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Not in Front of the Corgis: Secrets of Life Behind the Royal Curtains
The Windsors are England's most famous family, but what are they really like when they're out of the public gaze? Behind closed doors in every Royal residence, from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House, there are two families - one upstairs and one down - and nobody knows a Royal quite like a Royal servant, intimately acquainted as they are with every quirk, foible and eccentricity. And there are a fair few! This is the inside story of the Royal Family through the eyes of those who know them best, a sneak peek behind the ermine-trimmed curtains to reveal what they really get up to in their spare time. Are they just like us? Or are they are a world apart? Here are the answers to everything we've ever wondered about the which programmes does the Queen watch on TV? What music did the Queen Mother listen to? Who can drive and who can't? What is it like to attend a dinner party thrown by Charles and Camilla? Who are the most popular (and most unpopular!) Royals to work for and why? Not in Front of the Corgis is the real Upstairs Downstairs - a unique and fascinating collection of all the secrets you ever wanted to know about the Royal Family.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
284 people are currently reading
620 people want to read
About the author
Brian Hoey
51 books19 followersBrian Hoey is one of the united Kingdom's best informed royal chroniclers. He has written a wide variety of books on the royal family.
He was one of the BBC's first television newscasters and has been a writer and broadcaster for over 40 years at 2002.
He lives in South Wales with his wife and the couple have three grown-up children.
He was one of the BBC's first television newscasters and has been a writer and broadcaster for over 40 years at 2002.
He lives in South Wales with his wife and the couple have three grown-up children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
March 8, 2020
This is the first book I've read by the author and he's written quite a few, so I didn't really know what to expect. I must say that the blurb is quite misleading as it makes it sound like this is a book purely about gossip on the members of the Royal Family. It's not like that at all.
The book opens with the corgis-how they answer only to the Queen and she does not like anyone to clap them. They are not a friendly beed, having been bred to herd cattle, sheep and horses. This certainly explains their habit of nipping at the heels of humans, something that drives the footmen crazy. They might be nippy and yappy little gits but they are rather cute.
The book then goes on to a bit of Palace gossip concerning why Charles has to have his underwear handwashed instead of being sent to a laundry (frequent thefts!), why Andrew has years of TV recorded ready for him to watch, how Camilla vets the guest list for every function that she attends. It discusses who the staff most like to work for, with Philip, Margaret and Anne coming out on top for how they treated their staff and servants. Margaret once paid the private medical bills for a staff member, Philip defied protocol to personally attend his chauffer's funeral and how all three are loyal to their staff. It talks about how difficult it could be to serve Diana, Andrew and Edward for varying reasons. While the new generation of Royals aren't included, there was a bit about the minor Royals, the Queen's cousins. This whole section is the kind of thing I was interested in but there wasn't really enough of it in the book to keep me happy.
To be honest, it sounds like a dreadful environment to live and work in, and I'm not talking about the actual members of the Royal Family. Everybody seems to want to work their way through the ranks of employment to get closer access to the Royals, which will earn them better qualifications to move to a better paid job in private employment. It seems that the Palace is a hotbed of bitching, backstabbing, jealousy and resentment, and the pay isn't as high as you'd expect. It doesn't sound like the place to make friends. The accomodation with the job is basic though the standard of food sounds better than most staff canteens, and there is potential for career advancement if you do your job well.
Where the book is a bit of a let down is that there is too much detail on things that most readers don't really want to know. It goes i nto detail about each position in the household, their duties, the names of the people who have held that job title, who answers to who, where their offices are, where they eat and live and what their rooms look like. It goes into this detail for pretty much every job in the Palace. It then tells stories of people who once held the job. There were just too many info dumps concerning the servants that wasn't what gossip hunters were looking for. I wanted more about the Royals but to be honest, there wasn't a great deal of focus on them. It was more about the servants and the running of the Palace, which wasn't really what I was looking for.
Bits of the book were interesting but there was too much description on other things that wasn't really necessary. Would I read more by the author? Maybe but I'd check out reviews first in case other blurbs turn out to be misleading.
2.5 stars
The book opens with the corgis-how they answer only to the Queen and she does not like anyone to clap them. They are not a friendly beed, having been bred to herd cattle, sheep and horses. This certainly explains their habit of nipping at the heels of humans, something that drives the footmen crazy. They might be nippy and yappy little gits but they are rather cute.
