future consort. But Haakon made his case to his parents, and then to his country. Many Norwegians were understandably disappointed in Haakon's decision to date and then move in with Mette-Marit and her son.    He persevered, in spite of criticism and condemnation.

After the engagement was announced, Mette-Marit spoke about her life at a press conference. More Norwegians warmed to her charm.

The wedding took place on August 25, 2001. Mette-Marit has been Crown Princess for ten years now. She has given birth to a daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is second in line to the throne, and a son, Prince Sverre Magnus. She has also taken classes and traveled the world to improve her perspective and learn more about what life will be like as the queen consort of Norway.

Mette-Marit has not only earned the love and respect of her husband's family, she also has learned the respect of the Norwegian people.  Here in the United States, we do not read a lot about the Norwegian royals, so we do not know what they do on a day to day basis.  Media coverage of the Norwegian royal family is largely confined to Scandinavian newspapers and magazines.

The Crown Princess is -- to say the obvious -- is a success. To celebrate Mette-Marit's first decade as a member of the Norwegian royal family, Kagge Forlag has published Mette-Marit Prinsesse av Folket, 130 page book of photographs by noted photographer Aasta Borte. The text was written by Monica Aafloy Hansen, a journalist with the weekly magazine, Hjemmet.

The photos provide coverage of Mette-Marit's life as a wife and mother, and a Crown Princess carrying out engagements in Norway and abroad, highlighting poverty and AIDs, among other causes. She is able to use her position as Crown Princess for good.

The book also includes a selection of photos of the Crown Princess attending formal events, wearing gowns and jewels, to royal weddings and other gala affairs. The text is in Norwegian. There are no plans for an English-language edition.   The photos are what will sell the book to non-Norwegian readers.

The price of the book is 399.00 Norwegian kroners.

http://www.kagge.no/index.cfm?tmpl=produkt&prodid=987941

This book can be ordered from Tanum, an Oslo-based bookstore with several branches throughout the city.

http://www.tanum.no/

An earlier book, in German, about Mette-Marit:

Princess Sophie of Romania's newest book: A Small Wink from Brittany

2011-10-03T09:14:00.006-04:00

HRH Princess Sophie of Romania' long-awaited third bilingual photography book, A Small Wink from Brittany, is now available.

As poetic as her first two books, this new volume shows you the Brittany she loves from a delightfully enchanting point of view.

The photographs in this book complement each other and take you through the different departments which make up the Brittany of today and of yesterday. You will discover this region through her images much the same way she did close to ten years ago.

www.blurb.comRomania is preciously held in her heart, but Princess Sophie fell under the spell of Brittany and settled there in order to pursue her work which reveals the soul of Brittany as only a Breton artist can. It can be said that she is Breton by adoption.

By opening this book, you will enter the magical world of Breton beauty that Princess Sophie's artistry captures for you."

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2531284

I think A Small Wink from Brittany will make an excellent Christmas present. HRH Princess Sophie of Romania is a truly gifted photographer

Another new royal wedding book: A Fine Romance

2011-10-01T22:15:00.001-04:00

A Fine Romance is by Steve Cooper. The book was published in Australia by Hardie Grant, which also has a branch in the United Kingdom.

From the Amazon.co.uk blub: More than just a celebration of the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, A Fine Romance is a sumptuous photographic record of European royal weddings over the last 75 years. These are the unforgettable alliances and love stories that have defined our understanding of modern European royalty. Part one of A Fine Romance is an extraordinarily comprehensive record of historical royal weddings, fairytale brides and handsome princes, from a glamorous and serene Grace Kelly to a blushing and shy Lady Diana Spencer. Part two is a richly illustrated romantic delight, bringing together a stunning collection of images from the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

No US publisher or distribution at this time.

Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee 2012

2011-09-27T20:50:00.001-04:00

Of course, there will be a plethora of new books about Queen Elizabeth II, her reign, her family in honor of her 60th anniversary on the throne. Here are several of the new and upcoming titles:

The Archduke's Secret Family by Daniel A.Willis

2011-09-26T23:43:00.001-04:00

In 1996, Dan Willis published The House of Habsburg: The Descendants of Maria Theresia of Austria. As with many royal genealogies, the book was not complete as Dan was unable to contact some of the living descendants.

He was also stumped by one branch, the descendants of Archduke Ernst (1824-1899), was a son Archduke Rainer, who represented one of the many junior lines of the Habsburg dynasty.

Ernst has provided a challenged to royal genealogists. Dan decided to take up the challenge to answer so many questions. Did Ernst marry Laura Skublics, and what happened to their children? Are there descendants living descendants?

The Archduke's Secret Family

The answers to these questions is in Dan's newest book, the superbly terrific The Archduke's Secret Family.

Ernst and Laura, met in a park in Budapest. It was love at first sight for the archduke, and he was determined to be with Laura. But Ernst's kinsman, Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, tossed a few obstacles in the archduke's way in order to keep the lovers separated.

Laura, who had two children by her first husband, gave Ernst two daughters and two sons.   Tragically, for Ernst and for the children, Laura died young.   Archduke Ernst could not publicly acknowledge his four children. In an instant, he became a friend, and the children were raised in a foster family, who were financially supported by Ernst's brother, Rainer.

So did the children ever find out their true roots? In order to learn the answer to this question, and see how a dogged, determined royal genealogist managed to overcome several language barriers (Hungarian is not an easy language to learn), make his way through dusty archives and poorly maintained cemeteries, order The Archduke's Secret Family.

A little hint: the book includes family photos, biographical and genealogical details.   Ninety four pages.

Another hint: this book is not sold in bookstores. Dan has made the book available through Amazon. You can click on the link or the photograph to order the book.

Our Queen by Robert Hardman

2011-09-24T19:45:00.002-04:00

Robert Hardman, the Daily Mail's Royal correspondent, is the author of Our Queen, scheduled for publication on October 6.
The publisher is Hutchinson and the price is £20.00. The book does not have an American publisher at this time. Americans (and others outside the UK) can order from Amazon.co.uk. Your US account information works with Amazon.co.uk - and you can be billed in U.S. dollars. So if you want to order the book, click on the link at the top of this post. I will earn a few cents (and mean a few cents) from Amazon products ordered through my links, my stores and my search portals!!!!

Hardman's earlier book, A Year with the Queen, is available on Amazon

Honour and Fidelity by Zoia Belyakova

2011-09-24T00:21:00.001-04:00

Honour and Fidelity is the first book about the Dukes of Leuchtenberg, one of the junior branches of the Russian Inperial Family. The author of this excellent book is Zoia Belykova, the Russian historian who specializes in the Romanovs.

Maximilian Beauharnais, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg, was selected to be the husband of Grand Duchess Maria Nicolaievna, daughter of Emperor Nicholas I. It was a marriage encouraged by Maximilian's mother, Princess Augusta of Bavaria.

The marriage took place on July 2, 1839. Maximilian was given the style of Imperial Highness. Although he remained Roman Catholic, he agreed that their children would be raised in the Orthodox church.

The well-educated Duke of Leuchtenberg undertook numerous in Russia, but he was not happy in Russia. His private life was fodder for gossip. Both the Duke and the Grand Duchess had affairs.. Marie's relationship with Count Grigory Stroganov probably before the premature death of her husband, and he, not Maximilian, may have been the natural father of the younger Leuchtenberg children.

Maria and Maximilian were the parents of seven children: Alexandra, Maria, Nikolai, Eugenie, Yevgeny, Sergei and Georgy.

Alexandra died as a child. Maria married Prince Ludwig of Baden. Their son, Max, was the last Chancellor of Imperial Germany. Eugenie was the wife of Prince Alexander of Oldenburg. It was their son, Peter, who married Grand Duchess Olga of Russia, a marriage that was never consummated, and eventually dissolved by divorce.
It was Maria and Maximilian's eldest son, Nikolai, caused great consternation in spite of his "exceptional abilities." He was a favorite of Alexander, and showed great promise, but it all fell apart when he contracted a morganatic marriage.

Although Maria was married morganatically to Count Stroganov (a marriage in secret), she could not bear the thought that her eldest son had married unequally.

For most of the rest of his life, Nikolai lived a largely nomadic existence with his wife and two sons. Thanks to family connections, Nikolai settled in Bavaria at Castle Seeon. He also owned several other properties in Bavaria.

Duke Nikolai continued to write to his mother-- the letters are included in the book -- but he never received her blessing for his marriage.

Belyakova is an expert historian, and a very good storyteller. She focuses on each of Maria and Maximilian's children in one chapter. The life stories of several grandchildren, Duke Nikolai of Leuchtenberg, Duke Georgy, Prince Peter of Oldenburg, and Daria Yegenia of Leuchtenberg, the daughter of Yevgeny, 5th Duke of Leuchtenberg and his morganatic wife. In 1893, young Dolly, a free spirit of sorts, married Prince Leo Kochubei, and became the mother of two sons.

Dolly was at the center of St. Petersburg society, but she may have been banished to France in 1905, following comments about Nicholas II and his wife. She eventually returned, divorced Prince Leo. Her second husband, a battleship commander, Baron Vladimir Gravenitz, kidnapped Dolly and the married her. Nicholas II decided not to punish Gravenitz, after learning who he had married.

Dolly was no longer welcome at court, She was too eccentric. This marriage soon collapsed, and the good baron may have committed suicide. She resumed her maiden title Countess Beauharnais, but soon evolved into Daria Leuchtenberg.

She went to Bavaria, where she became a citizen, but by 1918, she was back in Russia, ready to be a good Communist. She married for a third time to Viktor Markezetti. They became good Soviet workers and were executed in 1938.

By the 1930s, the Leuchtenberg descendants were scattered across the globe, in Germany, the US and Canada, far from the Soviet Union, but remaining essentially Russian.

The book also includes the previously privately published memoirs of Duke Georg Nicolaievitch.

This book is further enhanced by the publication of many previously unseen photographs, provided by several descendants. Belyakova was also able to draw on correspondence, diaries and other documents.

Inspiration for the book's title was provided by the Dukes of Leuchtenberg's motto, Honour and Fidelity.

The book, published by Logos in St. Petersburg, is a very limited edition: 500 copies in English and 500 copies in Russian. The English translation was done by P.R. Williams.

