A bumper crop of royal baby books

The latest in new books about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge. I have not seen any of these books, but I bet the Royal Collection's book will be well done. Just remember if you purchase a book through one of these links or through the Amazon search boxes or Amazon store links on RBN or Royal Musings, I earn a few pennies. Seriously, a few pennies. You do not have to confine your shopping to royal books on Amazon -- just use my search boxes on my two blogs for all your Amazon purchases.

I hope to review several of these titles in the next few months. 




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PALACES – The trace of a time recorded on the highest hill in Dedinje

PRESS RELEASE

 “PALACES – The trace of a time recorded on the highest hill in Dedinje” book launch at the Royal Palace

 Belgrade, 15 July 2013 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine hosted this evening the launch of the book “PALACES – The trace of a time recorded on the highest hill in Dedinje” by an architect Zvonko B. Petkovic this evening at the Royal Palace in Dedinje. Family members of Their Royal Highnesses, Mr. David Andrews with spouse Mrs. Angeliki Margariti Andrews and son, Alexander George Michael, Mrs. Alison Andrews with daughter Ms. Amanda Garfinkel.  

HRH Crown Prince Alexander welcomed the guests and said: “The construction of the Royal Compound in Dedinje was commissioned by my grandfather, HM King Alexander I, in 1922, as a testament to our great nation. Upon the return of my family to our home, twelve years ago, the gates of the Royal Compound have been opened to the public, enabling our citizens to get to know this unique monument of Serbian culture, priceless heritage, which in our recent history was not fully known to our public. My family has put great efforts into rectifying that situation. The book which is in front of you, ‘The Palaces’, written by Zvonko Petkovic, is yet another way of bringing closer the previously forgotten treasures of the Dedinje Palaces, their history and architecture, as the inseparable part of our tradition and culture.”

Speeches were also delivered by Prof. Dr Zoran Avramovic, state secretary at the Ministry of Culture and information of Serbia, Dr. Zoran Gavric, professor at the University of Applied Arts and one of the reviewers of the book and the author.

 

EDDY & HÉLÈNE ... an impossible match

 

 

EDDY & HÉLÈNE ... an impossible match

by Prince Michael of Greece

If Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, ‘Eddy’ to his family and friends, had lived to become king, Britain might have had a Roman Catholic queen. He certainly hoped it would. Biographers have dismissed Eddy’s love for Princess Hélène of Orléans as a thing of no consequence, the passing whim of an ineffectual prince who did the monarchy a favour by dying. But the recent discovery of a cache of original documents relating to their romance casts a new light on the affair, showing just how much the relationship meant to the couple themselves, and the lengths to which their families went in searching for a settlement that would allow them to marry. Ultimately, the religious obstacles proved too great, to the lasting sorrow of all concerned. Echoes of the affair lingered for many years, as this collection shows, though Eddy did not long survive the end of his hopes.

 He lived long enough to contract a ‘suitable’ engagement to a childhood friend before dying of infl uenza in the winter of 1891-1892, and his reputation almost died with him. So little evidence was known until now of the man he was – the man Hélène and those close to him knew – that later generations created their own myth to fi ll the blank. But the newly-discovered material in this book includes the letters Eddy sent to Hélène, which open a unique window into the character of a muchmaligned prince, and suggest that his whole biography may need to be rewritten ...

 

Published by Rosvall Royal Books.  I will be receiving a review copy, and will be reviewing the book here.

To purchase the book:

http://www.royalbooks.se/kategori/4/books.html

Books about the Cambridges

Recommended reading for the folks who write the press releases at Buckingham Palace. The children of the present Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not be the first princes or princesses of Cambridge.

Pope-Hennssey's biography of Queen Mary is perhaps the best royal biography ever written.  Includes Mary's correspondence with her aunt Augusta.