The book then goes on to a bit of Palace gossip concerning why Charles has to have his underwear handwashed instead of being sent to a laundry (frequent thefts!), why Andrew has years of TV recorded ready for him to watch, how Camilla vets the guest list for every function that she attends. It discusses who the staff most like to work for, with Philip, Margaret and Anne coming out on top for how they treated their staff and servants. Margaret once paid the private medical bills for a staff member, Philip defied protocol to personally attend his chauffer's funeral and how all three are loyal to their staff. It talks about how difficult it could be to serve Diana, Andrew and Edward for varying reasons. While the new generation of Royals aren't included, there was a bit about the minor Royals, the Queen's cousins. This whole section is the kind of thing I was interested in but there wasn't really enough of it in the book to keep me happy.
To be honest, it sounds like a dreadful environment to live and work in, and I'm not talking about the actual members of the Royal Family. Everybody seems to want to work their way through the ranks of employment to get closer access to the Royals, which will earn them better qualifications to move to a better paid job in private employment. It seems that the Palace is a hotbed of bitching, backstabbing, jealousy and resentment, and the pay isn't as high as you'd expect. It doesn't sound like the place to make friends. The accomodation with the job is basic though the standard of food sounds better than most staff canteens, and there is potential for career advancement if you do your job well.
Where the book is a bit of a let down is that there is too much detail on things that most readers don't really want to know. It goes i nto detail about each position in the household, their duties, the names of the people who have held that job title, who answers to who, where their offices are, where they eat and live and what their rooms look like. It goes into this detail for pretty much every job in the Palace. It then tells stories of people who once held the job. There were just too many info dumps concerning the servants that wasn't what gossip hunters were looking for. I wanted more about the Royals but to be honest, there wasn't a great deal of focus on them. It was more about the servants and the running of the Palace, which wasn't really what I was looking for.
Bits of the book were interesting but there was too much description on other things that wasn't really necessary. Would I read more by the author? Maybe but I'd check out reviews first in case other blurbs turn out to be misleading.
2.5 stars
September 20, 2018
If you are looking for dirt dishing on the British Royals don't look here. This is book written by someone who adores the Mountbatten-Windsors. This is a view of the life of the 'downstairs' staff who allow the royals to have everything run smoothly. There are parts that literally bog down with minutia that won't ever show up on the local pub quiz, like salaries and living arrangements of the staff.
I didn't find much new info except if you are in the know you can find some Buckingham Palace staff who will give you a private tour when the Palace isn't open to the public, for £s of course.
A good portion of the book seems to be extracted from an annual report. But I still liked it. Also it dates to right after Will and Kate married. No Megan dirt here.
I didn't find much new info except if you are in the know you can find some Buckingham Palace staff who will give you a private tour when the Palace isn't open to the public, for £s of course.
A good portion of the book seems to be extracted from an annual report. But I still liked it. Also it dates to right after Will and Kate married. No Megan dirt here.
August 23, 2022
This is a somewhat enlightening, discreet coverage of the Royal Family that has three failings:
1) The subtitle: "Secrets of Life Behind the Royal Curtains" would be more appropriately titled "Lifestyle tidbits of the Royal Family in defense of Monarchy, specifically the United Kingdom form".
2) While the author's whimsical, understated, conversational, English style makes for a palatable read, it is somewhat rambling and leaves more questions than answers. He tends to focus on certain facts upon which Republicans (those who want to get rid of the monarchy) harp, particularly the pay rates of everyone involved. Not only will this date the book, but it bogs it down.
3) Though acknowledged to be the current, popular favorites, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are hardly covered. Whether this is due to the inexperience of the couple in royal life, the timing of the publication, or simply that the author doesn't have the access to them that he does with the older royals (particularly Princess Anne), is unknown.
The best passages deal with the particularities of individuals (such as the Queen's corgis or indecisive Charles' regal perfectionism) or specific roles of service (how a valet is trained).
The book's final chapter is a full on defense of monarchy, but even this is more of a personal opinion. The author's rather subjective assertions as to the economies of the Royal model are accurate.
In true English form, when considering this work from someone who has covered the family for decades, what is NOT said is often more significant than what IS said. For example, the text hints at the elephant in "The Firm", but never discusses it. The Queen has managed to run her household and family with an admirable economy. However, Charles expenses exceed hers in every way, and he is STILL waiting for the throne. Why would he cut back to her levels once he becomes King? We all know his expenses are more likely to expand. This fact alone (let along others that are not even touched upon in this book) makes the succession a key factor in whether the house of Windsor will survive the clear loss of experience that is inevitable with the passing of HRH who has held the throne these 60 years.