This book is not available from Amazon. I believe the only bookstore that still has copies is Van Hoogtraten in the Hague. The price is 43.90 Euros.

http://www.hoogstraten.nl/theshop/product_info.php?products_id=454&osCsid=22756fada5c3bb965724704aff0b8478

It is definitely worth the effort to add this book to your library. One can fault some of the translations, what cannot be faulted is the brilliant scholarship.

New book - Our Insane Family

2011-09-21T21:08:00.004-04:00

Well, not exactly new ---
From Dynasty Press' website

Our Insane Family, by Frederick the Great's sister Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia

Translated from German by Queen Victoria's daughter, HRH Princess Helena ( HRH Princess Christian) now edited
and updated by HRH Princess Katarina of Serbia, Lady de Silva

Wilhelmine of Prussia's no-holds-barred memoirs give a penetrating insight into the bizarre upbringing she and her brother Frederick the Great suffered at the hands of an insane father and a callous mother. Almost unbelievably, the family was forced to go hungry and to dress in tatters, while their father ploughed the considerable resources of the state into creating the Prussian Militaristic Machine which would cause several European wars in the future, including the Franco-Prussian War and the First and Second World Wars.

(Click here to order for the US: Our Insane Family )

These memoirs were translated by Queen Victoria's daughter Helena, with the approval of her sister Crown Princess Victoria and brother-in-law Crown Prince Frederick of Germany (the parents of Kaiser Wilhelm 11) as a covert warning to Europe of the dangerous direction in which Bismarck and Emperor Wilhelm 1 were steering the German Empire.

[Click to order for the UK: Our Insane Family ]

This edition includes an illuminating and unique Foreword and updated Introduction by HRH Princess Katarina, Lady de Silva, a descendant of these historical figures, explaining the objectives of the author, Wilhemine, in penning such witheringly frank memoirs, and the translator, Helena, in translating into English for widespread dissemination a tale which was by then unknown even in Germany, and which, under more ordinary circumstances, they would have suppressed. However, these supporters of constitutional monarchy and liberal government were intent on warning the world of the dangers of absolute monarchy and unchecked militarism, and hoped that by disseminating these memoirs throughout the English-speaking world, they could bring pressure to bear upon the direction the German State was taking.

Credit: Dynasty Press

As a historical document of rare prescience, this edition, with the updated Foreword and Introduction, is unsurpassable.

Jewels of the Romanovs Family and Court

2011-09-16T23:36:00.003-04:00

First the good news. Stefano Papi's Jewels of the Romanovs Family & Court is a stunner. This is the kind of book you would like to have on the cocktail table. Luscious, superb photography, where the jewels jump right off the pages, a true visual treat.

Interest in the Romanovs continues to fascinate historians and others who have been captivated by the great wealth, the internecine family squabbles, the palaces, and revolutions that led to the collapse of the 300 years of Romanov reign and the assassination of Nicholas II and the murders of his wife, children and other members of the Imperial family.

Don't forget the jewels!   Magnificent jewels, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, pearls. Some lost forever.

Stefano Papi is an internationally respected European jewelry specialist, who has worked for Christie's and Sotheby's. He knows a lot about jewels. He doesn't know a lot about the Romanovs, which means there are a number of glaring errors in the text.   He states that Grand Duchess Olga accompanied Nicholas and Alexandra to Tobolsk, but in fact it was Grand Duchess.

The book is broken down into six chapters that focus on Nicholas and his family, the Romanov relations, the Jewelled stars (Marie of Romania, Princess Marthe Bibesco, Nancy Leeds, the downfall of the Tsar, and what happened after the revolution: dispersal and survival.

The chapter on the Romanov relations is the most fascinating.   Empress Alexandra's smalls box was certainly filled with amazing jewels from massive strands of pearls to stomachers to tiaras. Many of Alexandra's jewels were lost at Ekaterinburg or broken up after the Soviets began making inventories of the jewels they found.

But the glitz and glamour was not confined to Alexandra or her mother-in-law. Other members of the family also owned amazing jewels, especially several distaff members, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the wife of the Duke of Edinburgh, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, wife of Grand Duke Vladimir, Grand Duke Serge, and Grand Duke Paul, both of whom showered jewels on their wives.

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was particularly blessed with jewels. She owned a dazzling array of tiaras, including a waterfall tiara made by Chaumet and the spectacular kokoshnik tiara. Maria received it as a wedding gift in 1874.   This tiara was inherited by her daughter, Helen, who married Prince Nicholas of Greece. and Helen sold it to Queen Mary.   Queen Elizabeth II often wears this tiara.

Many of Maria Pavlovna's jewels survived the revolution, and were divided among her three sons and her daughter.   Some of the jewels have gone to auction. Others are in the possession of the descendants of Helen's three daughters, Olga, Marina and Elisabeth.    Maria Pavlovna's eldest son, Kirill, married Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh,  who was the daughter of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna.

Ducky and her older sister, Queen Marie of Roumania, were often seen in wearing amazing pieces of jewels.many

Princess Paley, the morganatic wife of Grand Duke Paul, received many jewels from her husband.   Other Romanov relations/friends with absolutely fab jewels include Princess Zenaide Yusupov, whose son, Felix, married Princess of Russia, daughter of Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and the Duchess of Leuchtenberg, the wife of Prince Eugene Romanovsky, 5th Duke of Leuchtenberg, son of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, eldest daughter of Nicholas I.

So what happened to the jewels. Some disappeared, others were plundered, but the Soviets did provide an inventory of the jewels that they found, including many of Empress Marie's jewels. The Soviets sold some pieces at auctions in the late 1920s, and they destroyed the jewels from the time of the last Tsar because they "considered them to be modern and not of historic importance."

Grand Duchess Ella gave her jewels to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the younger, who, in turn, sold them to King Alexander of Yugoslavia. His wife, Marie, a granddaughter of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, often wore the pieces that were once given by her maternal great-uncle to her mother's first cousin.

Jewels of the Romanovs Family & Court was published by Thames & Hudson ($75.00/£42.00). Visually stunning, but the text could have been a lot better.

You will also enjoy William Clarke's book, Hidden Treasures of the Romanovs.

Just Published - The Archduke's Secret Family

2011-09-08T13:06:00.002-04:00

From the jacket blurb " He defied an Emperor to be with her. She found the love she had been seeking in his arms. Their passion would ignite the imagination of an Empire.

It sounds like a promotion for the latest romance novel, but this story is no work of fiction. Archduke Ernst of Austria, cousin of Emperor Franz Joseph, fell in love and started a family with Laura Skublics. However, she was not born into the right family to be considered a suitable bride for an Archduke. Some say they married anyway. But did they? The Archduke’s Secret Family seeks to answer that very question as well as learn the fate of their children and their descendants."

I will have a review of this book in the next few weeks.

Die Habsburger Ohne Reich by Dieter Kindermann

2011-09-04T23:56:00.002-04:00

In November 1919, Emperor Karl I of Austria lost his job. The new rulers -- Socialist politicians -- provided no compensation nor severance pay. Karl and his family left the country to live in exile with limited resources.

Karl and his wife, Zita, lived peripatetic lives following exile as they tried (and failed) to regain the Hungarian throne. After Karl's death in 1922, Zita turned her attention to regaining the throne for the couple's eldest son, Otto.

Otto's hopes and dreams were carried outside of Austria. He and his family were forbidden to return to Austria unless they recognized the republic. Some Habsburgs, largely from collateral lines, did that, and settled into more normal lives, establishing careers, raising families and eschewing politics. To this day, members of the Habsburg family are not permitted to run for political office in Austria.

Dieter Kindermann, a political journalist for an Austrian newspaper, has written a well-researched book, Die Habsburger Ohne Reich Geschichte Einer Familie seit 1918 (K&S: 22.90 Euros). This German-language book does answer the question: so what happened to the Habsburgs.

This book was published several months before the death of Archduke Otto, who was givven a state funeral in Vienna. Resigned to the fact that he would never reign in Austria, Otto, who lived in Bavaria, devoted his life to Pan-Europeanism. Today, his younger son, Archduke Georg, lives in Hungary with his wife and children. Archduchess Gabriela is the German ambassador to Georgia, and Archduchess Walburga has been a member of the Swedish parliament since 2006. She is married to a Swedish count.

Kindermann also examines some of the lesser known members of the family, including Ulrich Habsburg-Lothringen, a morganatic descendant, who has been fighting an uphill battle to run for office in Austria. Most of the book, however, deals with Otto and his career and family. Otto von Habsburg, who eschewed his archducal title, played an active role in European politics for nearly all his life

K&S is a Viennese-based publisher. There are no plans to translate the book in to English. There are about a dozen or so black and white photos. I wish there were more.

Although the Habsburgs have not reigned for nearly 100 years now, family members still find ways to serve.

Royal weddings Königiche Hochzeiten

2011-09-04T23:03:00.002-04:00

Royal Weddings Königlichen Hochzeiten is an absolutely stunning book with an English-German text published by TeNeues ($45.00), where royal weddings are the main attraction. The cover of this edition is the balcony kiss between the newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which does not come as a surprise. This new, revised and updated edition was published shortly after Prince William's wedding.

(The first edition featured the newly married Prince and Princess of Wales on the cover.)

The German text was written by Friederike Haedecke. Julia Melchior was responsible for the English translation.

Royal Weddings (English and German Edition)

This book is breathlessly beautiful with stunning color and black and white photographs, which more than complement the text.

Fourteen weddings are covered in this book: Victoria and Daniel and Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia of Sweden, Haakon & Mette-Marit, Frederik and Mary, Willem-Alexander and Maxima, Beatrix and Claus, William and Kate, Charles and Diana, Elizabeth and Philip, Rainier and Grace, Felipe and Letizia, Juan Carlos and Sofia, and Naruhito and Masako. (The publishers might have waited a few months to have included a chapter on Albert and Charlene of Monaco.)

Each wedding is treated with a separate chapter, providing details about the romance, the wedding, and these details are enhanced by superb photos, many of which come from private sources. One photograph of Mette Marit getting ready for her wedding as her veil was attached to the tiara was taken by Queen Sonja. Lovely.

