The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil

All of the below being my personal growth and opinions over the decades aside, this book is by far the most satisfying read in the way of its complex and exhaustive information on ALL of the modern royals. Further, I believe it's the most balanced account I've ever seen. Tina Brown has masterfully gathered every bit of expertise that could be rounded up and laid it all out in the most wonderfully readable and marvelously extensive account that rings of truth and reality. I've felt myself drawn to European history and especially the British Monarchy since I rose in the night, still a child, to watch a real princess be born. I still remember exactly where I was when the news hit the US that the Princess of Wales had died. Though approaching my 30's and pre internet I'd not yet outgrown my ardent adoration without context of wholly supporting the minted Princess over the Prince of Wales unaccountable obsession with Camilla. That would take another decade of new access to the www, and poring over ancient English history and books, articles and interviews of modern royalty. As well as a far more mature and balanced picture of Diana as well as Charles. To me it became inarguable that the Duchess of Cornwall was as vital to the Prince of Wales and his future as King as was Prince Philip to Queen Elizabeth and her reign. It's become gratifying to me to have had the privilege of watching him literally bloom into joy with Camilla finally beside him. The baptism of fire they walked through for decades tempered them rather than turning them to ash as it would have most people. Now as King AND Queen they are simply marvelous to behold. God save the King!

In "The Palace Papers," Tina Brown delivers a riveting and insightful exposé on the British monarchy's tumultuous journey over the past twenty-five years. Picking up from where "The Diana Chronicles" left off, I was captivated by Brown's in-depth exploration of the royal family's attempts to transform in the wake of Princess Diana's enduring legacy. The emotional depth and complexity of each character, from Queen Elizabeth II's quiet resilience to Prince Charles's long-anticipated union with Camilla, painted a vivid picture of a family grappling with both tradition and modernity. Brown’s access to insider accounts reveals juicy scandals and poignant moments, making it an engaging narrative that feels both insightful and entertaining. This book isn’t just a history lesson; it's a compelling commentary on the fragile relationship between celebrity and monarchy in a world that continues to change at a rapid pace. "The Palace Papers" is essential reading for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the complexities surrounding one of the world's most famous families.

The Palace Papers is Tina Brown's follow up to her Diana Chronicles from several years ago. This current work covers the last twenty five years or so of the House of Windsor, from the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 through the death of Prince Philip in 2021 and the fallouts from the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to withdraw from royal duties and the almost simultaneous scandals that derailed the Duke of York's career as a senior royal. I enjoyed this book a great deal, having had a deep interest in the Royal Family for many years. Tina Brown's dishy gossipy style makes for an almost irresistible read, but her research is deep and meticulous, as evidenced by the many pages of Notes and References at the end. Understandably, many of her interviewees and other contacts for this book preferred to remain anonymous, but that doesn't detract from the content. I learned a lot from The Palace Papers, whether it was about Prince Andrew's horrendously poor judgement in associating with Jeffrey Epstein, Megan Markle's TV career and early life, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's dedication to each other and to the monarchy, or the continuing influence of the late Princess of Wales. As a result of reading this book I gained new respect for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall as well as the Cambridges, and my respect and admiration for Her Majesty The Queen herself deepened even further. One thing that surprised me about The Palace Papers is that Tina Brown made a number of mistakes in referring to titled peoples, like "Countess Patricia Mountbatten" or "Lady Rose Cholmondeley." Anyone who has associated with royalty and nobility as much as Brown has ought to be able to use titles accurately. But the book remains a good and informative read nevertheless.

It's hard to believe you can read about events you already know and still find unknown details and surprises. Tina Brown managed. I think she was quite fair in her praise and criticism of the various family members. She explained how and why Duchess Meagan was practically doomed to fail in a royal family that barely moves at turtle speed whereas she wanted to shoot across the sky like a meteor. Prince Harry comes across as a poignant mixture of anguish, anger, and arrogance which also doomed him to fail. Yet other family members, with some of the same burdens, did not fail. The how and why of that makes for very intriguing reading in Ms. Brown's book. I am very curious to see what will happen when The Queen dies, as is expected in the near future. There have been studies done on the ability of a spouse to long survive the death of their beloved partner, and The Queen and Prince Phillip were together for many decades. Now suddenly he is gone, Prince Harry is exiled by his own choosing and Prince Andrew is in disgrace. I can't imagine she will last the year. Will King Charles strengthen the tottering monarchy (one can only hope!) or will he be the last royal in this incredible, long line? Years ago, when there were still many royal rulers, someone once said that in the end, there would only be five kings left in the world: Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs -- and England. England (the United Kingdom) is still there. But the question "For how long?" is starting to echo ominously.