But the biggest negligence in his discussion of the benefits of monarchy lies in the author's failure to mention the time savings in the English model. This surprised me, as it makes a nice objective argument. The President of the USA has to handle BOTH governance and the honors of state. He is essentially BOTH King and Prime Minister, and does little to promote social service apart from government expansion. But the Queen's household handles all the pomp and circumstance from diplomatic visits to meeting Olympians, and amply promotes private charitable organizations that benefit society. This allows the Prime Minister to actually focus on governing, as he is scheduled in for a few meetings on a diplomat's itinerary, and doesn't even have to bother with Olympians. The Queen and her family have more than proven that there are several full time jobs involved in filling these functions and hundreds of full time jobs involved in keeping the houses, ceremonies, and family of the nation running with the tradition and gravitas of a great kingdom.
There is so much to think about in this great question of United Kingdom society.
How is it that the House of Windsor has maintained internal influence and international branding while the other houses of Europe have faded into the modern background? A comparison would be nice. Is it merely a relic of the British Empire, successfully extended by the transition to a Commonwealth (written by the Queen's father, George VI, and orchestrated during the Queen's tenure)?
What exactly was Prince William speaking of in fearing that Kate would regret this life if she really knew it? What does "this life", this microcosm of culture truly entail? What does it mean to "work as a royal"? There is a lovely children's series "You wouldn't want to be..." for children. A book for adults along the lines of what it actually meant for Kate to marry into "the Firm", would go a long way to explaining the less visible challenges of royalty, and dampening the public (not to mention Republican) obsession with it's benefits. Something along the lines of "Royal Life for Commoners". Perhaps it could also cover a bit of the "downstairs" perspective and explain how all those hundreds of jobs free Royals from the drudgery of life (cleaning, cooking, dressing) to perform this service to the state.
In the end, we have to ask, do the benefits of monarchy (and I think they are tangible benefits which - being the American I am - I would love to see measured!), justify breeding individual people to fill the need for a Royal culture in benefit to the state? Or has our modernity made this an ineffective way to maintain the dignity and governance of the United Kingdom? This is this most ticklish question of all, as I think the risks to the individuals raised in this system (Prince Charles being exhibit A, but also the others) have to be weighed against the clear benefits to the state.
Perhaps Her Majesty, the Queen, will hear of my thoughts and ask me to write "Monarchy verses Republic, specifically the English form". In the meantime, I'm seeking recommendations from you, Goodreads readers on any titles that might cover some of these compelling aspects of the Royal Family.
For a wonderful overview of Queen Elizabeth II's life, reign and times, see
Queen of Our Times, Robert Hardman, 2022
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
1) The subtitle: "Secrets of Life Behind the Royal Curtains" would be more appropriately titled "Lifestyle tidbits of the Royal Family in defense of Monarchy, specifically the United Kingdom form".
2) While the author's whimsical, understated, conversational, English style makes for a palatable read, it is somewhat rambling and leaves more questions than answers. He tends to focus on certain facts upon which Republicans (those who want to get rid of the monarchy) harp, particularly the pay rates of everyone involved. Not only will this date the book, but it bogs it down.
3) Though acknowledged to be the current, popular favorites, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are hardly covered. Whether this is due to the inexperience of the couple in royal life, the timing of the publication, or simply that the author doesn't have the access to them that he does with the older royals (particularly Princess Anne), is unknown.
The best passages deal with the particularities of individuals (such as the Queen's corgis or indecisive Charles' regal perfectionism) or specific roles of service (how a valet is trained).
The book's final chapter is a full on defense of monarchy, but even this is more of a personal opinion. The author's rather subjective assertions as to the economies of the Royal model are accurate.
In true English form, when considering this work from someone who has covered the family for decades, what is NOT said is often more significant than what IS said. For example, the text hints at the elephant in "The Firm", but never discusses it. The Queen has managed to run her household and family with an admirable economy. However, Charles expenses exceed hers in every way, and he is STILL waiting for the throne. Why would he cut back to her levels once he becomes King? We all know his expenses are more likely to expand. This fact alone (let along others that are not even touched upon in this book) makes the succession a key factor in whether the house of Windsor will survive the clear loss of experience that is inevitable with the passing of HRH who has held the throne these 60 years.