Royal Weddings (English and German Edition)

Both authors are German and have covered royal programs for German television. As we have seen with the recent Prussian royal wedding, there is still an interest in royal weddings, even when the bride and groom are members of non-reigning families.   But on the other hand, the marriages of the sovereign or the heir of a reigning royal house will bring new attention to the royal house.

Royal marriages are no longer arranged to ensure the peace between two nations. Today, royal marry for love. Crown Princess Victoria was not afraid to show her love for Daniel Westling, and that love shone brightly on her wedding day.   It was actually amazing to see such emotion from a royal bride.
Royal Weddings UK edition.

I think the authors said it best with " 'Royal Weddings' portrays the unforgettable marriage celebrations of monarchs and heirs to the throne with all the individual touches which give their unique character to every royal wedding."

The US price of the book is $46.00 and the UK price is £25.00. The book is also available from Amazon.de (35.00 Euros).

Royal Weddings - Königliche Hochzeiten

Kaiser Kinder by Jörg Kirschtein

2011-09-01T23:51:00.004-04:00

Kaiser Kinder is a real treat! An entire book about the children of Kaiser Wilhelm II: Crown Prince Wilhelm, Prince Eitel Friedrich, Prince Adalbert, Prince August Wilhelm,Prince Oskar and Princess Viktoria Luise. In German.

Kirschtein devotes a chapter to each of the children, a biographical sketch enhanced by many photographs of the children and their families and their homes.   The Potsdam-born Jörg Kirchstein sheds light on intriguing details about the Kaiser's children. Turns out, Prince Eitel Friedrich was not gay. His marriage to Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Oldenburg was not happy, and they divorced. But he was not alone after the divorce. He was in love with Countess Madeleine von Mellin (1891-1958), who was recently divorced from her husband. They remained a couple until Prince Eitel Friedrich's death in 1942.
It was August Wilhelm, "Auwi", the committed Nazi, who turned out to be homosexual. His sexual proclivities put a great strain on his marriage to Princess Alexandra Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein. The couple were also first cousins. Empress Augusta Viktoria may have played a role in arranging the marriage between her niece and her son.
Auwi served the Nazis' faithfully throughout the war.   In April 1945, Prince August Wilhelm was arrested by the Americans.

In 1913, the youngest son, Prince Joachim, fell in love with Princess Elisabeth of Urach She was not of equal rank, so Joachim could not marry her. He was devastated by his parents' decision.   Three years later, he was married to Princess Marie Auguste of Anhalt, a marriage that was arranged, as Joachim never stopped loving Princess Elisabeth. Five years after, Joachim's marriage, Princess Elisabeth married Prince Karl of Liechtenstein.

Kirchstein also makes sure to include information (and photos) on the former wives, Sophie Charlotte and Alexandra Victoria and Joachim's widow, Marie Auguste, who was largely impoverished during her final years. In order to make ends meet, she would adopt people for money. The most famous is Robert Lichtenberg, who became Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, who is now married tp Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Many of the photos in this book are previously unpublished, or at least not seen by me -- and I have seen a lot of Prussian photos. This collection is superb. Some of the photos were postcards. Several family members provided photos from their family albums.    A superb display of photos.   Even on of Madeleine von Mellin.

Kaiser Kinder die Familie Wilhelm II. in Fotografien was published by Matrix Media, which is owned by Prince Heinrich of Hanover, a grandson of Princess Victoria Luise of Prussia. The price is 34.90 Euros.   There are no plans to translate the book into English. This should not be a problem because the book is fabulous, thanks to the unique photographs.

Kirschtein is also the author of Ceciie Deutschlands letze Kronprinzessin, which is also a delight, but sadly, the book is no longer available, even though Amazon.de

There are several books about the Kaiser's children, written by their governesses, and published during and after the first world war.

One book is Potsdam Princes by Ethel Howard. This book was first published in 1915. I was able to locate a copy some years ago, but the book has since been reprinted. (It's out of copyright, which makes reprints easy to do.)    The link here is for the reprint.

Unfortunately, E.L. Brimble's In the Eyrie of the Hohenzollern has not been reprinted, and is very difficult to find. About five or six years ago, I found a copy of the book by using addall, which is an excellent source for locating out-of-prints.   The seller was a dealer in Australia, and I think paid about $6.00 for the book. A real bargain.

Right now, there are two copies for sale through http://www.addall.com/ . The sellers are dealers in the UK and in Germany.   Each copy is more than $40.00, but --- snap them up because this book is difficult to find. I spent years trying to track down a copy.

This link is for the reprint of Potsdam Princes.
Potsdam Princes

Anne Topham was Victoria Luise's governess. She wrote several books about her time as governess.

**REPRINT** Topham, Anne, b. 1874. Memories of the Fatherland, by Anne Topham ... with twelve illustrations. London, Methuen & Co. Ltd. 1916**REPRINT**

Memories of the Fatherland

]

Young Prince Philip by Philip Eade

2011-08-31T11:50:00.003-04:00

Mark your calendars! Philip Eade's Young Prince Philip will be published by Henry Holt in November.

Our Queen by Robert Hardman

2011-08-29T21:43:00.000-04:00

Daily Mail's Royal Correspondent Robert Hardman is completing work on a new book, Our Queen, which will be published in October. He scored a major coup by securing an interview with the Duke of Cambridge. The interview took place shortly after the Duke's marriage in April.

The Duke of Cambridge, according to Richard Kay, discussed "his grandmother an the monarchy." The book is an "eagerly awaited Diamond Jubilee portrait" of Queen Elizabeth II.

You can pre-order the book, which will be published by Hutchinson on October 6.

Young Royals on Tour William & Catherine in Canada

2011-08-24T23:33:00.004-04:00

Three cheers for Canadian publisher Dundurn, which has published the first book about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first overseas tour to Canada.

Young Royals on Tour is a slick, well-produced soft-cover book that covers the July trip to Canada.   The author is Christina Blizzard, a journalist who has worked for The Toronto Sun and The Guardian. She is now the Queen's Park columnist for QMI, a Canadian news agency.

Young Royals on Tour: William & Catherine in Canada

Blizzard provides a detailed day-by-day description of William and Catherine's tour. Each day - Ottawa, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories, Slave Lake and Calgary.    The text is complemented by superb photos, the majority of which were taken by QMI photographers. This is a far better effort than Hello's recent special issue on the Canadian tour.

The book also includes photographs from previous Canadian tours by Queen Elizabeth II -- and yes, there are also a few photos of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, included the famous edited photograph showing Diana greeting her two young sons on the HMS Britannia. The Prince of Wales, who was standing right next to Diana, was edited out of the photograph. (This was done to give the impression that Charles was an uncaring father, which was far from the actual truth, but misconceptions sell more newspapers.)
The book has 64 pages and costs $14.99/£9.99.

Five stars for Young Royals on Tour William & Catherine in Canada.   Dundurn has made this book available for sale through Amazon, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca. The book can also be purchased at bookstores throughout Canada.   It is not available at American bookstores.

http://www.dundurn.com/

Dundurn also published William & Catherine A Royal Wedding Souvenir, which was published simultaneously in the United Kingdom by Pitkins. Annie Bullen wrote the informative text, focusing not only on the royal wedding, but also on the royal engagement and biographical information on Prince William and the former Catherine Middleton.

Informative and well laid-out, which is the norm for Pitkins publications. The price is $14.99 in Canada and in the United States. The edition sold in the United Kingdom was published by Pitkins.

This is one of the better produced books on the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

In fact, both books are highly recommended.

William and Kate a Royal Love Story by James Clench

2011-08-18T23:59:00.003-04:00

Fluff yes, but this book turned out to be a delight. Not scholarly, nor earth-shattering, but a delight nonetheless. James Clench, The Sun's royal correspondent, has an easy, comfortable style, which makes William & Kate Royal Love Story easy to read, and enjoyable.

This book was published shortly after the engagement was announced, which meant a rush to get into print, as other publishers were also readying similar books.

The photos are largely the result of Sun photographers, including the first kiss (in public) in Switzerland in 2006.

William & Kate A Royal Love Story is an enjoyable read, certainly not earth shattering, and no real new information. A rehashing with style. The American publisher is Sterling ($19.95.) The British publisher is Harper Collins (£12.00)

William and Catherine Their Story by Andrew Morton

2011-08-18T23:26:00.000-04:00

Oh dear, another Andrew Morton book! One would think Morton, who wrote Diana: Her True Story, would have given up the royal ghost a long time ago.   Surely, he has mined every source, every nugget of information for his royal books!

Wait a minute, no decent source is going to feed Morton a worthwhile piece of information.   The doors are closed, no one is going to talk to Andrew Morton. Check the acknowledgements in the back of the book. He references people such as Patrick Jephson, good for the past, good for one more Diana quote, but the sources are woefully inadequate for a book about William and Catherine, their story and their wedding,

Let's be honest. Apart from what has been released by the press and uncovered by the media, we know very little about the former Catherine Middleton. She remains an enigma. She has barely spoken a word in the public since the engagement was announced. The Duchess of Cambridge, as the wife of the second in the line to the throne, will remain in the background as she is eased, gently into royal duties.

She is a star, nonetheless.

Morton has nothing new to say. He has culled all the appropriate news clips to pad the text -- and inserts Diana's name at every possible moment, which can be rather disconcerting at times.   Andrew Morton goes off the rails when he quotes a Scottish nobleman, "speaking on condition of anonymity."   The alleged Scottish nobleman was quoted as saying that William was expected to marry someone among the aristocracy or European royalty.

Balderdash! The British royals largely do not mix and mingle with their now distant cousins on the Continent. William was largely expected to marry an English rose, not a European. The British are not too keen on their royals bringing home a foreigner.
William & Catherine: Their Lives, Their Wedding

Lady Diana Spencer was the daughter of a wealthy earl. She grew up with royals as neighbors. But as it turned out, genealogy and royal neighbors does not necessarily mean a successful royal marriage. Catherine may not be an earl's daughter, but she has a better education than Diana. She was raised in a two-parent household, two hard working parents, millionaires who made sure their three children received the best education possible.

