Courtiers: the Hidden Power behind the Crown by Valentine Low

 

For over 25 years, Valentine Low has reported on the Royal Family/  He is the royal correspondent for The Times.

According to The Bookseller,  British publisher Headline has acquired Low's first book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown.   St. Martin's Press will publish the book in North America.

Courtiers will be published in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook on September 29, 2022. in the UK.  The US publication date is in 2023.

The publisher's synopsis states: "Throughout history, the British monarchy has relied on its courtiers–the trusted advisers in the king or queen’s inner circle–to ensure its survival as a family, an ancient institution, and a pillar of the constitution. Today, as ever, a vast team of people hidden from view steers the royal family’s path between public duty and private life. The Queen, after a remarkable 70 years of service, is entering the final season of her reign without her husband Philip to guide her. Meanwhile, Charles seeks to define what his future as king will be, with his court-wielding ever-greater influence as he plans for his imminent accession.

"The question of who is entrusted to guide the royals has never been more vital and yet the task those courtiers face has never been more challenging. With a cloud hanging over Prince Andrew as well as Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life, the complex relationship between modern courtiers and royal principals has been exposed to global scrutiny."

Fiona Crosby, Headline's Senior Commissioning editor told The Bookseller:  "Courtiers will be a must-read for anyone with an interest in the hidden forces behind the British monarchy. Valentine is both a talented journalist and a gifted storyteller so we are thrilled that he has chosen Headline as his publishing home."

And from Valentine Low: "As a royal correspondent, I have spent years watching the public face that the royal family presents to the world. But I have also seen the influence wielded by the people behind the scenes, the hidden advisers who help make the monarchy what it is today. As we head towards the end of the Queen’s long and illustrious reign, this book will answer the question: who really runs the show? Who sets the agenda–and what happens next?"

People magazine The Queen's Private Pain

 PEOPLE Cover Story: Queen Elizabeth's Private Pain: Royal Family Scandal and COVID Are 'Going to Take a Toll,' Says Insider

NEW YORK - Queen Elizabeth's COVID-19 diagnosis comes during an increasingly "tumultuous time" for the royal family.

Despite the 95-year-old monarch celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, marking 70 years on the throne, 2022 is off to a rough start. In addition to her latest health setback, the Queen is also dealing with several royal family scandals, including Prince Andrew's settlement with his sexual assault accuser, an investigation into Prince Charles' charity following cash-for-honors allegation and the 2020 departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

"It's a drip-feed of negativity for the monarchy," says a palace insider in this week's cover story. "I've not known such a tumultuous time as this."

A royal insider adds: "It just feels to be one thing after another for the Queen. It's going to take a toll."

The Queen no longer has her most trusted companion beside her following the death of her husband, Prince Philip, in April — just one of the many deaths of close confidants that the monarch has experienced in recent months.

"There's a difference between being alone and being lonely," says the palace insider. Factor in even mild symptoms of COVID, and it "must be hard," adds the insider. "Whatever the symptoms, when you're feeling below par, having to deal with the other problems is really hard."

https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-private-pain-royal-family-scandal-covid-going-to-take-toll-says-insider/

A new biography about Princess Ileana of Romania

 

Acclaimed Romanian royal historian and biographer, Diana Mandache has written a new biography of Princess Ileana of Romania, the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie.

The publisher is Editura Corint, based in Bucharest.  The price is RON 93.50, which is about $22.00. 

https://www.edituracorint.ro/ileana-principesa-romaniei.html

This book is in Romanian.  There is a need, a real need for an English translation.  Princess Ileana spent nearly 40 years in the United States, where she died in 1990.  She also has American grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   

Of course, I want to be able to read it as well, and I know many others will want to read it as well.  

Diana Mandache has written several books in English.  

White House History Quarterly: The Queen and the US visits

 

Queen Elizabeth II's visits to the United States are the cover story for the latest issue of the White House History Quarterly, published by the White House History Association.

The magazine is available to order through this link.   The price is $9.95 plus postage.

https://shop.whitehousehistory.org/products/queen-elizabeth-ii-the-royal-visits-64

King George VI (1895-1952)

Embed from Getty Images

February 6  2022 is the 70th anniversary of the death of King George VI.   He was succeeded by his elder daughter,  Elizabeth, who now begins the 70th year of her reign, her Platinum Jubilee.

Here is a selection of biographies about the late King George VI.  John Wheeler-Bennett is the author of the authorized biography, but Sarah Bradford's work is more complete.

The Duchess Countess by Catherine Ostler

The Bridgerton family has nothing on the real-life Elizabeth Chudleigh (1720-1788), a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it.  Her ancestry was noble, but her own family was not particularly wealthy. Her father died when she was a child, and her brother, Sir Thomas Chudleigh, 5th Baronet, was killed while on active duty, leaving Elizabeth and her mother without a protector, someone who could have rebuilt the family fortune, regained their estate, and find a good husband for Elizabeth.

It was Elizabeth's friendship with William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath that got her an introduction to court as a maid of honour to Augusta, Princess of Wales, the mother of George III.  This position gave young Elizabeth a taste of luxury and she was determined to have it all.

Catherine Ostler's The Duchess Countess (Atria) is a delightful biography of Elizabeth Chudleigh, whose trial for bigamy got more attention in the British press than the American Revolution.

She was smart, stylish, witty, and the inspiration for Thackery's Becky Sharp.  She liked being rich and she loved diamonds.  Elizabeth also enjoyed her own scandals.

Her first marriage to Augustus Hervey, the future 3rd Earl of Bristol took place in secret, as was the birth of a son who died at age 4 months.  Hervey never saw his son.  The marriage was not a happy one, but no one (well, nearly no one) knew about it, Elizabeth and Augustus went their separate ways.  

Ostler's biography offers a scintillating portrayal of Chudleigh who sought to climb a few rungs in the social ladder as she fell in love with Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston. They met in Berlin where Elizabeth soon became the duke's mistress.  It was also becoming clear that her secret husband was soon succeeded to the Bristol earldom, so she forged their marriage details in an entry in the parish register at Lainston.

When Hervey wanted to get a divorce, Elizabeth filed a jactitation order against him, which forced him to stop stating they were married without proof.  A court ruled that she was a spinster.  

It was a lie of course.  Elizabeth continued her merry way, finally marrying the Duke of Kingston.  The duke would die, leaving nearly everything to his duchess ... but was she, his duchess?   

Eventually, the gig was up. There would be a trial for bigamy as a peeress of the realm.  She was found guilty.   Always one step ahead of everyone else, Elizabeth absconded to the Continent with her fortune intact.

She would meet Marie Antoinette and Catherine the Great, the latter became a friend and benefactor with Elizabeth acquiring property in Calais and Estonia, and of course rich lovers.

The Duchess Countess is a delightful read and superbly researched.   Elizabeth Chudleigh was very much a woman of her own mind.  She never understood what reckless meant.  She took risks, and she was a survivor.

Elizabeth's life -- Maid of honor to a Princess,  a secret marriage, lovers, a duchess, countess, and licentious, which of course appealed to the equally licentious Catherine the Great -- would make a fantastic mini-series that would put Bridgerton to shame.   Elizabeth was a real woman, whose 18the-century life was not the norm.  Yet, her lifestyle created more attention in the press than that minor rebellion in North America.

A real-life bodice ripper!!!!!!

New Romanian books

 

Prince Radu of Romania is the author of Nunta de Argint, a celebration of four Silver weddings in the Romanian Royal family:  HM Margareta and Prince Radu, King Carol I and Queen Elisabeta, King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, and King Michael and Queen Anne.  

The final chapter of this 127-page book is on the other Romanian royal weddings: Elisabeta (George of Greece), Ileana, Mignon (Alexander of Yugoslavia), Helen (Alexander Nixon), and King Carol II and Helen of Greece

Don't be put by the Romanian text because the author has included many photographs of wedding ceremonies and receptions and life after 25 years.

https://www.curteaveche.ro/p/nunta-de-argint?search=nunta%20de%20argint

https://www.librariaonline.ro/stiinte_umaniste/istorie/flori_din_trecut_regine_si_printese_regale_ale_romaniei-zamani_lelia-vremea-p10115111

Prince Radu is also the author of Povestea Palatului Elisabeta (Curte Veche).  The title translates to the Story of the Elisabeta Palace.

I have had the privilege of being a guest at the Elisabeta Palace on several occasions since 2011 when I visited Bucharest for the first time to attend King Michael's 90th birthday.  My most recent visit was in October for a brunch under a tent on the Elisabeta Palace grounds.  Before the brunch, the six guests were given a tour of the palace. It was nice to be back and be able to see everything up close (and be able to take pictures.)

It was nice to see HM Margareta's wedding gown and Prince Radu's suit, which formed a small exhibition celebrating their 25th anniversary

[It was due to Covid restrictions that we had the brunch outside in a heated tent.)

This 167-page hardcover book offers a history of the Palace, which was built by the former Queen Elisabeth of the Hellenes, and now is the official residence of HM Margareta and Prince Radu.

I think the book is also a superb guide to the palace with photos of the different rooms, portraits, and furniture.  

It is important to stress that the Elisabeta Palace is a comfortable home - and the seat of the Royal Family as Romania is a functioning monarchy within a republic.

It is an honor to visit the Elisabeta Palace.  It is also open to the public for limited tours.   I wish the book was published in English and Romanian as there is interest

in the Romanian royal family outside Romania.  

The photographs by Alexandru Chirita and Daniel Angelescu are wonderful and provide a visual insight into the Palace's rooms and landscapes.  If you cannot travel to Bucharest and be able to book a tour, Povestea Palatului Elisabeta is the next best thing.

During my recent visit to Bucharest, I spent some time browsing Cărturești Carusel, one of the most attractive bookstores in Bucharest, if not Europe.  The store has a good selection of books on the Royal Family.  One of the books I bought was Flori din trecut. Regine si printese regale ale Romaniei by Lelia Emanuel Badescu, which translates Flowers from the past. Queens and royal princesses of Romania.

The book was published in paperback by Editura Vremea in 2018.  The authors offer profiles of Romania's Queen Consorts (Elisabeth, Marie, Anne) and the princesses, Elisabeta, Maria, Ileana, Queen Mother Elena, and Margareta, Sophie, and Maria.

The text is Romanian.  Fabulous selection of historic photos.  My favorite one is of a young Princess Marie of Edinburgh with her older brother, Affie, and their father, the Duke of Edinburgh.