But the biggest negligence in his discussion of the benefits of monarchy lies in the author's failure to mention the time savings in the English model. This surprised me, as it makes a nice objective argument. The President of the USA has to handle BOTH governance and the honors of state. He is essentially BOTH King and Prime Minister, and does little to promote social service apart from government expansion. But the Queen's household handles all the pomp and circumstance from diplomatic visits to meeting Olympians, and amply promotes private charitable organizations that benefit society. This allows the Prime Minister to actually focus on governing, as he is scheduled in for a few meetings on a diplomat's itinerary, and doesn't even have to bother with Olympians. The Queen and her family have more than proven that there are several full time jobs involved in filling these functions and hundreds of full time jobs involved in keeping the houses, ceremonies, and family of the nation running with the tradition and gravitas of a great kingdom.
There is so much to think about in this great question of United Kingdom society.
How is it that the House of Windsor has maintained internal influence and international branding while the other houses of Europe have faded into the modern background? A comparison would be nice. Is it merely a relic of the British Empire, successfully extended by the transition to a Commonwealth (written by the Queen's father, George VI, and orchestrated during the Queen's tenure)?
What exactly was Prince William speaking of in fearing that Kate would regret this life if she really knew it? What does "this life", this microcosm of culture truly entail? What does it mean to "work as a royal"? There is a lovely children's series "You wouldn't want to be..." for children. A book for adults along the lines of what it actually meant for Kate to marry into "the Firm", would go a long way to explaining the less visible challenges of royalty, and dampening the public (not to mention Republican) obsession with it's benefits. Something along the lines of "Royal Life for Commoners". Perhaps it could also cover a bit of the "downstairs" perspective and explain how all those hundreds of jobs free Royals from the drudgery of life (cleaning, cooking, dressing) to perform this service to the state.
In the end, we have to ask, do the benefits of monarchy (and I think they are tangible benefits which - being the American I am - I would love to see measured!), justify breeding individual people to fill the need for a Royal culture in benefit to the state? Or has our modernity made this an ineffective way to maintain the dignity and governance of the United Kingdom? This is this most ticklish question of all, as I think the risks to the individuals raised in this system (Prince Charles being exhibit A, but also the others) have to be weighed against the clear benefits to the state.
Perhaps Her Majesty, the Queen, will hear of my thoughts and ask me to write "Monarchy verses Republic, specifically the English form". In the meantime, I'm seeking recommendations from you, Goodreads readers on any titles that might cover some of these compelling aspects of the Royal Family.
For a wonderful overview of Queen Elizabeth II's life, reign and times, see
Queen of Our Times, Robert Hardman, 2022
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 9, 2018
I love a good, gossipy read, but I was so disappointed in this one - the best feature is the picture of the corgi on the cover! I had hoped it would at least be amusing, but, while certainly gossipy, amusing it is not, really. The title comes from the expression used when the queen approaches: if the corgis appear, she is not far behind, so you watch what you say. Details of the "pampered pooches" follow - including the information that they're allowed the run of the place and are not reliably housetrained. Detail after detail also follows about Princes Philip (rude and overbearing), Charles (extremely indecisive and perfectionistic), Andrew (The Bogan Prince), Edward (pompous) and Princess Anne (extremely decisive and down-to-earth).
Some of this stuff is interesting - the Queen Mother's servant William Tallon, a gay man known as Backstairs Billy, was allegedly so devoted to her he said, himself, that he was "in love" with her! He was one of many servants whose entire working lives had been spent with the royal family and who suffered immense loneliness and loss of purpose when the job ended. (Some of these servants committed suicide). Tallon himself was evicted from his living quarters, Gate Lodge, within six weeks after the Queen Mother's death in 2002. Gate Lodge had fallen into disrepair and badly needed refurbishing; Prince Charles found alternative accommodation for the servant, but he missed his old place and his only real job so much it wasn't long before he died.
The main problem I had is mentioned by most of the reviewers of this book: the endless financial details! Who gets what is the sort of information that dates all too quickly and, if it is part of a continuous narrative, it becomes boring and strikes the reader as pointless. Far better to have presented a table of pay scales as an appendix to the book.
For those completely unfamiliar with the running of Buckingham Palace and the other knockout royal residences, this book is probably a good introduction, but it is certainly not an "expose".
