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Backstairs Billy: The Life of William Tallon, the Queen Mother's Most Devoted Servant
"William Tallon was a creature of though intensely loyal, he was also a dangerous risk-taker; though charming, he could also be vicious; though considerate and amusing, he could be ruthless and predatory. For much of his life he was driven by two a powerful sex drive and an intense, almost pathological love for the Queen Mother…"
From humble beginnings as a shopkeeper's son in Coventry to 'Page of the Backstairs' at Clarence House, William Tallon, or 'Backstairs Billy' as he came to be known, entered royal service at the age of fifteen. Over the next fifty years, he became one of the most notorious and flamboyant characters ever to have graced the royal household - the one servant the Queen Mother just could not do without. While others came and went, he remained by her side, becoming one of her most trusted friends and confidants.
The fascinating life story of the man who spent more than half a century working for one of the world's most elusive institutions, Backstairs Billy provides a rare glimpse of what the royals really get up to behind closed doors…
From humble beginnings as a shopkeeper's son in Coventry to 'Page of the Backstairs' at Clarence House, William Tallon, or 'Backstairs Billy' as he came to be known, entered royal service at the age of fifteen. Over the next fifty years, he became one of the most notorious and flamboyant characters ever to have graced the royal household - the one servant the Queen Mother just could not do without. While others came and went, he remained by her side, becoming one of her most trusted friends and confidants.
The fascinating life story of the man who spent more than half a century working for one of the world's most elusive institutions, Backstairs Billy provides a rare glimpse of what the royals really get up to behind closed doors…
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 6, 2019
We have all heard of Paul Burrell or Princess Diana’s Rock as he would prefer to be called. The obsequious Burrell has pretty much made a fortune from his association with the late Princess of Wales. He’s been on reality shows such as Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. He is a frequent guest on chat shows and he is even much admired by our American cousins for his knowledge of Royal etiquette and tradition.
However, very few of us will have heard of Billy Tallon, who was for over fifty years a servant in the Royal Household and for much of that the personal page and sometime confidant of the Queen Mother. If you can remember the times when the Queen Mother would appear at the gates to Clarence House on her birthday in August, then chances are you have seen Backstairs Billy in his white tie and tailcoat, complete with his medals for long service. William was asked many times and offered a fortune to reveal the secrets of the Royal House of Windsor, but Billy took his secrets to the grave and would never have done anything so crass as betraying those whom he served so loyally, even when the Queen Mother died, and Billy was expelled rather abruptly from his employment and position of privilege.
This was a very easy book to read and contained some fascinating insights into the life of the Queen Mother, who lived very much as though she were still the Queen. Most of her days were spent drinking gin and Dubonnet and entertaining a wealth of guests. The Queen Mother loved dancing and Billy was frequently called upon to partner her. She seemed to have indefatigable energy when socialising. Yet she very much missed her husband who died so young and her evenings were given to eating a simple supper in front of the television. The Queen Mother also had something of a penchant for chocolates and living la dolce vita. Billy lived a somewhat charmed life as her favourite and he and his long-term-partner, Reg, benefited substantially from the finest wine and gifts of trinkets from the Queen Mother including family portraits and paintings as well as unwanted antiques.
The book explains how Billy had always desired to better himself by working in service for the Royal Family. During his youth he would write letters to Buckingham Palace enquiring about vacant situations. His biographer claims that Billy always had an air of being somewhat above his working-class roots in Coventry. Billy began working for the Royals as early as 1951. He served the Queen and at one time the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, but he began working for the Queen Mother in the mid-1950s and stayed with her until her death in 2002. The Queen Mother had assured Billy that he would have a home for life in the grounds of Clarence House. However, this never transpired. Mainly because Billy had upset far too many members of Palace officials. He was immediately sacked and ended his days in the far more modest surroundings of a small flat in Kennington. Billy died in 2007, a mere five years after the Queen Mother.