Unlike Diana, Catherine has the confidence to shine as a royal bride. She and Prince William were friends first. Affection and love followed. They have built a strong, loving relationship. William and Catherine are equals.

William & Catherine Their Story (St. Martin's Press: $29.99/$34.40) is not going to one of the books that future biographers of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be consulting. Far too much rehashing of other people's information.

Memo to Andrew Morton: time to move on from the royal scene. You did your thing with Diana: Her True Story.   This newest book is awful.    The photos are nice, though, but it should be noted that wedding is discussed in the final chapter.

This book was also published in the UK by Michael O'Mara.

William & Kate Celebrating a Royal Engagement by Robin Nunn

2011-08-17T00:06:00.002-04:00

Robin Nunn's career as a royal photographer took off with the ascent of Lady Diana Spencer, the future wife of the Prince of Wales --- and mother of Prince William.   Now Nunn, who runs a photo agency, turns to Prince William and Catherine Middleton with the publication of William & Kate Celebrating a Royal Engagement.

This book was published shortly after the engagement was announced, and provides a synoptic biography of Prince William of Wales from his birth through childhood and the death of his mother to the university years and his military career ... and the entrance of Catherine Middleton into William's life.

Nunn's photos shine throughout the book.   Many of these photographs have not been seen before including some rather stylish ones of Kate.

One of the angles that Nunn has latched upon is the commoner-royal marriage. He includes a chapter on the marriages of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, the Prince of the Asturias, the Prince of Orange, the Duke of Brabant and the Crown Princess of Sweden, all of whom married commoners. The Duke of Brabant's wife, Mathilde, comes from a noble family, but she had no title of her own. Her father was elevated to the title of Count when Mathilde married Philippe.

But Catherine is not the first commoner to marry into the royal family. William's mother had a courtesy titlle due to her father being a peer of the realm, but legally, the late Lady Diana Spencer was a commoner.   The Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex married commoners. So did the Duke of Gloucester.   The Duchess of Kent is the daughter of a baronet, but she was a mere Miss when she married.

Camilla Parker Bowles is also a commoner although she descends from the aristocracy and Charles II.

This is a nice book to look through, but do not expect a work of scholarship. When Prince William's engagement was announced, writers and photographers went into overdrive to produce commemorative books.

I have to say that the publisher did a very nice job combing the text (Nunn was partnered by Jonathan Hayden) with very fine photography.

William & Kate: Celebrating a Royal Engagement (Pavilion: £14.00/$24.95). 144 pages.

If you are looking to decide on which William and Kate books to keep in your library, please note this one is a keeper. Superb photographs, and the Nunn and Hayden largely avoid purple prose.

Some new Royal DVDS - Region 1 NTSC

2011-08-16T20:41:00.001-04:00

Here is a selection of new William and Kate (the duke and duchess of Cambridge) DVDS for Region 1 NTSC. US and Canada.

New books on Kate's fashions and style

2011-08-14T00:07:00.002-04:00

The new People magazine special issue, Kate's Secret Styles, made me wonder if there are any new books on the Duchess of Cambridge's style and fashions. Well .... there are a few new books that will appeal to the Kate fashionistas.

Kate: Style Princess: The Fashion and Beauty Secrets of Britain's Most Glamorous Royal was written by Sara Cywinski (John Blake: $29.95). This book will be published in September.

Kate: Style Princess: The Fashion and Beauty Secrets of Britain's Most Glamorous Royal

Kate - Style Princess: The Fashion and Beauty Secrets of Britain's Most Glamorous Royal (UK edition)

Another new book is Kate Style: Chic and Classic Look by Alisande Healy Orme, which was published by Plexus ($19.95)

There is also a new DVD (PAL) Kate: Portrait of a Princess. This DVD is PAL Region 2 and not compatible with most North American DVD Players.

People Magazine Special Issue Kate's Style Secrets

2011-08-13T23:51:00.002-04:00

People Magazine has published a special issue dedicated to the Duchess of Cambridge and her style. Kate's Style Secrets is an 80 page glossy volume with plenty of photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge and her clothes, shoes and so on. The 165 must haves! Great Fashion, Hair and Makeup! How to get Kate's look ... at Target!

The magazine includes chapters on Kate's fashion recycling (also known as wearing the same dress more than once), her sister, Pippa, and her style, their mom, Carole, and one on the Duke of Cambridge and how he dresses.

I have noticed that there are plenty of people, especially young women, who are interested in what Kate wears --- there are even several websites on Kate's clothes -- and People Magazine has done a fine job to capture the Duchess of Cambridge's special essence.

Kate's Style Secrets! will on sale in the USA and Canada until September 12. The newsstand price is $5.99/$6.99.

The Resurrection of the Romanovs By Greg King

2011-08-12T23:47:00.001-04:00

I have enjoyed watching (reading) Greg King develop into a truly superb royal writer. He and his co-author Penny Wilson have hit it out of the park with their latest book, The Resurrection of the Romanovs (Wiley: $35.00).

The book is really about a Polish woman, Franziska Schanzkowska, the woman behind the Anna Anderson persona. For nearly 70 years, Franziska largely survived as Anna Anderson, who convinced many that she was Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Nicholas II.

The Resurrection of the Romanovs: Anastasia, Anna Anderson, and the World's Greatest Royal Mystery

So many people wanted to believe that Anastasia survived the mass murders, and the evidence in her favor was, at times, overwhelming.   The story came to a crumbling end when DNA testing proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Anastasia died with her parents and siblings on July 16/17, 1918, and the woman who emerged from a canal in Berlin in 1920 was a mentally ill Polish peasant.

The Resurrection of the Romanovs: Anastasia, Anna Anderson, and the World's Greatest Royal Mystery (UK)

King and Wilson jumped deep into the story, and analyzed mountains of information, from court proceedings to previously unpublished and undiscovered documents. The result is a home run -- real research, real detective work.

So much has been written on Anna Anderson - the pros, the cons, the supporters and those who were equally convinced that Anna was a fraud.   But so many wanted to believe that this story would have a happy ending for Anna. She would be vindicated, but, instead of being vindicated, Anna was proven conclusively to be a fraud.

DNA does not lie.

The Resurrection of the Romanovs is a mammoth achievement, a true historical revelation, and the absolute standard on the enigma that was Anna Anderson. Greg and Penny's first collaboration was The Fate of the Romanovs.

The Fate of the Romanovs

Alison Weir's new book on Mary Boleyn

2011-08-12T11:35:00.000-04:00

This is going to be an exciting fall for new royal books from Philippa Gregory (historical fiction) and Alison Weir.

Weir's latest book is a biography of Mary Boleyn: the Mistress of Kings, which is due out on October 4. The publisher is Ballantine Books. Weir has certainly matured as a writer, and her biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Katherine Swynford are among the best ever written.

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

2011-08-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

I am looking forward to reading Philippa Gregory's The Lady of Rivers, which will be published in October.
She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Women of the Cousins' War (Touchstone)

The Royal W.E Unique Glimpses of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor by Victoria Martinez

2011-08-12T00:40:00.001-04:00

It is a shame that Victoria Martinez's book was published after Hugo Vickers' superb Behind Closed Doors.

The Royal W.E. Unique Glimpses of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

Martinez is an excellent writer, but this work, which is based on previously published articles in European History Journal and the Journal for Duke and Duchess of Windsor Society, is largely an apologia for the Windsors. This scholarly, yet sympathetic portrait, relies on many contemporary sources, including Greg King's biography, The Duchess of Windsor, Michael Thornton's Royal Feud and the Michael Bloch books. The Bloch books were of course commissioned not by the Duchess (who had no idea what was going on around her) but by Maitre Suzanne Blum. (Blum forged Wallis' signature to obtain her Power of Attorney.)

I think Martinez spent far too much time disputing the theory set forth by Michael Bloch that Wallis was a hermaphrodite. Vickers provides more details about how Bloch's The Duchess of Windsor came to be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1996, the centenary of Wallis' birth. No publishers were interested in another biography, so Bloch and his agent had to come up with a new angle. Bloch "decided to promote the idea that the Duchess had been a man." He told James Lees-Milne that Maitre Blum believed this. Vickers is not sure that Bloch himself believed it. He went to Paris to talk to Wallis' doctor, Jean Thin, about his idea. But the book makes no mention of Bloch's visit to Thin, so one can assume that Thin told him that the idea was crazy. (Some years later, Thin was interviewed by James Fox for an article about the Windsors in Vanity Fair, and the subject of Wallis' sex was brought up: "That's ridiculous. She was a woman."

Martinez refers to Lord Mountbatten as Victoria's grandson, when, in fact, he was a great-grandson. She also would not have known that the jewels meant for Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Kent were appropriated by Maitre Blum. This was information revealed by Vickers.

The book's final chapter, A Fool Would Know, covers in extensive detail the 1946 robbery of Wallis's jewels during a visit to Ednam Lodge, the country estate of the Earl of Dudley. This is the book's best chapter, and well worth reading.

The fact that the author's bias is very pro-Duke and Duchess of Windsor is not a reason, in my view, to not read this otherwise very fine publication.

The Royal W.E Unique Glimpses of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor is not available in bookstores, but it can be ordered from several sources including Amazon (for that Kindle thing.)

The Royal W.E. Unique Glimpses of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

The price is a steal at $2.99. The book can also be ordered from Amazon.co.uk at £2.14.

for Nook readers:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-royal-we-unique-glimpses-of-the-duke-and-duchess-of-windsor-victoria-martinez/1104099132?ean=2940012812179&itm=1&usri=victoria%2bmartinez

And for other electronic readers:

https://whodareswinspublishing.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=132

Behind Closed Doors by Hugo Vickers

2011-08-10T12:19:00.005-04:00

The subtitle of Hugo Vickers's latest book, Behind Closed Doors, is The Tragic Untold Story of the Duchess of Windsor.   Biographers and historians have tussled with all the aspects of Edward VIII's Abdications, his marriage to Wallis Warfield, and their lives together until his death in 1972. But we know very little about the Duchess' life after David's death. Michael Bloch wrote several books, including the editing of David and Wallis's letters. But Bloch did not do anything without the approval and encouragement of Maitre Suzanne Blum.

I have never been fond of the twice-divorced American-born Wallis Warfield Spencer Simpson, but she did Britain a favor by marrying the former Edward VIII. Wallis did not want the Abdication nor was she in love with the Duke of Windsor.

Acclaimed biographer Hugo Vickers bursts the myth that the Windsor marriage was "one of the greatest love stories of the twentieth century." Wallis did not love David, but she married him largely anyway. The circumstances of their relationship ensured that David would marry Wallis. He gave up his throne for her.

The Duke never truly realized how much damage he caused by choosing Wallis over the United Kingdom. He and his wife were largely pariahs. David was never able repair the divisions within the royal family.   It was said that the Queen Mother hated Wallis for what happened. But a good friend of the Queen Mother said that she did not know Wallis well enough to hate her.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were never able to find a niche, a true self worth. Wallis dressed well, owned fabulous jewels, and gave great parties. But she was always on the sidelines when it came to the royal family. The British government - and the royal family - kept the Duke and Duchess of Windsor marginalized. David tossed away his life, his duty to the Crown, to the country, to the empire and to his family, for which he was never forgiven. His wife was never accepted as a member of the Royal Family, nor David's family.

In May 18, 1972, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh paid a state visit to France. After visiting the races at Longchamps, the Queen, her husband and their eldest son, the Prince of Wales, visited the Duke, who was dying of throat cancer, at his Paris home.   The Queen had been informed of the Duke's illness. They were welcomed by the Duchess of Windsor.

Ten days after after seeing his niece, his sovereign, for the last time, the duke of Windsor died on May 28. He was buried at Frogmore. The Duchess stayed at Buckingham Palace before returning to Paris. She made one final trip to England a year later to visit her husband's grave.

The Duchess's health soon deteriorated. She was hospitalized for various ailments, and she also suffered from a debilitating form of arthritis. Waiting in the wings, ready to pounce and to exploit was Maleficent , the person of a French lawyer, Maitre Suzanne Blum.   Blum was a nasty, evil cretin who used a vulnerable old woman for her own purposes. She was a shark, par excellence!

It is suffice to say that Blum lined her own pockets with items from the Windsor home. She arranged for jewels to be sold, and then took a percentage. She filched jewels and other items and presented the purloined valuables to friends. She forced out loyal employees, including Johanna Schultz, the Windsors' secretary. She also forged documents, including one allegedly initialed by Wallis, allowing for the publication of the letters. Hugo Vickers believes this letter was a fraud.   Even if the document was signed and approved by the Duchess, it would not have been legal because it was initialed -- W.W.

In the darkening twilight of her own life, Wallis had no idea what was going on outside her bedroom. But what was happening was not pretty. Vickers provides the tantalizing and overwhelming evidence of how Maleficent and her minions got their greedy claws into things that did not belong to them.
Vickers' interest in the Windsor story goes back many years, when he was writing biographical sketches for Burke's Royal Families of the World. After Mohammed al-Fayed bought the Windsor home in Paris (much to Blum's disgust), Hugo wrote The Private World of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, which provided new insight into the Windsors' life and lifestyle.

Behind Closed Doors is an apt title for this book because everything Blum did was behind closed doors, without the Duchess' knowledge. Blum was convinced that the Duchess would die within a few years of the Duke, but she lived, in a twilight world, until 1986. Blum held the key to the duchess' prisoner, and kept Wallis' friends at bay. She controlled the purse strings and the final years of Wallis' life. She disregarded the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's wills and wishes regarding their belongings. She made the arrangements for the Wallis' jewels to be sold at auction at Sotheby's in April 1987. She claimed that it was Wallis' bequest to have the sale's proceeds donated to the Institut Louis Pasteur for AIDS research.     Hugo Vickers, in his detailed research, points out that Wallis would not even have known about AIDS.    It was Maitre Blum's decision.

Hugo makes it clear that Wallis a victim. He is correct. The Duchess of Windsor did not deserve the treatment she received from an evil and unscrupulous lawyer.

In the weeks after the Duke of Windsor's death, Lord Mountbatten traveled to Paris to try and make arrangements for the return of the Duke's papers to the Royal Archives. Lord Mountbatten made several visits to France, none of which were entirely altruistic. But he wanted to ensure that the couple's papers were brought to England.   But Blum was able to countermand this. She took control of what she found, and with the assistance of Michael Bloch, several books were published.

Blum also tried to stop a television series on the life of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.   Charles Murphy who was the Duke's ghostwriter for his memoirs, turned against the duke and duchess with an unflattering portrait in The Windsor Story, Royal Feud, and Philip Ziegler's authorized biography.

Hugo Vickers has made use of his many contacts, through which he gained more contacts and gleaned information, subtle details, about the Duchess' final years. Blum's denouement came with the Duchess's death on April 24, 1986.   The long-held plans for Operation Haze went into effect.   The Lord Chamberlain's office took over, and the Duchess of Windsor's body was brought to England for a funeral at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and internment next to the man who loved her more than a country.

Lady Donaldson described the relationship as one of domination.   David had an "intense desire to be dominated and hers to dominate."    In the end, however, it was Maitre Blum who dominated Wallis' life, although Wallis never knew this.   She was kept locked away, like an animal, as Blum's greed grew stronger.     The Duchess of Windsor did not deserve this. She did not deserve to be treated in such a manner.   Hugo Vickers was right. Wallis was the victim.

Behind Closed Doors is a riveting read. The anger swells as each page is turned, as one learns more and more of Blum's deception.   Princess Aurora's Maleficent had nothing on Maitre Suzanne Blum.
It is suffice to say that this is the most important book to be published on the Windsors in many years.

This book was published by Hutchinson earlier this year. The price is £25.00.

Is this book a must read: in a word --- YES!   Hugo Vickers proves once again that he is one of the best royal biographers writing today.   Behind Closed Doors is a classic read, and will become one of the standard books used for research in matters dealing with the Duke and Duchess of Windsors.   The books has not been published in the USA, but it is available from amazon.co.uk. Copies are also available through amazon.com.

Hello! Royal Special Prince William and Kate

2011-08-06T00:17:00.004-04:00

Hello Canada! is the publisher of Prince William and Kate A Celebration of Their First Royal Tour. This is the 2011 U.S. Commemorative Edition, which means this particular Hello! Royal Special is not available for sale in the United Kingdom or Canada, although I expect there is a similar Canadian edition.

The 130 page soft cover book is not (yet) on Hello! Canada's site with order information or an image to add to this review. The cover photo shows William and Catherine arriving for the BAFTA gala in Los Angeles.

You would think that this volume would be all about the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's official visit to Canada, which was followed by a three-day trip to California. Look at the title: "A Celebration of Their First Royal Tour." Surely, this would indicate lots of photographs and coverage of the tour.

Not exactly. The tour gets about 30 pages.. The rest of the publication is padded with features and photos of William and Kate, a timeline of their lives, the engagement, the wedding, the palaces, Pippa and Harry, Kate's fashions, and a few photos of Diana, too.

The final article in the publication is by Christopher Wilson and titled "Facing the Future." Wilson believes the monarchy is safe and secure, thanks to William and Catherine.

I would have preferred if Hello! had produced a publication that fit the title - with a lot a more photos and coverage of North American trip.

Far too much fluff!

The price of this special volume is $9.99.

Kate & Diana William's two loves

2011-08-05T23:22:00.000-04:00

The Daily Mirror has published a new magazine, Diana & Kate William's two loves. This is a 82 page glossy publication filled with photographs of the late Diana, Princess of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cambridge. These photos are complimented with articles that were originally published in the Daily Mirror.

The soft covered publication is divided into eleven chapters: Young Bride in Love, Shy Di & Confident Kate, Joined by a Ring, Stepping out as a Royal, Two Days that Captivated a Nation, The First Woman in William's life, The Nation's Darling, A Troubled Woman, Going Solo, a Nation in Mourning, and The Future (what Kate can learn from Diana "as she establishes her own role as part of the royal family."

This is certainly a sugar-filled publication, enhanced with photographs from the Mirror's extensive photograph archives

The magazine is on sale at newsstands in the United Kingdom (£4.99), and perhaps bookstores, as well. Here in the USA, the magazine can be found in bookstores (in the magazine section), including Barnes & Noble. The U.S. price is $11.99.

The magazine is also available for sale through the Mirror's own site.

http://www.mirrorcollection.co.uk/products/details/uk_history/kate-and-diana/

Kate enthusiasts will appreciate this new magazine. Dianamaniacs will love it!

.

Books About Zara Phillips

2011-08-01T00:07:00.000-04:00

There are two books about Zara Phillips, eldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Four Graces by Ilana Miller

2011-07-27T13:38:00.002-04:00

Ilana Miller's introspective and well-researched The Four Graces is Majesty Magazine's book of the month. Yes, the book is a bit pricey ($43.00), but it is worth the investment. This the story of the four daughters of Princess Alice and Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse and By Rhine: Victoria, Elisabeth, Irene and Alix, as seen through the eyes of the eldest child, Princess Victoria.

(the original review) http://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2011/07/four-graces-by-ilana-miller.html

I cannot stress enough that this is one of the best new royal books published in a VERY LONG TIME! It has it all - romance, pathos, emotion, history, love, desire, passion as the lives of these very interesting princesses emerge from the quiet of the very small Grand Duchy to moving toward the international stage.

click here to order

These four women lived very different lives, yet remained loving, caring sisters.

Click on the link (showing the image) of The Four Graces. The majority of the surviving bookstores will not have the book in stock, although the publisher does supply to Amazon.

This book is the perfect companion to David Duff's Hessian Tapestry and Richard Hough's Louis & Victoria: the First Mountbattens.

More royal wedding magazines

2011-07-20T09:27:00.000-04:00

These magazines are still on newsstands. Some may be available through Amazon and other sources.

The Royal Wedding Commemorative Edition, published by Multi-Media. This magazine touts the marriage of William and Catherine as "the wedding of the century." It is only 2011 ... a long way until the end of the century.

The Royal Wedding A Collector's Edition was published by the British magazine, Woman's Weekly (£2.99/$9.99) 100 pages of text and photos.

The Royal Wedding Keepsake of a Lifetime, published by WW magazines. The price is $5.99, and will be on sale through September 13, 2011.