Some of this stuff is interesting - the Queen Mother's servant William Tallon, a gay man known as Backstairs Billy, was allegedly so devoted to her he said, himself, that he was "in love" with her! He was one of many servants whose entire working lives had been spent with the royal family and who suffered immense loneliness and loss of purpose when the job ended. (Some of these servants committed suicide). Tallon himself was evicted from his living quarters, Gate Lodge, within six weeks after the Queen Mother's death in 2002. Gate Lodge had fallen into disrepair and badly needed refurbishing; Prince Charles found alternative accommodation for the servant, but he missed his old place and his only real job so much it wasn't long before he died.
The main problem I had is mentioned by most of the reviewers of this book: the endless financial details! Who gets what is the sort of information that dates all too quickly and, if it is part of a continuous narrative, it becomes boring and strikes the reader as pointless. Far better to have presented a table of pay scales as an appendix to the book.
For those completely unfamiliar with the running of Buckingham Palace and the other knockout royal residences, this book is probably a good introduction, but it is certainly not an "expose".
September 11, 2018
I would give this book a 3.5. Brian Hoey gives the readers a inside look what it is like behind the walls of the Royals homes. This book was written in 2011 so it came out just when Prince William and Catherine married. I guess I learned some about the castles and the ways of the Royals lives. He touches briefly on each of the personalities of the royals.{not to revealing though}
I found it interesting to know more about the people who are employed at Buckingham and all the other residents where they are hired. It was amazed at the hundreds of employees what the positions were. Also that the pay is really not that great. but just being able to say they worked for the royals opened up other opportunities for good pay and positions elsewhere. Fun to read and learn a bit more about what it may be like behind those walls.
I found it interesting to know more about the people who are employed at Buckingham and all the other residents where they are hired. It was amazed at the hundreds of employees what the positions were. Also that the pay is really not that great. but just being able to say they worked for the royals opened up other opportunities for good pay and positions elsewhere. Fun to read and learn a bit more about what it may be like behind those walls.
May 7, 2020
An informative, easy book to read. It was full of details that you don't find in other places. I loved that it seemed objective in that it wasn't all sugar coated about the things the Royal family did. He told it like it was. It was written in 2011 and several things have happened since, such as the births of William and Kate's kids and Harry's wedding and baby, so there was quite a bit of "we will see" parts when it came to them, but over all it was concise and telling.
I also loved that there was information on Diana, including her murder, which he also didn't sugar coat, but only a few sentences on Charles's home wrecking sl*t, um, second wife, yeah, that's what I meant to say. Seems the author doesn't much care for the Rottweiler either.
No one was left out and it's a book I will read again, especially as things happen to them over the years, just to refresh my memory for the event.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants an in-depth look at the Royal family but don't recommend it for anyone who wants to believe they can do no wrong. I will be getting other books by this author on other subjects as I really like his seemingly well researched methods and writing style.
I also loved that there was information on Diana, including her murder, which he also didn't sugar coat, but only a few sentences on Charles's home wrecking sl*t, um, second wife, yeah, that's what I meant to say. Seems the author doesn't much care for the Rottweiler either.
No one was left out and it's a book I will read again, especially as things happen to them over the years, just to refresh my memory for the event.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants an in-depth look at the Royal family but don't recommend it for anyone who wants to believe they can do no wrong. I will be getting other books by this author on other subjects as I really like his seemingly well researched methods and writing style.
April 25, 2022
Esta es la consecuencia de comprar un título solo por su portada... En un viaje a Edimburgo, compré este libro pensando que hablaba sobre los corgis de la reina y, como friki confesa de los perros, me pareció imprescindible. Pero no. En realidad, es una investigación bastante a fondo sobre detalles desconocidos de la familia real británica, muy bien hecha y rigurosa (y solo menciona a los corgis un par de veces, pero no voy a llorar por ello). Interesante.
December 6, 2022
Would have liked a bit more about the corgis themselves 😁 but overall this is a good book that gives an overview of the Royals and the people who work behind the scenes.
September 8, 2018
Not in Front of the Corgis
Wasn't sure what to expect but title encouraged me to purchase and read. Well written with the right amount of fact and humour. Interesting titbits revealed and monetary amounts could be put into today's equivalent.
Wasn't sure what to expect but title encouraged me to purchase and read. Well written with the right amount of fact and humour. Interesting titbits revealed and monetary amounts could be put into today's equivalent.
April 1, 2017
I probably picked this book up because the cover is the cutest ever. Also, I like the British monarchy. I've always viewed the Queen as a benevolent artifact to an older, gentler time. I never thought of her as rich, entitled and powerful although clearly she embodies all those things by being the Queen. Silly of me, right? Maybe it's because she looks so much like my mother who was also born in 1926. My mother is definitely not the entitled or powerful sort.