A Royal Christmas by Jeremy Archer

 

 

It's hot, hazy and humid.  Summertime.  So many good books to read ... and to keep cool, sit down in a comfy chair, pour a lemonade, and dive into A Royal Christmas (Elliot & Thompson: £20.00/$32.95), a comprehensive account of British royal Christmases.

Archer is a historian who specializes in Christmas.  He has an appreciation for its traditions and history, and combines it with the British royal family.

The focus of this book is the modern royal family from Queen Victoria to modern day.

Mixing royalty and Christmas provides interesting reading, especially as Archer uses the royals' own words.

Queen Victoria wrote on Christmas Eve, 1841, "arranged Albert's table with Xmas presents, in my former bedroom ... One of the things I value most is an enamel of "Pussy" after Ross, mounted as a brooch...."

It was the Hanoverians who brought many of the Christmas traditions that the royals and their subjects continue to enjoy,  Although Prince Albert is oft-credited with bringing the Christmas tree to Britain, the tradition began earlier, perhaps with Queen Charlotte, consort of George III, who in 1800, placed "in the middle of room stood an immense tub with a yew-tree placed in it, from the branches of which hung bunches of sweetmeats, almonds and raisins..."

The British royal family also made Christmas into a family event, a time for parents and children come together.  Gift giving, simple gifts, became the touchstone for the celebrations. 

Christmas celebrations were also marred by family and political crises, which included the Crimean war, the issue of Schleswig-Holstein, two world wars, the deaths of the Prince Consort (1861) and Princess Alice (1878), and, the abdication of Edward VIII.  (I was surprised Archer did not mention the birth of Princess Alexandra, which occurred on Christmas Day, 1936, a moment of joy after the trauma of abdication.)

In 1854, Queen Victoria wrote:  "Poor Christmas Eve,  that happiest of festivals, comes this year at such at sad troubled time, which is quite distressing."

Archer devotes the final chapters to the Christmas broadcast, which began in 1932.  George V's broadcasts were live, sent out on radio to Britain and the Commonwealth.

The illustrations include photographs of royal Christmas cards.  


A Royal Christmas is meticulously researched and a delightful read, a book I know I will be dipping into from time to time, especially around Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Coronations

 

Lucinda Gosling's Royal Coronations (Shirebooks: £6.99) is a nifty little reference book.  This is a everything you need to know about British coronations in a nutshell. 65 pages.  Plenty of illustrations.  From planning the coronation to the regalia, pageantry and ceremony,  Royal Coronations is the perfect source for information.

This book was published to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation.

This book may be a slim volume, but it is chock full of informative details about royal coronations. 

 

The US price is $12.99.  It is also available on Kindle.

Robert Jobson's new royal book: The New Royal Family

From the Amazon.co.uk site

A fully updated insider's account of the royal romance from trusted journalist Robert Jobson, NBC's royal correspondent It is the love story which captivated the world. and, after 8 years together, William and Kate married in spectacular style at Westminster Abbey on April 29th, 2011. This is a true insider account of Prince William's amazing love affair with Kate Middleton; from their initial meeting at university in Scotland to married life in North Wales while William pursues his RAF career. He is the confident young Prince who is the future of the Royal family. She is the royal bride and future Queen Consort who is thoroughly modern and confounds all the stereotypes of how a royal partner should be. Since the Palace announced the Duchess's much-anticipated pregnancy in 2012, speculation has gone into overdrive about the pitter-patter of tiny feet. This in-depth book chronicles the next chapter in this modern-day fairytale and is packed with beautiful photographs, fascinating facts, and expert analysis into the most pivotal royal romance of our time. An intriguing insight and unrivaled souvenir, this is an essential read for royalists and romantics alike.

Photos are by Arthur Edwards, MBE


No cover art apparently.  The book will be published on August 5 by British publisher John Blake. The price will be £12.99.

I look forward to reading this book as Jobson actually his subject ... royalty ... which cannot be said about several other British journalists who cover the royal beat.


The New Royal Family