I enjoyed the royal titbits, many of which were written in a somewhat gossipy manner. However, the book made much of the duality of Billy’s character and focused a little too unnecessarily on his promiscuous, homosexual lifestyle, outside the palace walls. The book dwells on some of the unsavoury incidents described by palace staff, who clearly had an axe to grind. Is it appropriate to judge someone who has died, on their personal life? Surely what happens behind closed doors should remain that way? Billy clearly meant a great deal to the Queen Mother and supported her through the fifty years of her widowhood. He continued to remain friends and be held in high regard by other royals such as Prince Charles and Lord Snowdon. It was also rather churlish that after Billy’s death, Channel 4 made a salacious television documentary focusing on those who had come into conflict with Billy during his lifetime. This seemed even more inappropriate given that Billy was no longer around to defend himself. If we are to judge, then surely the fact that Billy was always the height of discretion is a far greater achievement than petty squabbles in the servants’ quarters and it is perhaps a lesson that the tittle tattlers such as Paul Burrell could do well by learning.
However, very few of us will have heard of Billy Tallon, who was for over fifty years a servant in the Royal Household and for much of that the personal page and sometime confidant of the Queen Mother. If you can remember the times when the Queen Mother would appear at the gates to Clarence House on her birthday in August, then chances are you have seen Backstairs Billy in his white tie and tailcoat, complete with his medals for long service. William was asked many times and offered a fortune to reveal the secrets of the Royal House of Windsor, but Billy took his secrets to the grave and would never have done anything so crass as betraying those whom he served so loyally, even when the Queen Mother died, and Billy was expelled rather abruptly from his employment and position of privilege.
This was a very easy book to read and contained some fascinating insights into the life of the Queen Mother, who lived very much as though she were still the Queen. Most of her days were spent drinking gin and Dubonnet and entertaining a wealth of guests. The Queen Mother loved dancing and Billy was frequently called upon to partner her. She seemed to have indefatigable energy when socialising. Yet she very much missed her husband who died so young and her evenings were given to eating a simple supper in front of the television. The Queen Mother also had something of a penchant for chocolates and living la dolce vita. Billy lived a somewhat charmed life as her favourite and he and his long-term-partner, Reg, benefited substantially from the finest wine and gifts of trinkets from the Queen Mother including family portraits and paintings as well as unwanted antiques.
The book explains how Billy had always desired to better himself by working in service for the Royal Family. During his youth he would write letters to Buckingham Palace enquiring about vacant situations. His biographer claims that Billy always had an air of being somewhat above his working-class roots in Coventry. Billy began working for the Royals as early as 1951. He served the Queen and at one time the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, but he began working for the Queen Mother in the mid-1950s and stayed with her until her death in 2002. The Queen Mother had assured Billy that he would have a home for life in the grounds of Clarence House. However, this never transpired. Mainly because Billy had upset far too many members of Palace officials. He was immediately sacked and ended his days in the far more modest surroundings of a small flat in Kennington. Billy died in 2007, a mere five years after the Queen Mother.
I enjoyed the royal titbits, many of which were written in a somewhat gossipy manner. However, the book made much of the duality of Billy’s character and focused a little too unnecessarily on his promiscuous, homosexual lifestyle, outside the palace walls. The book dwells on some of the unsavoury incidents described by palace staff, who clearly had an axe to grind. Is it appropriate to judge someone who has died, on their personal life? Surely what happens behind closed doors should remain that way? Billy clearly meant a great deal to the Queen Mother and supported her through the fifty years of her widowhood. He continued to remain friends and be held in high regard by other royals such as Prince Charles and Lord Snowdon. It was also rather churlish that after Billy’s death, Channel 4 made a salacious television documentary focusing on those who had come into conflict with Billy during his lifetime. This seemed even more inappropriate given that Billy was no longer around to defend himself. If we are to judge, then surely the fact that Billy was always the height of discretion is a far greater achievement than petty squabbles in the servants’ quarters and it is perhaps a lesson that the tittle tattlers such as Paul Burrell could do well by learning.
June 3, 2022
A tale of an ordinary man with extraordinary dedication to the British Queen Mum. Of course, his ambition to work for the royal family and he was successful there for 52 years. But once his protector died, the enemies he made among the staff and other equerries took their vengeance. He died a rather bitter old man, resenting the fact that he didn't receive the accolades and acknowledgements for his service that he deserved. That's likely correct but his ruthlessness and the arrogant, privileged image he projected antagonized those who could advance and support some awards.
It was a bit repetitious in places. And the petty thievery done by many of the staff (including Tallon) would bolster some of the anti-royal advocates due to the costs involved. Costs that didn't really go to the royals but into the pockets of the staff - and it's not just their wages.