This book quickly made it clear that I knew nothing of the queen. I had no idea all the offices and traditions that the Queen runs. I learned what is expected of valets and footmen and the salaries of each of these positions. There is so much information packed in this book, particularly about salaries that it can get a bit dull.
This book quickly made it clear that I knew nothing of the queen. I had no idea all the offices and traditions that the Queen runs. I learned what is expected of valets and footmen and the salaries of each of these positions. There is so much information packed in this book, particularly about salaries that it can get a bit dull.
March 5, 2012
Interesting .. if you're a nerd like me who likes behind the scenes looks at things. The book could really use a good editor - just some better overall structure of chapters and some structuring of the info in it would be a huge improvement. Occasionally comes across as bitchy. No big REVEALS regarding the Royal Family, but I was interested in all the staff hierarchy as well as the operational logistics of royal life. Kind of the same way I"m interested in the operational logistics of the Duggars.
November 25, 2013
An insider's look at the palace and it's hierarchy. Not a terribly flattering portrait of the royal family who come off like spoiled children. Does Prince Charles really need a staff of 100? Maybe it is time to abolish the monarchy.
April 30, 2016
I picked this from the "pet" section of the LA Library's eBooks so I guess I thought it was going to be a book about corgis. Newp. It's about life at Buckingham Palace. Which I don't care about.
September 7, 2021
The phrase "Not in front of the corgis" comes from the staff. Basically, if they see the corgis, then the likelihood of Her British Majesty being close behind is quite high so its a warning to consider - or reconsider - what is being discussed.
This book is mostly about the employees of the Royal Household - the members, the senior officials, officials and staff - not only employed by the Queen and her family but some notable anecdotes from years past. Published in 2011, some of the information is obviously dated - the salaries, for example, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are recently wed so few suppositions are made about them.
Starting with extensive descriptions of Buckingham Palace itself - or "the House" - it attempts to give some idea of the floor-plan without going into much detail for security reasons. Then there are the various employees. How one addresses those higher or lower on the ladder (first name, surname or a plain sir or madam) as well as receive additional perks to their positions.
*Members are the Lord Chamberlain and the department heads: Private Secretary, Privy Purse, Master of the Household, Comptroller, director of the Royal Collection and Crown Equerry.
*Senior officials are the chief accountants and managers of the departments.
*Officials are the clerks, junior managers and assistants.
*Staff is everyone else - the cooks, cleaners, footmen, mechanics, chauffeurs, gardeners, housemaids and such.
Then there is the Royal family itself and bits about rather . . . finicky quirks that they demand from their valets and dressers. Some are understandable - having a number of different ties in the car when having to make appearances at several locations on the same day. But ironing shoelaces? Really?
Apparently, salaries are not that expansive (not familiar with what an acceptable salary for the various positions in England would be much less a decade ago) but there are various so-called perks that include pension, death benefits, meals, livery provided. In some cases, apartments or cottages are provided as well although a rent is due. And when you consider what renting a flat in London near the palace or having the additional cost of transportation to work, it is more than quite reasonable. And then there is the letter of reference on the Buckingham Palace letterhead. . . .
The really surprising piece was that there are about 1200 staff to keep the English Royal Family and royal residences (and there are 5) in working order and there are approximate 1900 people that work for the U.S. White House. And neither of those numbers include the protective services.
It's a rather fun look behind England's green baize curtain.
2021-184
This book is mostly about the employees of the Royal Household - the members, the senior officials, officials and staff - not only employed by the Queen and her family but some notable anecdotes from years past. Published in 2011, some of the information is obviously dated - the salaries, for example, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are recently wed so few suppositions are made about them.
Starting with extensive descriptions of Buckingham Palace itself - or "the House" - it attempts to give some idea of the floor-plan without going into much detail for security reasons. Then there are the various employees. How one addresses those higher or lower on the ladder (first name, surname or a plain sir or madam) as well as receive additional perks to their positions.
*Members are the Lord Chamberlain and the department heads: Private Secretary, Privy Purse, Master of the Household, Comptroller, director of the Royal Collection and Crown Equerry.
*Senior officials are the chief accountants and managers of the departments.
*Officials are the clerks, junior managers and assistants.
*Staff is everyone else - the cooks, cleaners, footmen, mechanics, chauffeurs, gardeners, housemaids and such.
Then there is the Royal family itself and bits about rather . . . finicky quirks that they demand from their valets and dressers. Some are understandable - having a number of different ties in the car when having to make appearances at several locations on the same day. But ironing shoelaces? Really?
Apparently, salaries are not that expansive (not familiar with what an acceptable salary for the various positions in England would be much less a decade ago) but there are various so-called perks that include pension, death benefits, meals, livery provided. In some cases, apartments or cottages are provided as well although a rent is due. And when you consider what renting a flat in London near the palace or having the additional cost of transportation to work, it is more than quite reasonable. And then there is the letter of reference on the Buckingham Palace letterhead. . . .
The really surprising piece was that there are about 1200 staff to keep the English Royal Family and royal residences (and there are 5) in working order and there are approximate 1900 people that work for the U.S. White House. And neither of those numbers include the protective services.
It's a rather fun look behind England's green baize curtain.
2021-184
November 25, 2021
Having just finished catching up on the latest season of “The Crown”, I thought it might be fun to delve into a book telling more about some of the funny and/or odd (to most of us) ways things are handled in the Queen’s daily life. And it was, for the most part.
I wasn’t looking for a tell all book full of gossip about who is saying what about who, and this wasn’t one (altho from other reviews, I see that was what many expected and wanted). I just wanted to hear more about how the Queen takes care of the dogs herself, and which royals are most "normal", and other little background things like that about life in the palace.
The book is dated now, so newer things aren’t included, of course, but there was plenty here that was just fascinating to me. Things the different staff members do in a normal day, without any question. Valets ironing shoe strings? Someone hanging around to run in and empty an ashtray the moment a certain royal leaves the room, and making sure the matches in the silver matchbox are just so, to avoid having to dig for one? Lots and lots of little things like that, plus the relationships between the different royals and their staff, what they will put up with and what is a firing offense, how clothes are taken care of, and on and on.
There was a little too much (for me) on how much money the royals have each year, especially more distant ones I've never even heard of. Seemed to be pages and pages of that, but otherwise, it was enough of a quick read full of things that make most of us roll our eyes in disbelief. What a life!
I wasn’t looking for a tell all book full of gossip about who is saying what about who, and this wasn’t one (altho from other reviews, I see that was what many expected and wanted). I just wanted to hear more about how the Queen takes care of the dogs herself, and which royals are most "normal", and other little background things like that about life in the palace.
The book is dated now, so newer things aren’t included, of course, but there was plenty here that was just fascinating to me. Things the different staff members do in a normal day, without any question. Valets ironing shoe strings? Someone hanging around to run in and empty an ashtray the moment a certain royal leaves the room, and making sure the matches in the silver matchbox are just so, to avoid having to dig for one? Lots and lots of little things like that, plus the relationships between the different royals and their staff, what they will put up with and what is a firing offense, how clothes are taken care of, and on and on.
There was a little too much (for me) on how much money the royals have each year, especially more distant ones I've never even heard of. Seemed to be pages and pages of that, but otherwise, it was enough of a quick read full of things that make most of us roll our eyes in disbelief. What a life!
April 5, 2018
The writing in this book reminded me of one of those old time, small town society columns in which the local grand dame - maybe the mayor's wife - writes about bridge clubs and garden clubs; the column always ended "and a good time was had by all" only about Buckingham Palace. The writing also reminded me of report fodder, if you were going to write a school report on the royal family, which is highly unlikely. I was not a fan. Yet for some reason, I kept reading (I will admit, I skimmed some). There were some delicious bits at the beginning and again at the end; but this was mostly the lintiest most dustybunniest kind of fluff.
November 3, 2018
Not what the title promised
The first part of the book was interesting, but I had hoped he would have delved deeper into what it was like to work at the palace and for the Royal family.
For this American, and many others, I would guess, the idea and experience of having or being a servant is foreign. What does a footman do? How are they trained? The same goes for butlers, etc.
The end of the book was so focused on money that it lost a star. I did find it interesting to find that some Royals must pay rent on their houses.
The first part of the book was interesting, but I had hoped he would have delved deeper into what it was like to work at the palace and for the Royal family.
For this American, and many others, I would guess, the idea and experience of having or being a servant is foreign. What does a footman do? How are they trained? The same goes for butlers, etc.
The end of the book was so focused on money that it lost a star. I did find it interesting to find that some Royals must pay rent on their houses.