I enjoyed this book although I have to admit to skimming the parts not of particular interest, like heavy details on the UK media. Yes, there is a certain amount of repetition but that has to be expected when doing an overview type of book. I did not find that boring like other readers, however because of Tina Brown's narrative style. She is a hoot. Her writing has just the right amount of snark in it, triggering some laugh out loud moments. I appreciate the research she did along with her documentation of facts. I was in London when the Queen died and although I am not close to being a royalist (too Irish) I confess with a certain fascination with the current cast of characters. This is an entertaining book that provides an excellent survey what is happening now. Objectivity is neither desired or expected by me.

Very fair, balanced analysis! A look behind the curtain and each subject was portrayed in a way that showed the good along with the very human sides of the featured u. Brown has a way of simplifying the process of the Monarchy for us in the US. All around an informative and provocative look at a family trying to stay relevant in this new age. Excellent read!

Pros: Ms Brown is not a baker/historian simply selling her research as dry cardboard wares, but a breadMAKER who mixes her ingredients, kneads the mixture, and sometimes whaps it against the table. She even talks to it, and cajoles it into a beautifully baked loaf of prose. Her thorough research is never clumped together; rather, it comprises the base of a conversation that runs through the book. Ms Brown’s turn of phrase is second to none: “Aged fifty-seven, unvarnished, unblushing, un-svelte, she was someone that Diana had never been: the woman whom the Prince of Wales had wanted all along.“ Her take of commentating on the 2011 royal wedding: “The sense that we were part of a big-budget operation the scale of a foreign war weighed heavily on our botoxed brows.” Cons: Though she devotes several pages to the phone hacking scandal 10-15 years back, not once does she mention Piers Morgan’s involvement in the scheme—though she does thank him in the Afterword. While she spends ample time talking about Kate’s route to the alter, she doesn’t talk about the Cambridges’ first years in Wales when William served as a search and rescue pilot. The Queen encouraged them to do this, as her newlywed time in Malta with Phillip were a few of the happiest years of her life. In addition, Brown says nothing about Kate’s pregnancies. She should have, not only because Kate had a horrible time of it, but because during her first pregnancy, a nurse committed suicide after an Australian radio station pranked her into giving information out about Kate. Finally, her coverage of Meghan includes too much venom and not enough objective examination of the facts and of Meghan and Harry’s countless lies. There is so much material to work with, she could have dissected lie after lie after lie, but instead she just spews dislike. I say this as a Not Meghan Fan: she went too far. .

As we all know, Tina Brown writes amusingly. However, readers should be aware that this book, while entertaining, gets some facts quite wrong which could have been corrected with a fairly minimal amount of research. Example: Ms. Brown writes of the "royal tradition" of royal wives giving birth in hospital and presenting their offspring to press and public. It is so far from being a tradition it is risible. Royal babies were always born at home in the presence of the Royal Surgeon until Princess Diana fought tooth and nail to give birth in a proper hospital. Her late Majesty QE II gave birth to all four of her children privately. And I realize the weighing scales at Sandringham thing has become part of the myth since the film Spencer, but the fact is that it is no longer used and has not been used since the days of Edward VII. The noisome object is kept around as a curio, nothing more. In short, Ms. Brown's tabloid roots are showing a bit too much to lend any credibility to this book. Read it for what it is: entertainment rather than history. The entertainment factor is worth 3 stars.

The Queen became the Queen in the year of my birth. This book is offers a clear and comprehensive macro account of the British Royalty during those years, as I lead a completely different life in Canada. As a young child I saw the Queen in Canada, as an adult I once walked by Philip in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, and from university knew some English architects/urbanist as who had face time with Charles in the UK. Megan’s rental house in Toronto was in my previous neighbourhood In other words, we weren’t close. But they did occupy the same world. This extraordinary, long and well written account tells what the Windsors were up to the rest of the time over the past 70 years. It’s long, but it is well worth the read. It combines history, snark and gossip and somehow seems to arrive at what is probably truth.

Someone has to make a book just like this, out of the vestimenta of the royals but the closer people surrounding them as well the unknown details that cast their lives and gossips which eventually yields the greatest of all monarchy’s , no winners no losers but one Queen always de Great, Elizabeth II. Well done Tina and ready for the next “London bridge is down , long live the king”

Her observations about Camilla was fascinating. Camilla likes bling! And how British tabloids work. The Queen’s visit to Ireland. All very interesting.

Pour tous ceux qui s'intéressent à la Cour Britannique et à la famille royale, ce roman historique bien structuré est un régal du début à la fin. Quelques surprises qui ne correspondent pas à ce que colportent les journalistes. Une très bonne lecture, pas lassante, mais captivante

Fast delivery and a book worth reading.