2022-120
It was a bit repetitious in places. And the petty thievery done by many of the staff (including Tallon) would bolster some of the anti-royal advocates due to the costs involved. Costs that didn't really go to the royals but into the pockets of the staff - and it's not just their wages.
2022-120
May 28, 2025
What a load of old tosh.
I can’t believe I read it to the end, either. Repetitive, boring, not even full of gossipy nuggets.
I can’t believe I read it to the end, either. Repetitive, boring, not even full of gossipy nuggets.
August 4, 2015
The life of a servant employed by the British royal family is described in this book.
I had never heard of this individual and have no real interest in the royal family but I found this book hugely interesting, simply for the glimpse it offered into a totally different world. The decline of the man towards the end of the book and the slight repetition were the only things that spoilt my enjoyment.
I had never heard of this individual and have no real interest in the royal family but I found this book hugely interesting, simply for the glimpse it offered into a totally different world. The decline of the man towards the end of the book and the slight repetition were the only things that spoilt my enjoyment.
April 25, 2015
Should have been a Vanity Fair article. Not enough material for a proper book.
June 11, 2016
A quick lightweight read. This book would have benefited from some photos and being edited back to half its length. A few gossipy insights into Royal life, but little substance.
April 16, 2016
I like reading Historical Fiction, because such novels take me back in time when life was much more than just 'mundane' like nowadays. The relationships between characters and their life styles were more complicated than today. An example of such intricate life is the one you would read in this book. But, I believe that what makes this book different from Historical Fiction, is that this book is Historical Fiction LIVE because it writes of a time that we live in, however, nonetheless has that touch of complexity that is seen only in History novels.
Billy is a character in 20th Century who is privileged ( or not) to work for Royals. Despite being born into a middle class family, his life turns out anything but 'middle class'. This book gave me an insight into a life of an 'ordinary' person with 'unordinary' ambition and dedication to work who ends up working half a century for an 'insatiable' Royal -Queen Mother. She parties all the time,jokes with sarcasm and never allows anyone to outspeak her. However, as the book shows, Billy is 'special'. He is the only 'staff' that has the ability to please her and make her happy. Is that good? The fact that Billy gets along with the Queen Mother better than anyone else.
Yes, and no.
The book will show.
Billy is a character in 20th Century who is privileged ( or not) to work for Royals. Despite being born into a middle class family, his life turns out anything but 'middle class'. This book gave me an insight into a life of an 'ordinary' person with 'unordinary' ambition and dedication to work who ends up working half a century for an 'insatiable' Royal -Queen Mother. She parties all the time,jokes with sarcasm and never allows anyone to outspeak her. However, as the book shows, Billy is 'special'. He is the only 'staff' that has the ability to please her and make her happy. Is that good? The fact that Billy gets along with the Queen Mother better than anyone else.
Yes, and no.
The book will show.
December 6, 2022
Not really a three, more like a 2.7. It's not well-written, it's repetitive, and there are no photos. Nor is there really that much good gossip. But, it's an easy read, compulsive like a good trashy magazine article, and not every book you read has to be Moby-Dick. And there's something basically interesting about a bold out gay man working in royal service for fifty years, from the 1950s to the early 2000s. Just on the basis of its value as elementary social history, Quinn's heavily padded bio makes it just barely to the 3 star level.
June 29, 2024
Why do I do this to myself?
I don't know how I missed the fact that this book was not written by William Tallon about his time in service for the Queen Mother. It is actually about his life, by a third party, a writer who padded this book so much it could be used for a pillow!
It's all bad: the book itself, the entitled attitude and immature behavior of Mr.Tallon himself, and the way people in those circles encouraged it all.
Yeck. I have regerts.
I don't know how I missed the fact that this book was not written by William Tallon about his time in service for the Queen Mother. It is actually about his life, by a third party, a writer who padded this book so much it could be used for a pillow!
It's all bad: the book itself, the entitled attitude and immature behavior of Mr.Tallon himself, and the way people in those circles encouraged it all.
Yeck. I have regerts.
July 13, 2019
Really interesting read
Really interesting account of a larger than life character,pity the royal family and establishment treated him so poorly after the queen mums death,he may have been a little difficult at times but he supported her to the end and gave nothing away,well done billy!