September 19, 2019
A quick read. While sometimes it carries on about things like salaries multiple times and for too many pages, generally the tidbits about the different departments and employee roles that keep the British Royal Family operating is rather interesting. Unfortunately lacking in more info on the royal pets as well as more about the operations of the kitchens outside of some general bits. Worth it as a palate cleanser, but don't expect a spicy tell all. Also, non Brits like myself might need a little googling to place titles and names to faces.
May 8, 2017
There were a number of interesting tidbits about the Royal Family and the 1200 people who support them in this book. It was amusing to find out that even with so many use cases and the weight of tradition, Buckingham Palace runs with a smaller staff than the White House. This one was a quick and fun read. I'd recommend it to any who might have an interest in the "below stairs" goings-on of such a large family and their many holdings.
October 28, 2018
Why Are We so Fascinated
The wealth and rituals are far more extreme than I ever imagined. This is only a book for those intrigued by royalty. The last part lost me because a lot of titles of people I didn't recognize were thrown around, and the titles were unfamiliar to me as well. I just read the queens last corgi died. I wonder if she will get another or does she feel she is too old, which in and of itself is sad.
The wealth and rituals are far more extreme than I ever imagined. This is only a book for those intrigued by royalty. The last part lost me because a lot of titles of people I didn't recognize were thrown around, and the titles were unfamiliar to me as well. I just read the queens last corgi died. I wonder if she will get another or does she feel she is too old, which in and of itself is sad.
September 4, 2017
Hoey has been a commentator on the Royals for the last 30 years + and so has a treasure trove of anecdotes and stories to tell about life in the palaces. This is a friendly and appreciative culling of life of the staff which runs the machinery of the Royal façade. Lots of interesting facts in about the day to day life but no shocking disclosures.
September 20, 2018
I'm always interested in reading about the royals. This was pretty good, though too much written about staff salaries (in 2011), which didn't interest me, and very little about the corgis, about which I don't care much either. There were a few insights into major members of "The Firm," and I did enjoy those parts very much. Prince Charles' valets IRON his shoestrings after each wearing!
October 5, 2018
Amusing account of the Royal Family as pertains to the Royal Corgis and rest of day Household!
As someone who has been fascinated by the Royal Family and Great Britain and has read many serious tomes on many different eras and aspects of the Empire, I find Not in Front of the Corgis delightful and informative. Jolly fun!
As someone who has been fascinated by the Royal Family and Great Britain and has read many serious tomes on many different eras and aspects of the Empire, I find Not in Front of the Corgis delightful and informative. Jolly fun!
October 24, 2018
Quite Interesting
I loved the title of this book and caught on very quickly! The author did a fantastic job of describing what happens upstairs and downstairs among the British Royalty. Quite interesting to see the difference between the the different Royals and how they treat the people who work for them.
I loved the title of this book and caught on very quickly! The author did a fantastic job of describing what happens upstairs and downstairs among the British Royalty. Quite interesting to see the difference between the the different Royals and how they treat the people who work for them.
April 3, 2023
I was a little sad there was no corgi chat for a book with a corgi on the cover and in the title!
I thought this book was fascinating. It details the pay of palace staff and all their jobs. There is even a section that talks about palace finance. That was a little too boring, but ultimately it was an exciting book.
I thought this book was fascinating. It details the pay of palace staff and all their jobs. There is even a section that talks about palace finance. That was a little too boring, but ultimately it was an exciting book.
February 23, 2017
Want to know who earns what? This the book for you.Want to know what each job entails? This is the book for you. It's not a fly on the wall type book and lags in spots. But it does give you a good look on how the royal households are run.
April 12, 2019
A informative and cute book.
Want to know about the royal, this fast read is full of information on the Firm. It gives a good look into the day to day lives of the queen and the royal family.
Want to know about the royal, this fast read is full of information on the Firm. It gives a good look into the day to day lives of the queen and the royal family.
December 27, 2019
Interesting and informative, but not particularly well-written (some information is repeated more than once, which gets tedious) and a little too focused on the financial aspects rather than personalities (or Corgis XD).
June 15, 2020
Not as much about the royals themselves but about their staff. Will make you angry as is typical about everything behind the glossy PR image that the royals give themselves. Bit outdated sadly as was published in 2011 but am forever hoping for a revised edition.
April 7, 2021
An interesting look at the inner workings of the Royal household but way too many details and figures...there is no real “flow” to this book, just a lot of random facts being thrown at the reader. Disappointing and misleading title.
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