The Final Curtsey is out!

2011-07-19T22:01:00.002-04:00

I have not yet read the book, but I have been hearing lots of good things about this book, written by the Hon. Margaret Rhodes. The book has not yet been published in the USA.

Otto von Habsburg - recommended books

2011-07-19T21:58:00.000-04:00

Here is a selection of titles of recommended books on the late Archduke Otto of Austria. Most of the titles are in German.

Der Habsburg-Faktor: Visionen für das neue Jahrtausend. Eva Demmerle im Gespräch mit Otto von Habsburg

Otto von Habsburg. Die autorisierte Biografie

Die Habsburger ohne Reich: Geschichte einer Familie seit 1918

Otto von Habsburg

Books about Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

2011-07-19T13:54:00.004-04:00

Duke Carl Eduard is also mentioned in Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone's memoirs, For My Grandchildren, and in Theo Aronson's biography of Princess Alice.

Herzog Carl Eduard. Zwischen Deutschland und England

Coburg im 20. Jahrhundert - Die Chronik über die Stadt Coburg und das Haus Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha vom 1. Januar 1900 bis zum 31. Dezember 1999

Books about King Michael and Queen Helen

2011-07-19T13:38:00.001-04:00

Crown Against Sickle: The Story of King Michael of Rumania

The Royal House of Greece

Helen, Queen Mother of Rumania, Princess of Greece and Denmark;: An authorized biography

Helen, Queen Mother of Rumania, Princess of Greece and Denmark: an Authorized Biography

The Royal House of Greece.

Borders - RIP

2011-07-18T23:51:00.000-04:00

I was delighted when my local Borders in Springfield, Virginia, survived the original cut when Border's went into bankruptcy earlier this year. I get up at 8 a.m., on Saturday mornings, and head to my Zumba class. After I get home, shower and change, I head to Border's. Every Saturday, rain or shine, I drive the five minutes to the bookstore -- except for vacations and the rare blizzard -- to browse. Check the new books. Look at the magazines. Border's is the last place in this area where I can get Bunte, but the store stopped stocking Point de Vue, Hola and Hello after the bankruptcy announcement.

Every Saturday, a large vanilla latte, extra vanilla, skim milk. Light ice in the summer. I am a Border's Rewards Plus member, so I get extra bennies. Last Saturday, I bought the new People magazine (Duchess of Cambridge on the cover) and Kate Morton's third book.

I plan to be there every Saturday morning until the store closes in September. I do not know what I will do after the store closes for good! Where will I get my vanilla latte? Where will I browse even a small section of foreign magazines?

This sucks ... big time.

The Wedding of the Earl and Countess of Harewood

2011-07-11T22:45:00.001-04:00

The Wedding of the Earl and Countess of Harewood is is 32 page Pitkin Pictorial was published shortly after the marriage at St. Mark's Church, North Audley Street, London on September 29, 1949. The text was written by Rhona Churchill.

This small book includes photographs of the couple - from childhood through adulthood, engagement and the wedding.

Tongs and Bones

2011-07-11T13:39:00.003-04:00

The late Earl of Harewood, who died earlier today at Harewood House in Leeds, wrote his memoirs, Tongs and Bones. The book is long out of print. Lord Harewood wrote of his childhood, his marriages, his love for Patricia and for the opera ...

William & Kate The Royal Wedding

2011-07-10T22:29:00.000-04:00

The Associated Press, the largest news gathering organization in the world, has jumped on the royal wedding books bandwagon, with a stunning publication: William & Kate: The Royal Wedding. A team of 21 AP photographers were assigned to cover the royal wedding. These photographs were seen all over the world in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet.

The AP made arrangements with My Publisher to publish two editions: the Classic Hardcover and the Deluxe Hardcover.

The Classic Hardcover ($60.00) features "high quality 115-pound glossy archival-quality paper" and a removable book jacket. The size of the book is "11.25 W x 8.75" H. The Deluxe volume is a bit larger (15" W x 11.5" H). This edition was published on 182-pound glossy archival-quality paper, which a removal book jacket. The price is $120.00.

My favorite photo is one taken by Alastair Grant, a close up of the veiled Miss Middleton about to enter the Abbey and waving to the crowd.

This book can be ordered only through the publisher. It is not for sale in any bookstore or through Amazon.

William & Kate: The Royal Wedding is absolutely gorgeous, a truly professional book that celebrates the wedding in full color. This is a book you will want to put on your coffee table so all your guests can browse through it - and enjoy it as much as you do.

This is a definite must have!

http://www.mypublisher.com/royalwedding

The Royal Wedding The Official Westminster Abbey Souvenir

2011-07-07T22:46:00.004-04:00

This 40 page soft cover book (reminiscent of the older larger size Pitkin Pictorials) focuses on the royal wedding, the details and the ceremony seen by nearly a billion people around the world. The text was written by James Wilkinson, who has written many Abbey publications.

The book also includes a chapter on earlier royal weddings at Westminster Abbey (omitting Princess Patricia of Connaught's wedding in 1919) from the Duke of York's marriage to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923 to their grandson, Andrew's marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986.

This is a glossy paper publication complemented by a nice selection of color photographs. The Royal Wedding The Official Westminster Abbey Souvenir is available on both sides of the Atlantic ($8.00/
£5.00).

This is one of the 'must have' royal wedding books because the detailed description of the wedding ceremony.

William & Catherine A Royal Wedding Souvenir

2011-07-07T22:28:00.002-04:00

Pitkin Guides, formerly Pitkins Pictorial, has published its wedding souvenir: William & Catherine A Royal Wedding Souvenir. The text was written by Annie Bullen, who focuses on the engagement and the wedding, as well as profiles of the young couple. The price of the book is
£7.99.

62 pages, and plenty of photographs for readers to enjoy. This is the companion edition to Pitkin's volume commemorating Prince William's engagement.

Marlene's Royal Book Store

2011-06-17T12:07:00.002-04:00

I have opened a Royal Book Store on Amazon. See the link on the right side of the blog. The books come from Amazon, and not from me, although I will get a (very) small percentage of the sales. I have not yet figured out if I can add books from the British, German and French Amazons, but I am looking into it. If you are planning to order a book or DVD from Amazon, please use the store .. and if you don't see a book in the store (but you know it's on Amazon), send me an email, and I will add it.

The Final Curtsey

2011-06-11T22:26:00.001-04:00

Order Final Curtsey

More information on the Hon. Margaret Rhode's autobiography, The Final Curtsey. The book will be published by Calder Walker Associates (£17.99).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002548/The-Queen-I-Her-Majestys-cousin-lifts-lid-private-lives-Royals.html

The Four Graces by Ilana Miller

2011-06-08T00:05:00.010-04:00

Order Four Graces

We have a winner. A real winner.   I read a lot of books.   I have read a lot of books about royalty. The majority of books published in English are largely fluff.   Consider the number of books that have been published on Prince William's engagement and wedding and then think about how many well-researched, scholarly books you have read.

I have been reviewing books since 1983, when I first started the print version of Royal Book News, then a bi-monthly newsletter. I have read some good stuff -- Hugo Vickers' biography of Princess Alice comes to mind, as well as Greg King's biographies, and I have also forced myself to gorge on Kitty Kelley and Lady Colin Campbell, although Lady C was on to something because she, not Andrew Morton, was the first to write about Charles and Diana's marriage and Diana's psychological issues.

The James Pope-Hennesseys and Greg Kings are far and few between, and, sadly, the publishing industry is not willing to encourage major royal tomes.   Although the archives at Harewood House must be teaming with material, there has never been a serious biography on Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood. Two hagiographies were published in the late 1920s, but nothing since then. Princess Mary died in 1965 shortly after she learned that her elder son was the father of an illegitimate son.   The late Princess Royal is largely unknown in the United Kingdom. She is the only child of George V who has not been subjected to a biographer's pen.   Even her youngest brother, the mentally challenged, epileptic Prince John, has had more biographical information published about him than Princess Mary has.

It is a shame that no one has taken on Princess Mary. I used to say the same thing about Princess Victoria of Hesse and By Rhine, the eldest child of Princess Alice, second daughter of Queen Victoria, and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and By Rhine.   There are biographies on Victoria's sisters, Ella and Alix, who married Grand Duke Serge and Nicholas II of Russia, respectively. Victoria's only surviving brother, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, wrote his memoirs, and was also the subject of a biography, both in German.

Victoria, who provided the center, the core, to her siblings, featured in the biographies of her siblings and her daughters, Princess Alice, and Queen Louise, but she was never the star. Until now.

Thanks to Ilana Miller's The Four Graces (Eurohistory.com: $43.00), Victoria's story has come to the fore in a meticulously, well-researched book. Suffice to say, this is a superb book, and one of the best royal books I have read in a long time. Miller breathes life into a princess, less known than her sisters, but far more important in many ways.

The Four Graces refers to Victoria and her three younger sisters, Irene, Ella and Alix, although all three take a back seat to Victoria in this book. The three younger sisters made spectacular dynastic marriages: Irene married her first cousin, Prince Henry of Prussia; Ella wed Grand Duke Serge of Russia, who was assassinated in 1905; and Alix made the grandest marriage of all, when she married Nicholas II of Russia. The princesses' maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria, made it clear that she did not approve of any of these marriages. She did not believe that Alix did not have the right stuff to be the consort of the Tsar of Russia. In this matter, Queen Victoria was proved right. Although Nicholas and Alexandra were very much in love, neither were ever prepared for the mammoth tasks.

Princess Victoria was very close to her grandmother. She was born at Windsor Castle, and, despite her German title, Victoria was to spend most of her life in England. She did not make a grand marriage. She, too, married for love, and her husband was Prince Louis of Battenberg, her father's first cousin.   The marriage was not considered equal, as Prince Louis was a morganaut, the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and By Rhine and Julie von Hauke, who was created Princess of Battenberg.

Victoria was content to stay in the background, support her husband in his naval career in the United Kingdom. She rose among the many tragedies in her life. Frittie's fall from the window in 1873.   Alice and May's deaths from diphtheria in 1878. Ernie's divorce. The death of his daughter, Elisabeth, in 1903.  Serge's assassination in 1905. The regicide at Ekaterinburg and Alapaevsk in 1918. The air crash at Steene in 1937. George's death from cancer in 1938.

One can only imagine how strong Victoria had to be in order to provide support and comfort to others.   The day after the crash that killed her sister-in-law, Onor, her granddaughter, Cecile, and her nephew, Donatus, and their two sons, the pragmatic Victoria suggested that the marriage between Don's younger brother, Prince Ludwig, and the Hon. Margaret Geddes take place the next day, albeit quietly. The family had been en route to London to attend the wedding. Young Princes Alexander and Ludwig were to have been pages in the wedding.

Ilana Miller, an Adjunct Professor of History at Pepperdine University spent an enormous amount of time working on this book. She read the appropriate histories and biographies. She was able to do research in Darmstadt, and she was given access to unpublished material, including Princess Victoria's and Grand Duke Dimitri's unpublished memoirs. Copies of the former are at Southampton University and Darmstadt and Dimitri's diaries are at Harvard. Ilana also met with Victoria's granddaughter, Lady Mountbatten, who was able to provide first hand information about Victoria.

In 1917, Prince Louis of Battenberg renounced his German title and was created Marquess of Milford Haven. Victoria, a Princess in her own right, could have retained her title, but she, too, chose to relinquish her grand ducal title, and became known as the Marchioness of Milford Haven.

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Victoria's life was far from ordinary. She was the glue, the lynch pin, that kept her family together, even when divided by war. She was close to her two daughters-in-law, Edwina, and Nada, and she provided the stability for her young grandson, Prince Philip.

Considering the vicissitudes of her own live - and the lives around her - Victoria was the ultimate survivor. Considering her own family ties, one can only imagine her joy on November 20, 1947, when she sat in Westminster Abbey to watch her grandson marry the future Queen of the United Kingdom.  No doubt Queen Victoria would have approved of this marriage.

Ilana Miller is to be commended and complimented for The Four Graces, which is sure to become a well-thumbed reference work for future biographers and historians.

The book is illustrated with eighty photos.

I would recommend that Eurohistory use a professional indexer in order to create a more detailed index based in names and places. This book deserves a detailed index.

One more quibble: the typeface is too small. Older folks may require a magnifying glass in order to read the book. I am not kidding.

So invest in a magnifying glass if you have trouble with small print. It's worth the investment. The Four Graces is one of the best royal books that I have read in a long time. This book is a true winner. It is a must read, a definite need for your royal collections.

William et Catherine by Philippe Delorme

2011-06-07T22:02:00.002-04:00

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.

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/284343789X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A1X6FK5RDHNB96&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=129TRQAP5E42QF3ZH1B5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463375513&pf_rd_i=405320

Prince Radu of Romania - a new biography

2011-06-06T23:48:00.001-04:00

Prince Radu of Romania, the husband of Crown Princess Margarita, celebrates his 51st birthday today.   He was born on June 7, 1960 in Iasi, Romania.   This book was originally published in Romanian, and was translated into English to reach a wider market.

I met Prince Radu for the first time last September in Belgrade, as we were both guests at Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine's 25th anniversary celebrations. I was struck by the Prince's erudition -- he is fluent in English --and his compassion and appreciation for Romania, its history and culture.

It is unlikely that the young Radu, growing up in Communist Romania, ever envisioned the life he now lives. He is the son-in-law of former King Michael, and he plays an increasing public role - one of the positive faces of the Romanian royal family.

The criticism leveled at the prince is undeserved. He cares deeply about his country. He believes in monarchy, and he and his wife, Crown Princess Margarita, are truly a cute couple.

Prince Radu of Romania explores the prince's life from his childhood through his decision to become an actor and his career in the theatre, through his first meeting with Margarita, their eventual marriage, and now their lives as a couple in Romania.

The authors of the biography are Vladimir Cretulescu and Corina Murafa.   Alistair Ian Blyth is responsible for the English translation.

The book was published in Romania by Litera. http://www.litera.ro/literatura-133/prince-radu-of-romania-1216

The authors, without any political bias, offer a fair, insightful and honest portrayal of the former Radu Duda. Prince Radu of Romania is not available from Amazon or your local bookstore. You can order it directly from Litera.

Prince Radu has written and translated numerous books, including Queen Anne's memoirs, Anne of Romania - A War, An Exile, a Life.

British Royal Weddings of the 20th Century

2011-06-06T23:08:00.001-04:00

British Royal Weddings of the 20th Century is an excellent compilation produced by British Pathe. The DVD includes more than three hours of footage largely based on newsreels covering royal weddings from 1919 through 1999.

The DVD includes footage from the weddings of Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles, Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Hon. Edwina Ashley, the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece, the Duke of Gloucester and Lady Alice Scott, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, the Duke of Kent and Katharine Worsley, Princess Alexandra and the Hon. Angus Ogilvy, Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips, the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. There is also a bonus feature that includes footage from the wedding of Princess Patricia of Connaught and Alexander Ramsay, Lord Harewood and Marion Stein, Lady Pamela Mountbatten and David Hicks, and an alternative feature of Princess Margaret's wedding.

The coverage for the weddings of Prince Richard, Princess Patricia, Lord Harewood and Lady Pamela is for arrivals and departures of the newlyweds.

This is an excellent DVD, a definite must have for royal collections. It is available on both sides of the Pond in Region 1/NTSC and Region 2/Pal versions. The US price is $15.99.

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Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life

2011-06-04T07:36:00.001-04:00

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An excerpt from a new biography of Prince Philip: Young Prince Philip, His Turbulent Early Life by Philip Eade (Harper Press: £25.00)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/8554917/The-romances-of-young-Prince-Philip.html

This book has not yet been published in the US.

Finding Sarah

2011-05-19T22:43:00.001-04:00

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I can hardly wait ... not.

Sarah Ferguson has written a new book, Finding Sarah A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, which will be published in late June by Atria, a division of Simon & Schuster. The price of the book is $25.99

From the press release:

"More than a year ago my life was so off course that I wondered whether I would ever be able to find my way back. I was broken and lost, not even sure where I was, but out of this emotional barrenness I knew I had to find ME. And so, I took a journey to find myself, and begin the process of healing all the broken places. FINDING SARAH is the story of that journey."

So begins this extraordinarily personal memoir by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Her struggles with adversity have taught her that life's lows can become a source of strength and courage. She knows, first hand, what it means to feel lost and she also knows that it is never too late to find your way back, to attain your goal, to take back control of your life and to make a special dream come true. Her journey, in so many ways, is everyone's journey and as she shares her story with us she also shares the advice and wisdom she benefited from along the way. As she spends time with Dr. Phil McGraw, she gains a new understanding of her relationship with herself and with others. Suze Orman helps Sarah unravel the poisonous money issues she suffers from. Martha Beck teaches her how let go of her negative self-image. Many other friends and experts populate these pages and you will meet them all.

Through intimate diary excerpts and personal emails from friends and family, Sarah opens herself unsparingly. On every page of this book you will hear from Sarah's friends and guides, her "real-life angels," as they help her get to the root of her problems – from comfort eating to self-loathing, from reckless over-spending to notorious mishaps. You will learn from them, as she did. In this way, Sarah hopes not only to talk to you as a friend but to inspire you, through her own experiences, to look closely at your own life and where you wish to improve it, then to encourage you to follow your instincts and find your true path.

Sarah Ferguson did, and so can you.

I can hazard a guess and say that Finding Sarah is the companion to the six-part eponymous series that will debut on the OWN network on June 12.

This is not a new topic for the former wife of the Duke of York. In 2003, Simon & Schuster published What I Know Now : Simple Lessons Learned the Hard Way, which was "written" by Sarah Ferguson. Did she forget what she learned ...

Hello comes out with yet another wedding magazine

2011-05-18T14:32:00.000-04:00

Talking about milking for all its worth, Hello, the British weekly glossy magazine, is about to publish its third commemorative royal wedding issue. The May 7 and May 14 issues of the magazine were largely dedicated to coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Now comes word of ANOTHER special issue:

HELLO! ROYAL WEDDING SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION – Available to buy from Wednesday May 25. [This applies to the United Kingdom. I would hope that the magazine will also be shipped to North America.]

Since our very first issue in 1988 featuring Princess Anne on the front cover, HELLO! has been synonymous with royalty. And, having followed the relationship of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from the very beginning, HELLO! is the best source for coverage of their royal romance.

Now you can get a complete, intimate and detailed chronicle of Prince William and Kate’s relationship in a historic souvenir edition. From their early days meeting at university through to their historic wedding day, which drew a global audience of billions, it’s a must-have for any fan of the British monarchy and sure to become a collector’s edition to keep for years to come.
This exclusive souvenir issue includes:

• Full coverage of the wedding of the century, from the arrival of guests and the ceremony to the processions and the kisses on the balcony, in glorious colour photos

• The story of the royal romance

• The charming engagement interview

• William and Kate: A King and Queen in the making

• Preparations for the big day, including details of Kate’s tiara, hair, make-up – and that dress

• Royal brides through history

The Duke and Duchess’s family trees

Do I want this: of course! I want it, and I want it NOW!

Royal Wedding DVD

2011-05-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

NBC News' Royal Wedding DVD will be released soon. The price is $19.99. NBC's coverage was the best of all the networks, even better than the BBC's coverage.

http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=298028

Bring on the wedding magazines

2011-05-08T00:23:00.002-04:00

While browsing at Borders today (and getting my vanilla latte, large, skim milk), I noticed several new wedding magazines.

USA Today's The Royal Wedding ($7.99) is the companion volume to the magazine published to commemorate William and Catherine's engagement. Nearly 100 pages of text (USA Today articles) and photographs. This magazine has a great shot of the front seating, including the foreign royals, German cousins and the Mountbattens.

This commemorative issue also includes features about the couple's life at St. Andrew's. The final photograph is one I don't think I have ever seen. The Prince and Princess of Wales with their two young sons. Harry is about two years old. Sitting on Diana's lap is the Prince of Wales' Jack Russell Terrier. A rather sweet photograph.

The Royal Wedding from the Editors of Us Magazine is billed as the Collector's Edition and The Complete Photo Album. Seventy seven pages of color photographs, including a pull out photograph showing the front of the abbey, where one can see the foreign royals and the members of the family sitting behind the British royal family. The magazine also has features on Prince Harry (will he marry Chelsy Davys), the Queen and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The price is $9.99, and the magazine will be on sale until August 1.

The US Magazine Collector's Edition is published on highly quality glossy paper. The magazine also published a commemorative magazine, which was published shortly after the engagement.

Newsweek's Special Commemorative Issue ($9.95) includes photographs from the wedding and feature articles on the couple, royal residences, Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton, the in-laws, the Middletons, and ... yawn, a profile on Diana. This magazine is also on sale in Canada. Nearly 100 glossy pages.

Life Magazine has published The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, trumpeted as the Expanded Commemorative Edition. 128 pages. Photographs of the wedding, features on previous royal weddings, the British royal family ("Meet the Windsors,", "the Lady says Yes,") and plenty of photographs of the wedding, of the couple, growing up.

Photographs are the hallmark, the essence of all Life publications. The price is $13.99 in the USA and $16.99 in Canada. High quality paper.

This will also be published in a hard cover edition ($19.95).

I also noticed special magazines commemorating the wedding published by Access Hollywood Presents the Royal Wedding andTV Guide. One reader emailed me to say that the Access Hollywood magazine is" overpriced and unorganized", and not worth the $14.95. In other words, there are other magazines for indulgement.

Grand Dukes and Diamonds

2011-05-06T22:26:00.002-04:00

Raleigh Trevelyan's Grand Dukes and Diamonds: the Wernhers of Luton Hoo was published by Secker & Warburg in 1991. A true masterpiece.

Andrew Morton's wedding book already out ...

2011-05-04T15:36:00.003-04:00

Seventy two hours after William and Catherine were pronounced man and wife, Andrew Morton's William and Catherine: Their Lives, Their Wedding was available in British book stores. The publisher is Michael O'Mara.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/03/andrew-morton-royal-wedding-book

The publisher is Michael O'Mara and the price is £20.00.

Diana & William A Very Special Collector's Issue

2011-05-03T23:51:00.001-04:00

I knew it ... I knew it was going to happen ... there had be one royal wedding magazine that was about Diana.

Diana & William A Very Special Collector's Issue was published by WU Magazine, based in Poughkeepsie, NY. Sixty eight glossy pages of nauseous text and lots and lots of photos of Diana and William. Plenty of photos of Diana.

The articles are so laced with sugar that you might need to see a doctor for a diabetes test after even glancing through the magazine,   "Diana How She Became the People's Princess." "What would Diana have thought about the union of William and Kate? "   (Easy answer: I think Diana would have seen William's bride as competition!)    My favorite absolute nonsense article: "Why she chose to be a Hands on Royal Mom."

Er um, Diana had a lot of help from the moment she brought William home from the hospital. If she were a hands-on mom, Charles was most certainly a hands-on dad. After the couple separated, Charles and Diana each saw their two sons for forty days per year.

It was a single father who raised his sons after the death of their mother.

This magazine is described as the Summer 2011 issue. The price is $5.99.   Yuck .. which means the Dianamanics will love it.

Wow!!!

2011-05-03T23:35:00.001-04:00

Got out of the car, and walked over to the mailbox! Wow! William and Catherine on the cover of Time and Newsweek, although Newsweek describes the couple as Prince William of Wales and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge,, Time's cover -- with the kiss -- headlines the magazine as "Special commemorative issue. 27 pages! Newsweek's coverage is seven pages long, but the magazine includes a full page advert for William & Catherine A Royal Wedding, a special commemorative issue published by Newsweek. 30 Plus pages of just released photos ... timeline of the couple's relationship ... features on Princess Diana (bletch)m and siblings Harry and Pippa. History of Queen Elizabeth,

The price of the special issue is $9.95 plus shipping and handling.

https://w1.buysub.com/pubs/N4/NWK/Product_Gift.jsp?cds_page_id=98892&cds_mag_code=NWK&id=1304479650633&lsid=11232227306037808&vid=1&cds_key=ROYAL01

The special magazine will also be sold at newsstands!

I still have not seen the special People Magazine as my local supermarket hasn't yet received their shipment. Contrary to what most people think, the Washington, D.C., area is not the center of the universe! Certainly not for magazines!

I understand the super duper Hello magazine went on sale today in the UK,

People Magazine's Royal wedding issue!

2011-05-01T23:25:00.001-04:00

While grocery shopping tonight -- after coming home from the Nats game (beating the SF. Giants! -- I noticed a sign at the checkout ... People magazine's special issue "The Royal Wedding" will be on sale on May 2 ... that's tomorrow!

Seventy two pages! Woo hoo!

The wedding program

2011-04-28T12:25:00.001-04:00

Three different ways to download the official wedding program!

http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/blog/2011/April/28/Royal-Wedding-update--Official-programme--including-Order-of-Service--available-online-1

Royal Wedding DVDs

2011-04-27T07:54:00.000-04:00

There will be Royal Wedding DVDs sold after the wedding. These are the listings from Amazon.co.uk. The cover photo will not be the engagement photo. The first DVD is from the BBC and the second from ITV, and will be released in early May. These are Region 2 (Pal) DVDs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004WDQWF8/ref=pe_3511_24697421_snp_explore

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004WK14HM/ref=pe_3511_24697421_snp_dp

American and Canadian readers are scratching their heads, and wondering ... what about us ... do not worry, as the same two DVDs will be made available for Region 1 (NTSC)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004WDQWF8/ref=pe_3511_24697421_snp_explore

http://www.amazon.com/William-Kate-Planning-Royal-Wedding/dp/B004LFZORE/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1303905063&sr=1-2

The U.S. release is on May 24.

The new Handbuch des Adels is now available for order

2011-04-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

http://www.starkeverlag.de/shopfactory/contents/de/d80.html 45 Euros

Band 149 Fürstliche Häuser XIX

2011, XLXVI + 500 Seiten, 18 Bilder davon 13 farbig, 21 Textwappen, 42 Genealogien.

Folgende Familien sind enthalten:

I. Abteilung: Anhalt, Beligien Dänemark, Griechenland, Großbritannien, Hohenzollern, Lippe, Monaco, Niederlande, Norwegen, Schweden, Souv. Malteser-Ritter-Orden

II. Abteilung: Arenberg, Auersperg, Bentheim, Colloredo-Mannsfeld, Croy, Erbach, Harrach, Hohenlohe, Isenburg/Ysenburg, Khevenhüller-Metsch, Königsegg-Aulendorf, Leiningen, Löwenstein-Wertheim, Neipperg, Orsini u. Rosenberg, Pappenheim, Quadt, Rechteren-Limpurg, Sayn-Wittgenstein, Schaesberg, Schönburg, Starhemberg, Thurn u. Taxis, Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg, Wied, Windisch-Graetz, Wurmbrand-Stuppach

Abteilung III A: Boncompagni-Ludovisi, Clary u. Aldringen, Hohenberg

St. James's Palace A History

2011-04-18T23:36:00.002-04:00

Order St James's Palace US

Hurrah, finally a book on St. James's Palace in London.
All ambassassors are accredited to the Court of St. James, even though the sovereign now lives at Buckingham Palace.

St. James's Palace is one of the oldest of British palaces, and has been a royal residence since Henry VIII ordered the on construction on the site of a former leper hospital. The palace came into its own during the reign of the Stuarts. The magnicent State Apartments were designed by Christopher Wren for Queen Anne.

The palace has been home to many royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Gleichens, Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent.    The Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra and Princess Beatrice of York all have apartments at the palace, which also continues to be used for official occasions. The palace is also home to various offices, including the Prince of Wales' charities.   Princess Alexandra now occupies the Gleichens' apartments
Kenneth Scott is the author of St. James's Palace A History (Scala: $45.00), which is the first modern study of this most fascinating residence.   Scott takes us through a rich pageantry of history as seen through the eyes of the kings and queens who used St. James's Palace as a residence or a place to receive guests.

The forward was written by the Princess Royal, who was born at Clarence House (a part of St. James's Palace), and who now has an apartment in the palace.   The histories of Clarence House, Marlborough House and Lancaster House are intertwined with St. James's Palace.

The book features historical photographs as well as wonderful images of the State Rooms and other rooms.   St. James's Palace is a working royal residence and not open to the public, even the State Apartments. The Royal Chapel and the Queen's Chapel are open for Sunday services.

St. James's Palace A History was published in the United Kingdom in November 2010.

Upcoming: The Final Curtsey

2011-04-14T11:14:00.000-04:00

The Final Curtsey is the autobiograhy of the Hon. Margaret Rhodes, Queen Elizabeth IIs's first cousin, close friend, and former lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/8446396/Margaret-Rhodes-The-Queens-cousin.html

The Final Curtsey will be published in the UK on October 30. The publisher is Calder Walker Associates.

It is available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Curtsey-Margaret-Rhodes/dp/0954127560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302793932&sr=1-1

Nearly published - the new Handbuch des Adels

2011-04-12T08:52:00.000-04:00

Starke's Volume 149, Fürstliche Häuser XIX is planned to be published in the end of April, according to the publisher. The Handbuch des Adels has been published in Germany since the mid-1950s.

UPDATE Ulwencreutz's Royal Families in Europe

2011-04-11T16:08:00.000-04:00

Lulu has withdrawn Ulwencreutz's Royal Families in Europe, according to Paul Theroff, who filed a complaint against the publisher, citing evidence that the book was taken straight from his website, An Online Gotha. Mr. Ulwencreutz claimed he paid researchers to do the work, and was unaware of the similiarities between his book and An Online Gotha.

Here in the United States, ignorance is no excuse of the law. Editors and publishers are responsible for their products, including making sure no intellectual property laws were violated.

Since 1978, here in the USA (and other countries' laws are similar), one does not need to state that their work is copyrighted. It is automatic. This was further defined by the more recent Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

The Internet and Public Domain do not mean the same thing.

The Latest package from Amazon

2011-04-09T17:03:00.000-04:00

Sienna loves Amazon! She also enjoys reading all the new William & Kate magazines. She wants all RBN readers to know that she continues to scope out all the books and share the information here.