Really interesting account of a larger than life character,pity the royal family and establishment treated him so poorly after the queen mums death,he may have been a little difficult at times but he supported her to the end and gave nothing away,well done billy!
June 12, 2022
I recently read THE PALACE PAPERS by Tina Brown and she references William Tallon and some blurbs from this book so I had to get a copy. It is very good but was repetitive with it's information - lots of little tidbits and big reveals on the life of QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER - she lived in a different world and was stuck in an earlier era. Easy enjoyable read.
August 10, 2025
Gossipy, at times almost catty, this sympathetic biography of “Backstairs Billy” weaves the tale of William Tallon, a mainstay of Clarence House and a favorite of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, in all the vanished glory of the “faithful servant” … entertaining …
July 25, 2017
Don't waste your time or money!
Not worth reading . The book was highly repetitious and speculative with very little substance and likely an embarrassment to the Royal Family.
Not worth reading . The book was highly repetitious and speculative with very little substance and likely an embarrassment to the Royal Family.
March 23, 2018
Did not enjoy.....too much repetition.
August 9, 2018
A delightful easy read.
Insight into the Queen Mother and the workings of Clarence House. Much maybe familiar to British readers but I learned alot.
Insight into the Queen Mother and the workings of Clarence House. Much maybe familiar to British readers but I learned alot.
March 22, 2019
Review
Well written although didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. A forgotten type of life of servitude in this day and age
Well written although didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. A forgotten type of life of servitude in this day and age
December 30, 2019
Quite the story of behind the scenes in the Royal Family, yet hubris from a "servant" because of his relationship with the Queen Mum.
September 13, 2020
Dad the way he was treated at the end but he enjoyed his life. Interesting behind the scenes.
December 27, 2020
Very interesting book but very repetitive at times.
September 9, 2021
Absolutely loved this book! I'm an avid reader of royalty books, this is now my firm favourite. What a character and lovely, endearing relationship with the Queen Mother
September 18, 2022
Very poignant.
An exceptionally moving and informative biography looking at the life of William Tallon and his undeniable devotion to the late Queen Mother.
Highly recommended for those interested in a behind the scenes look at the royal family.
An exceptionally moving and informative biography looking at the life of William Tallon and his undeniable devotion to the late Queen Mother.
Highly recommended for those interested in a behind the scenes look at the royal family.
April 1, 2023
royal family should be ashamed
Except for Charles and Tony Armstrong not one helped him any more than they helped the QM as she grew very old. Billy was always there
Shame on them
Except for Charles and Tony Armstrong not one helped him any more than they helped the QM as she grew very old. Billy was always there
Shame on them
January 3, 2025
Superficial, repetitive, and a general waste of time.
April 22, 2025
Enjoyed this. Good editing would have spotted some repetition. Also, the author states that Lord Snowdon was a cousin of The Queen. He was her brother in law.
February 14, 2016
Billy
I must have felt desperate to have picked a book about the Queen Mother's butler. It turned out to be rather interesting, if not really rather odd. Very odd indeed. It is nice to know that my favourite Royal, the Queen Mum had such a jolly life. I draw the line at this book, I will not be reading the book about the Royal Corgies, I'm not that desperate.
I must have felt desperate to have picked a book about the Queen Mother's butler. It turned out to be rather interesting, if not really rather odd. Very odd indeed. It is nice to know that my favourite Royal, the Queen Mum had such a jolly life. I draw the line at this book, I will not be reading the book about the Royal Corgies, I'm not that desperate.
May 30, 2015
I found the facts about the Queen Mother interesting but Billy's early life not so much.
March 7, 2016
Interesting up to a point, but the repetition became tedious. So much left out that could have added more context. Would have been more appropriate as a magazine article than a full blown book.
August 14, 2016
Not as scandalous as you would expect and that is a good thing. Respectful but still juicy and entertaining. I liked it.
March 11, 2022
#5 of 120 books pledged to read during 2018
#29 of 120 books pledged to read during 2022
#29 of 120 books pledged to read during 2022
March 28, 2017
Interesting read if you are curious about the behind the scenes doings at a royal residence. William Tallon could of been a fictional character on Downton Abby, but he was a complicated real life person. His actual life and career are every bit as entertaining as anyone Julian Fellowes could have imagined.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews