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The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown
Vanity Fair
Royals correspondent and bestselling author of
William and Harry
and
Kate
explores the remarkable life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, with new chapters to include the last few months of her reign, and the rise of King Charles III.
For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth ruled over an institution and a family. During her lifetime she was constant in her desire to provide a steady presence and to be a trustworthy steward of the British people and the Commonwealth. In the face of her uncle’s abdication, in the uncertainty of the Blitz, and in the tentative exposure of her family and private life to the public via the press, Elizabeth became synonymous with the crown.
But times change. Recent years have brought grief and turmoil to the House of Windsor, and even as England celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, there were calls for a changing of the guard.
In The New Royals, journalist Katie Nicholl provides a nuanced look at Elizabeth’s remarkable and unrivalled reign, with new stories from Palace courtiers and aides, documentarians, and family members. She examines King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla’s decades in waiting and beyond—where “The Firm” is headed as William and Kate present the modern faces of an ancient institution. In the wake of Harry and Meghan leaving the Royal Family and Prince Andrew’s spectacular fall from grace, the royal family must reckon with its history, the light and the dark, in order to chart a course for Britain beyond its Queen and to show that it is an institution capable of leadership in an ever-changing modern world.
For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth ruled over an institution and a family. During her lifetime she was constant in her desire to provide a steady presence and to be a trustworthy steward of the British people and the Commonwealth. In the face of her uncle’s abdication, in the uncertainty of the Blitz, and in the tentative exposure of her family and private life to the public via the press, Elizabeth became synonymous with the crown.
But times change. Recent years have brought grief and turmoil to the House of Windsor, and even as England celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, there were calls for a changing of the guard.
In The New Royals, journalist Katie Nicholl provides a nuanced look at Elizabeth’s remarkable and unrivalled reign, with new stories from Palace courtiers and aides, documentarians, and family members. She examines King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla’s decades in waiting and beyond—where “The Firm” is headed as William and Kate present the modern faces of an ancient institution. In the wake of Harry and Meghan leaving the Royal Family and Prince Andrew’s spectacular fall from grace, the royal family must reckon with its history, the light and the dark, in order to chart a course for Britain beyond its Queen and to show that it is an institution capable of leadership in an ever-changing modern world.
11 pages, Audiobook
First published September 20, 2022
258 people are currently reading
749 people want to read
About the author
Katie Nicholl
7 books47 followersNew York Times best selling author, journalist and broadcaster Katie Nicholl has been writing about the British royal family for nearly two decades. She is Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent and co-host of the podcast Dynasty. She is also a regular contributor to The Mail on Sunday as well as other national newspapers and magazines.
As well as her successful print career Katie also reports on the royal family for the BBC and appears regularly on Good Morning Britain, Sky News and GB News. In the United States she appears regularly on Entertainment Tonight (CBS) and NBC’s Today show and she is CBC Canada’s go-to royal expert.
As well as her successful print career Katie also reports on the royal family for the BBC and appears regularly on Good Morning Britain, Sky News and GB News. In the United States she appears regularly on Entertainment Tonight (CBS) and NBC’s Today show and she is CBC Canada’s go-to royal expert.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 10, 2022
3.5 Stars
This is one of the latest books to come out on The Windsors, having just been published in September 2022. It covers the time period from Queen Elizabeth's birth in 1926 to her recent Platinum Jublilee celebration in June 2022. It does not cover the death of the Queen as she passed away in September 2022. However, the main theme permeating this book was how her lifespan was at a close, with all the ducks in a row to extend the British Monarchy through her heirs- son Prince Charles, grandson William, and great-grandson George. It discussed what her funeral plans would entail (Operation London Bridge), and how King Charles III (and later King William V) would retool the monarchy once they ascended the throne. Quite honestly I didn't learn anything new since I read most everything about The Royals, but this was a good synopsis of The Windsors.
Thank you to my Free Public Library for ordering this book upon my recommendation.
This is one of the latest books to come out on The Windsors, having just been published in September 2022. It covers the time period from Queen Elizabeth's birth in 1926 to her recent Platinum Jublilee celebration in June 2022. It does not cover the death of the Queen as she passed away in September 2022. However, the main theme permeating this book was how her lifespan was at a close, with all the ducks in a row to extend the British Monarchy through her heirs- son Prince Charles, grandson William, and great-grandson George. It discussed what her funeral plans would entail (Operation London Bridge), and how King Charles III (and later King William V) would retool the monarchy once they ascended the throne. Quite honestly I didn't learn anything new since I read most everything about The Royals, but this was a good synopsis of The Windsors.
Thank you to my Free Public Library for ordering this book upon my recommendation.
October 25, 2022
This book is a victim of unfortunate timing in several ways. It was released less than two weeks after the Queen died--the "Future of the Crown" is now actually the Present. Although some of Nicholl's predictions of what would happen after the Queen died have come to pass--Nicholl wrote that the Queen's dearest wish was to die in Balmoral and she did--the funeral itself was so beautiful, if that's an appropriate word for a funeral. It used to be in my grandmother’s time ;) There was such a show of the kind of respect in which she was held, such an outpouring by the British people, I had the feeling as I read Nicholl's imaginings about how people would react to the Queen’s death that she really should have waited to publish her book AFTER the Queen died and then included a chapter on the funeral. If ever Elizabeth's legacy was on display, it was through the funeral.
Which leads me to the other aspect of the timing of her book. Hers is an also-ran in a year of Tom Bower's and Valentine Low's (not to mention Robert Jobson's book on Prince Philip and Angela Levin's book on now-Queen Camilla.) Nicholl’s book was released a few months after Bower's rather sensational book on the Sussexes and reads more low key, her bits of “gossip” are very tame in the light of Bower and, barely two weeks later, Low’s book about the hidden workings of the Palace, "The Courtiers." The latter workings seem to be of the kind that Nicholl, despite being a Royal reporter for a long time, either didn't know about or chose not to include. Nicholl's book was the only one of the lot that I actually purchased (a lapse in concentration on my part.) Had I known about Low's I probably would have purchased it because, although I have followed all of the Royals from the time I was a little girl, Low's perspective of "the courtiers" was one I would have dearly loved to read. I am glad that so much of it has been made available in newspapers because my book allowance has been depleted and my small-town library in rural Arizona fails to see the appeal of the Royals.
The whole problem, for me, with Nicholl's book is that so much of what she writes was already known because the Queen's "legacy" and the "future of the Crown" has already been on display in newspapers, social media and in other books. Her sources are the same sources that supply the daily newspapers and appear as "royal experts" on talk shows. There's really nothing to see in her book unless one is coming to the Royal Family without any pre-knowledge at all. And those people are rare birds indeed these days.
So, more fool me. With all of my steeping in Royal gossip I should have known that this book wouldn't really be my cup of tea. I still give it 3 (well really 2.5 but I rounded it up) stars though because, to be fair, she has written it well, has tried to be neutral as a Royal biographer--although, if she believes that Meghan and Harry are mega stars that the Royal Family have been the worse for losing, she hasn't followed their series (IMO— I stress the IMO having been clobbered by Squaddies on Twitter so that I have deleted my account there) of bloopers over here on the other side of the Atlantic and isn't quite as "neutral" as she pretends to be. She also repeats the same anecdotes several times, which seems to indicate she needed to increase her number of pages; her 260 pages could easily have been 200 but that would be embarrassing for a so-called "biography" in these days of looong books.
Also, another reason for my 2.5 rating, one of her most fulsome run-on sentences in the last ten pages is enough for me to splutter said cup of tea: [referring to a scant three months ago, the Platinum Jubilee] "Britain might have been going through a period of political and economic turmoil, but as the country celebrated the reign of "Elizabeth the Steadfast" and the promise of a younger generation of royals to succeed her, the United Kingdom was the envy of the world." Envy of the world? The revolving door at No. 10 in the past two weeks, inflation far worse than before . . . where's the envy?
Which leads me to the other aspect of the timing of her book. Hers is an also-ran in a year of Tom Bower's and Valentine Low's (not to mention Robert Jobson's book on Prince Philip and Angela Levin's book on now-Queen Camilla.) Nicholl’s book was released a few months after Bower's rather sensational book on the Sussexes and reads more low key, her bits of “gossip” are very tame in the light of Bower and, barely two weeks later, Low’s book about the hidden workings of the Palace, "The Courtiers." The latter workings seem to be of the kind that Nicholl, despite being a Royal reporter for a long time, either didn't know about or chose not to include. Nicholl's book was the only one of the lot that I actually purchased (a lapse in concentration on my part.) Had I known about Low's I probably would have purchased it because, although I have followed all of the Royals from the time I was a little girl, Low's perspective of "the courtiers" was one I would have dearly loved to read. I am glad that so much of it has been made available in newspapers because my book allowance has been depleted and my small-town library in rural Arizona fails to see the appeal of the Royals.
The whole problem, for me, with Nicholl's book is that so much of what she writes was already known because the Queen's "legacy" and the "future of the Crown" has already been on display in newspapers, social media and in other books. Her sources are the same sources that supply the daily newspapers and appear as "royal experts" on talk shows. There's really nothing to see in her book unless one is coming to the Royal Family without any pre-knowledge at all. And those people are rare birds indeed these days.
So, more fool me. With all of my steeping in Royal gossip I should have known that this book wouldn't really be my cup of tea. I still give it 3 (well really 2.5 but I rounded it up) stars though because, to be fair, she has written it well, has tried to be neutral as a Royal biographer--although, if she believes that Meghan and Harry are mega stars that the Royal Family have been the worse for losing, she hasn't followed their series (IMO— I stress the IMO having been clobbered by Squaddies on Twitter so that I have deleted my account there) of bloopers over here on the other side of the Atlantic and isn't quite as "neutral" as she pretends to be. She also repeats the same anecdotes several times, which seems to indicate she needed to increase her number of pages; her 260 pages could easily have been 200 but that would be embarrassing for a so-called "biography" in these days of looong books.
Also, another reason for my 2.5 rating, one of her most fulsome run-on sentences in the last ten pages is enough for me to splutter said cup of tea: [referring to a scant three months ago, the Platinum Jubilee] "Britain might have been going through a period of political and economic turmoil, but as the country celebrated the reign of "Elizabeth the Steadfast" and the promise of a younger generation of royals to succeed her, the United Kingdom was the envy of the world." Envy of the world? The revolving door at No. 10 in the past two weeks, inflation far worse than before . . . where's the envy?
September 20, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest yesterday, nine days after her death at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle. It was reported that she had been at work til two days before her death, meeting with the new Prime Minister, and asking her to form a government in her name. Elizabeth’s death coincides with the publication of a new bio of the Royal Family, “The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown”, by Katie Nicholl.
Katie Nicholl has written a good book, beginning with Elizabeth’s early life and ending with who’s who, first in King Charles’s reign and thenin William’s and George’s. How will Charles continue to “slim down” the Royal Family, as Elizabeth began to do late in her reign? In fact, how will Charles act as a buffer between his mother’s reign and his son’s? Those are just a few of the questions Nicholl tries to answer in her book.
“The New Royals” is good look at Britain’s Royal family. She writes well and doesn’t seem to engage in wild speculation that is found in many of the books written about the RF.
Katie Nicholl has written a good book, beginning with Elizabeth’s early life and ending with who’s who, first in King Charles’s reign and thenin William’s and George’s. How will Charles continue to “slim down” the Royal Family, as Elizabeth began to do late in her reign? In fact, how will Charles act as a buffer between his mother’s reign and his son’s? Those are just a few of the questions Nicholl tries to answer in her book.
“The New Royals” is good look at Britain’s Royal family. She writes well and doesn’t seem to engage in wild speculation that is found in many of the books written about the RF.
December 15, 2022
Unnecessary, uninteresting, expert level gas lighting.
Look this includes no, zip, zero, zilch new info.
It covers the death of the late Queen in theory rather than fact. This was released literal weeks after her death.
I don't know if it was too late to stop publication but this reads as a missed opportunity.
This covers Elizabeth II and her kids.
It barely, briefly and poorly covers the goings on with Harry & Meghan as well as Prince Andrew.
This doesn't have a complete go at Meghan but does ignore known facts, like they weren't asked to take a photo at the Lindo wing. She utterly reduces the racism in the treatment of Meghan and Archie to 'claims of racism' by Meghan and Harry.
Look Archie being compared to a monkey is egregious racism, not some undercover, unscious bias.
The letter read out by MP's (?) that addressed the brutal treatment or the studies done to measure the a full racism which can't be compared and therefore dismissed to any other royal wife or outsider who married into the family.
Like you can disapprove of Meghan and still accurately report her experiences 🤷🏾♀️
Look this includes no, zip, zero, zilch new info.
It covers the death of the late Queen in theory rather than fact. This was released literal weeks after her death.
I don't know if it was too late to stop publication but this reads as a missed opportunity.
This covers Elizabeth II and her kids.
It barely, briefly and poorly covers the goings on with Harry & Meghan as well as Prince Andrew.
This doesn't have a complete go at Meghan but does ignore known facts, like they weren't asked to take a photo at the Lindo wing. She utterly reduces the racism in the treatment of Meghan and Archie to 'claims of racism' by Meghan and Harry.
Look Archie being compared to a monkey is egregious racism, not some undercover, unscious bias.
The letter read out by MP's (?) that addressed the brutal treatment or the studies done to measure the a full racism which can't be compared and therefore dismissed to any other royal wife or outsider who married into the family.
Like you can disapprove of Meghan and still accurately report her experiences 🤷🏾♀️
October 9, 2022
megxit sympathies…boo
A bit too lenient, biased, & optimistic where the Sussex brood were concerned. If this is your first look at the family then I’m sure it’ll be an interesting read. If it’s not your first then consider it a rehashing of everything you’ve already read. This book was quoted in so many recent articles I thought it must contain something new or interesting. I thought wrong, someone’s PR team deserve a bonus bc this book must’ve been pushed hard to be showing up everywhere for literally no reason at all so far as I could tell.
A bit too lenient, biased, & optimistic where the Sussex brood were concerned. If this is your first look at the family then I’m sure it’ll be an interesting read. If it’s not your first then consider it a rehashing of everything you’ve already read. This book was quoted in so many recent articles I thought it must contain something new or interesting. I thought wrong, someone’s PR team deserve a bonus bc this book must’ve been pushed hard to be showing up everywhere for literally no reason at all so far as I could tell.
December 19, 2022
Really wanted to like this book more than I did, because I love royals gossip. It was a pretty stolid, straightforward biography of the royal family, with no major tea - it felt very careful, verging very often on boring. Basically, the Palace Papers does it better.
December 2, 2022
The new Royals was a good book. I was looking forward to reading this one but once I started reading it. It was the same stuff I already knew about.
March 28, 2024
Katie Nicholl is one of my favorite royal reporters and to read her interpretation of the royals over these historically chaotic years was a treat! It took me long to finish it but I blame the chaotic royal news cycle.
I love how Katie shares all the juicy secrets the Daily Mail doesn’t and how she share the true core of Royal News. This family life is about service and she tells that with grace, dignity and all the details.
Also was tearing up at her recollection of QEII 2022 Jubilee!!
I love how Katie shares all the juicy secrets the Daily Mail doesn’t and how she share the true core of Royal News. This family life is about service and she tells that with grace, dignity and all the details.
Also was tearing up at her recollection of QEII 2022 Jubilee!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2022
Superficial view of current monarchy .
I liked the book OK, but I believe the author danced around the damage Harry and Megan attempted to make on the monarchy. I try to avoid anything remotely giving Sussex’s any praise about their manipulative behavior towards the royal family. They hurt Queen Elizabeth II, and made fools of them selves in America and the UK. The future of the monarchy is the Wales, and I would have enjoyed seeing them shown in a better light. Megan and Harry chose to leave the monarchy, why keep including them in everything? The book makes the Sussex’s look successful in the US, they are not!
I liked the book OK, but I believe the author danced around the damage Harry and Megan attempted to make on the monarchy. I try to avoid anything remotely giving Sussex’s any praise about their manipulative behavior towards the royal family. They hurt Queen Elizabeth II, and made fools of them selves in America and the UK. The future of the monarchy is the Wales, and I would have enjoyed seeing them shown in a better light. Megan and Harry chose to leave the monarchy, why keep including them in everything? The book makes the Sussex’s look successful in the US, they are not!
October 13, 2023
I am reading this for my Royals Book Club and I loved it. It is a brief snapshot of the future of the royal family. I cried when the Queen died and I smiled when Charles became King. I did not realize he was the oldest King ever crowned. What a beautiful family with everything they have been through to come out on top is amazing. Camilla went from most hated to Queen. I bow down to her. She is great for Charles, if only they would have been allowed to marry back in the 1970s. (I didn't know the man Camilla married had dated Princess Anne, Charles' sister.) And Harry who? Keep Calm and Carry On.
-"Prince Philip is the only man in the world who treats the Queen simply as another human being."
-Indeed when a friend told Kate she was lucky to be dating the prince, she retorted: "He's lucky to be going out with me!"
-For them (Charles and William) it's not about celebrity or popularity; it's about royalty and sovereignty.
"And I hope I leave things behind a little better than I found them."
-King Charles III
-"Prince Philip is the only man in the world who treats the Queen simply as another human being."
-Indeed when a friend told Kate she was lucky to be dating the prince, she retorted: "He's lucky to be going out with me!"
-For them (Charles and William) it's not about celebrity or popularity; it's about royalty and sovereignty.
"And I hope I leave things behind a little better than I found them."
-King Charles III
October 1, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for people who aren’t avid royals watchers/readers. Not much new here for people who have watched the royals before/beyond the Queen’s funeral, but a good read for more casual followers. Wish Katie Nicholl had read her own book - love her voice on her podcast!
April 22, 2023
Well written and researched though her constant praise and excuses for the Sussexes tended to show her obvious bias towards a couple who many now consider to have acted poorly toward both their families. However, even with that in mind it's still an enjoyable book. She may well have different views now Harry's book has come out.
October 30, 2022
Harry and Meghan Are Given a Pass
Since the author thinks they will play an important role in the future, she should have taken a more questioning look at the present. Harry and Meghan are constantly referred to as "philanthropic" but I don't see them getting involved in anything that doesn't enlarge their bank account. MS Nicholls completely misses out on Megan's professional "victomhood" and Harry's constant whining about the horribly privileged life he has led. For all their talk about abandoning the royal life, they are tenaciously clinging to their royal titles; especially Meghan. The portrayals of
the rest of the royals and the problems they will be facing are insightful and well-done. Charles has the most difficult job coming in after one of the greatest women in Britain's history. Monarchists and Anglophiles will find this a most enjoyable read once they get past the "Ophradizing" of the Sussexes.
the rest of the royal family and the problems they will be facing are insightful and well-done.
Since the author thinks they will play an important role in the future, she should have taken a more questioning look at the present. Harry and Meghan are constantly referred to as "philanthropic" but I don't see them getting involved in anything that doesn't enlarge their bank account. MS Nicholls completely misses out on Megan's professional "victomhood" and Harry's constant whining about the horribly privileged life he has led. For all their talk about abandoning the royal life, they are tenaciously clinging to their royal titles; especially Meghan. The portrayals of
the rest of the royals and the problems they will be facing are insightful and well-done. Charles has the most difficult job coming in after one of the greatest women in Britain's history. Monarchists and Anglophiles will find this a most enjoyable read once they get past the "Ophradizing" of the Sussexes.
the rest of the royal family and the problems they will be facing are insightful and well-done.
November 7, 2022
I am a fan of Katie Nicholl's articles in many publications, so I was inclined to read this book. It wasn't terrible, but most of it was just a lot of rehashed things that I have read or heard in many other sources. The final two chapters were on point-just wish the rest of the book was like that.
July 15, 2024
What got me to open this book was a curiosity about whatever my mother the historian had been constantly prattling on and on ad nauseam about, whenever she was off the phone with her sister or her aunt or what-have-you - the edition I got was not the Audiobook but the correct (Hardcover) edition which has been giving me a certain amount of difficulty to review on this website, possibly more from my lack of foresight more than any problems with the site, so in lieu of that, please observe some thoughts on an edition that at least has the correct picture of the cover available, as well as the correct names, which are the most important aspects to regard here.
Before I read this book, edition notwithstanding, I only knew a bit about Princess Diana and whatever my mother had said - when I was told things about royalty in school, I remember being informed more about the French, probably due to my name. There is a bit more here about the House of Windsor and its upsets. My father told me I would like the Netflix series The Crown but I have not seen it. Instead, I had been repairing a ripped page in this book as neatly as possible with a piece of tape. It was ripped at a spot where it was describing how the Queen had loved when things were going wrong. I did things like that all the time when I was a library volunteer in Exton, and I had considered that if I just left the rip be, the only way it could go would be is in the "worse" direction as other patrons thumbed through this copy, as I expected they should, to refer to the Index and so on, since Nicholl's work warrants a lot of page-turning. Rather than fearing that I would do more damage to the book than good, I just plucked up the courage and did it, since I had repaired similar books maybe five times previously. It seems to be all right now.
So, if you don't like what you've seen on TV about this topic, I don't think that this would sway your opinion, and if you're upset with what they have done, I don't think that it's any kind of a salve, but when I was trying to become better acquainted with all these names and faces, I liked what the author was trying to convey.
Before I read this book, edition notwithstanding, I only knew a bit about Princess Diana and whatever my mother had said - when I was told things about royalty in school, I remember being informed more about the French, probably due to my name. There is a bit more here about the House of Windsor and its upsets. My father told me I would like the Netflix series The Crown but I have not seen it. Instead, I had been repairing a ripped page in this book as neatly as possible with a piece of tape. It was ripped at a spot where it was describing how the Queen had loved when things were going wrong. I did things like that all the time when I was a library volunteer in Exton, and I had considered that if I just left the rip be, the only way it could go would be is in the "worse" direction as other patrons thumbed through this copy, as I expected they should, to refer to the Index and so on, since Nicholl's work warrants a lot of page-turning. Rather than fearing that I would do more damage to the book than good, I just plucked up the courage and did it, since I had repaired similar books maybe five times previously. It seems to be all right now.
So, if you don't like what you've seen on TV about this topic, I don't think that this would sway your opinion, and if you're upset with what they have done, I don't think that it's any kind of a salve, but when I was trying to become better acquainted with all these names and faces, I liked what the author was trying to convey.
October 3, 2022
Some opportunities missed, but also an anecdote for the ages
Ms Nicholl’s (mostly optimistic) narrative moves quickly, but doubles back several times, whether to talk about the unlikelihood (now moot) of William leapfrogging over Charles to the throne, or to examine the dynamics of soft power. While the repetition doesn’t cause the reader to lose the plot, it does become annoying. Overall, the book is a cogent overview, but doesn’t completely fill in the shadows.
The author frankly (and refreshingly) addresses certain points, such as the Cambridges’ awkward tour of the Caribbean this year. Nevertheless, she does pull some punches. For example, Nicholl states that the Sussexes have forgone bestowing the Earl of Dumbarton on Archie because they want a private life for him, and she also discusses the letters patent in 1917 that confer prince and princess titles only on the grandchildren of monarchs. With all that noted, Nicholl fails to address that on the Oprah interview, the Sussexes insinuated that Archie wasn’t made a prince because of his race.
I would rate this book a 3.75 stars, if not for the following tale: “President Donald Trump, who rudely kept the Queen waiting ahead of their meeting and then walked in front of her during an inspection of the Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle. Privately the Queen is said to have described Trump as “an enigma.” Perhaps it explains why, when she posed for an official photograph with President Trump and his wife, Melania, her staff failed to move a dog bowl that was on a plastic mat right by his foot.” 10/10 observation right there. I was able to find the Trump picture online, but it should have been included in the book.
Ms Nicholl’s (mostly optimistic) narrative moves quickly, but doubles back several times, whether to talk about the unlikelihood (now moot) of William leapfrogging over Charles to the throne, or to examine the dynamics of soft power. While the repetition doesn’t cause the reader to lose the plot, it does become annoying. Overall, the book is a cogent overview, but doesn’t completely fill in the shadows.
The author frankly (and refreshingly) addresses certain points, such as the Cambridges’ awkward tour of the Caribbean this year. Nevertheless, she does pull some punches. For example, Nicholl states that the Sussexes have forgone bestowing the Earl of Dumbarton on Archie because they want a private life for him, and she also discusses the letters patent in 1917 that confer prince and princess titles only on the grandchildren of monarchs. With all that noted, Nicholl fails to address that on the Oprah interview, the Sussexes insinuated that Archie wasn’t made a prince because of his race.
I would rate this book a 3.75 stars, if not for the following tale: “President Donald Trump, who rudely kept the Queen waiting ahead of their meeting and then walked in front of her during an inspection of the Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle. Privately the Queen is said to have described Trump as “an enigma.” Perhaps it explains why, when she posed for an official photograph with President Trump and his wife, Melania, her staff failed to move a dog bowl that was on a plastic mat right by his foot.” 10/10 observation right there. I was able to find the Trump picture online, but it should have been included in the book.
October 26, 2022
A snapshot of a moment in royal history in late 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II had celebrated her Platinum Jubilee but her reign had not yet come an end and there was widespread speculation concerning how Prince Charles would be received as king. I enjoyed reading Nicholl's interviews with various royal experts including Anna Whitelock and Ed Owens as well as her conversations with the Queen's late cousin Lady Elizabeth Anson. Nicholl's own experiences covering royal events as a royal commentator were also interesting to read.
The structure of the book, however, is sometimes repetitive and restates well known information and I would have been interested to read more of the author's own analysis of the information that she gathers in her research and interviews. The book would also have benefited from the inclusion of footnotes - even if some of those footnotes simply stated that private information had been communicated to the author - as there are a few passages that appear to contradict one another. For example, she notes that Prince William began an art history degree before switching to geography but later claims that Prince Charles was pleased that his daughter-in-law Catherine was interested in art because his sons did not have any interest in art and culture. I was interested to know the source - or at least the type of source - for Prince Charles's views. An engaging read about the monarchy in late 2022, just before the start of the present reign.
The structure of the book, however, is sometimes repetitive and restates well known information and I would have been interested to read more of the author's own analysis of the information that she gathers in her research and interviews. The book would also have benefited from the inclusion of footnotes - even if some of those footnotes simply stated that private information had been communicated to the author - as there are a few passages that appear to contradict one another. For example, she notes that Prince William began an art history degree before switching to geography but later claims that Prince Charles was pleased that his daughter-in-law Catherine was interested in art because his sons did not have any interest in art and culture. I was interested to know the source - or at least the type of source - for Prince Charles's views. An engaging read about the monarchy in late 2022, just before the start of the present reign.
February 1, 2023
It’s clearly tough for a member of the royal rota to write an unbiased piece, in any form, but it really shows here. Not only does Nichol feed into the narrative that the media has a right (through an unwritten contract) to the lives of these individuals, but she even plays into the tabloid fodder with unnamed sources and headlines. She continues to refer to “Megxit” in the book - as if it’s an official name versus saying what actually happened and why. As a someone who finds all of this interesting, the bias shown toward W&C vs. H&M is palpable. Calling Kate the “Perfect Royal Bride” but then pointing out Meghan was “Duchess Difficult” because she wanted folks to respond and she worked at all hours was an interesting choice. Yet, pages and chapters earlier in the book, it was a positive thing for Charles to be in work-mode all of the time.. the contradictions are endless.
I get frustrated because this is so easy to see through - it’s a puff piece - yet the point is moot. The Queen died and the entire sections about speculation - will they make it all about themselves? Will they cause a scene? Will they dislike Charles and try and put William on the throne? It all happened already! The timing of the book release is unfortunate, but she should’ve had an epilogue that addressed those recent developments since the Queen passed.
2.5 stars for keeping me mildly entertained.
I get frustrated because this is so easy to see through - it’s a puff piece - yet the point is moot. The Queen died and the entire sections about speculation - will they make it all about themselves? Will they cause a scene? Will they dislike Charles and try and put William on the throne? It all happened already! The timing of the book release is unfortunate, but she should’ve had an epilogue that addressed those recent developments since the Queen passed.
2.5 stars for keeping me mildly entertained.
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October 30, 2022Thank you to Hachette for the gifted copy of The New Royals! All opinions in this review are my own.
The New Royals is a great summary for someone who is looking for an introduction to the modern events of the royal family. While the book does start further back at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, it is mainly focused on her children and grandchildren.
Originally, this book was slated to come out in November but was released in September, no doubt due to the death of the queen. Reading this book after her death does not change it's reading as it's very speculative towards the end about Charles's rule. As of right now, there are still many unanswered questions about what kind of king he will be, but this will age the book once he has been king for a few years.
My one complaint was that I was not a huge fan of how the author would insert herself in the narrative at times. Nicholl would often include a sentence stating how she had attended certain events or had covered them. Her few personal sentences didn't add any details to the event being described and it made the book seem biased by doing so.
Read this book if you want an overview of current royal family over the past 30 years or so.
The New Royals is a great summary for someone who is looking for an introduction to the modern events of the royal family. While the book does start further back at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, it is mainly focused on her children and grandchildren.
Originally, this book was slated to come out in November but was released in September, no doubt due to the death of the queen. Reading this book after her death does not change it's reading as it's very speculative towards the end about Charles's rule. As of right now, there are still many unanswered questions about what kind of king he will be, but this will age the book once he has been king for a few years.
My one complaint was that I was not a huge fan of how the author would insert herself in the narrative at times. Nicholl would often include a sentence stating how she had attended certain events or had covered them. Her few personal sentences didn't add any details to the event being described and it made the book seem biased by doing so.
Read this book if you want an overview of current royal family over the past 30 years or so.
December 31, 2022
This book was recently published by Katie Nicholl, a long-time journalist that has covered the royal family. As a royal family aficionado, I feel pretty well versed on the royal family so I was hoping that this book would provide interesting commentary on how the royal family is changing and modernizing.
However, there are a few issues with this.
1. We start the book with a bio on the Queen in the most basic sense. Maybe necessary for the average reader but for me, it felt like a waste. The second chapter gave a recap of Kate and Wills relationship, which again felt like it bogged down the beginning of the book.
2. The author herself is a journalist, and therefore, in my opinion, is biased and part of the beast. This totally shows in her work, which is skewed a bit (specifically against Meghan and Harry)
3. The author quotes The Daily Mail. YIKES. Quoting a tabloid is no bueno.
4. The author blatantly dismisses the racism against Meghan. Again, YIKES. There is no way you can accurately describe the situation and the changing face of the monarchy without acknowledging the racism from the press that affected "Megxit" -- however, the author being part of the press may have something to do with this.
There is no real tea spilled here. You may like this if you truly have no clue what is going on with the monarchy these days, but I honestly wouldn't even recommend this book due to the bias.
However, there are a few issues with this.
1. We start the book with a bio on the Queen in the most basic sense. Maybe necessary for the average reader but for me, it felt like a waste. The second chapter gave a recap of Kate and Wills relationship, which again felt like it bogged down the beginning of the book.
2. The author herself is a journalist, and therefore, in my opinion, is biased and part of the beast. This totally shows in her work, which is skewed a bit (specifically against Meghan and Harry)
3. The author quotes The Daily Mail. YIKES. Quoting a tabloid is no bueno.
4. The author blatantly dismisses the racism against Meghan. Again, YIKES. There is no way you can accurately describe the situation and the changing face of the monarchy without acknowledging the racism from the press that affected "Megxit" -- however, the author being part of the press may have something to do with this.
There is no real tea spilled here. You may like this if you truly have no clue what is going on with the monarchy these days, but I honestly wouldn't even recommend this book due to the bias.
November 6, 2022
Three stars because it's readable but otherwise it doesn't offer anything new. I watched an interview with Katie and she said the Sussexes weren't in the book much which was a lie. The second half of the book talks about how wonderful they are and how popular. From what I've seen and heard they certainly are neither of those things America decided to become a republic centuries ago and don't really give a damn about those two or royalty except a few that are diehard fans. Would've been nice if she didn't keep bringing up the royals who left but that's just me. Otherwise an okay read as I said not much new. It was interesting to see what she predicted when the queen died vs what actually happened since this book came out just after her death but that was the only real interesting part of the book. If you know nothing about the royal family read this but if you follow the royals give this one a pass.
September 27, 2022
Wonderful!!
Really enjoyed this book, a different slant on some other authors. As a global Royal commentator (from what I read in the book) it has a bit more gravitas.
Well written, not sensationalist, got the measure of the Sussexes in a balanced way and doesn't repeat events that we already know. It is reassuring to read that William doesn't look like he will stand any of their money-grabbing celebrity chasing playing the victim card either. Although, I hope King Charles also puts an end to it once and for all and let the chips fall.
Highly recommend a very kind, thoughtful and insightful book. I don't think there's anything there the Queen would have been offended by.
Really enjoyed this book, a different slant on some other authors. As a global Royal commentator (from what I read in the book) it has a bit more gravitas.
Well written, not sensationalist, got the measure of the Sussexes in a balanced way and doesn't repeat events that we already know. It is reassuring to read that William doesn't look like he will stand any of their money-grabbing celebrity chasing playing the victim card either. Although, I hope King Charles also puts an end to it once and for all and let the chips fall.
Highly recommend a very kind, thoughtful and insightful book. I don't think there's anything there the Queen would have been offended by.
September 29, 2022
Good reading.
I liked a lot of the book, but although it wasn't heavy going I did not admire the fact about Meghan's lies were not mentioned at all. Or perhaps she was just being on the fence. I did enjoy it. It's not a heavy tome or indeed heavy writing, it's easy to understand as it's only 12 chapters and goes through 70 years at a cracking pace. Some writers go through the events in more detail. This is a light skimming if you will of the Queen's reign. But she has shown quite correctly I feel (in my opinion) that William is like his grandmother as Charles is like his grandmother. Perhaps that means George will be like Charles. Who knows.
I liked a lot of the book, but although it wasn't heavy going I did not admire the fact about Meghan's lies were not mentioned at all. Or perhaps she was just being on the fence. I did enjoy it. It's not a heavy tome or indeed heavy writing, it's easy to understand as it's only 12 chapters and goes through 70 years at a cracking pace. Some writers go through the events in more detail. This is a light skimming if you will of the Queen's reign. But she has shown quite correctly I feel (in my opinion) that William is like his grandmother as Charles is like his grandmother. Perhaps that means George will be like Charles. Who knows.
March 17, 2023
This was published a month after the Queen died but was finished sometime between the Jubilee in June and her death in September. There was a lot of "this is what might happen when Charles is King" but still felt a bit outdated at times. There was a 2 page spread where it talked about why Harry & Meghan's kids don't have prince/princess titles and how Edward might get the Duke of Edinburgh title but probably not on both...I read that the same week both the kids used the prince/princess titles AND Edward got the DoE title so that felt especially dated. Also, skipped around a lot. I'd be reading about Diana, then the next paragraph would be Kate, then Meghan, then back to the 80s. It felt like it was trying to go in chronological order but then also compare and contrast different women. AND there has been SO MUCH new about the Sussexs since this came out, between their Netflix show and Harry's book. A LOT has changed in the Royal Family since last summer, not all of which could have been expected which just made this feel dated immediately.
March 31, 2023
Extremely biased. I find it unnerving that once again a “royal correspondent” is trying to write about the feelings and attitudes of people she barely knows. If you want to find out what happened or how someone feels about their life, go to the source. This book is full of lies and here-say. But of course we must protect the monarchy by not holding any of them accountable, especially the duke & Duchess of Cambridge. The author states that people called Meghan a few controversial names. Let’s disclose the fullness of it & write that they threatened to kill her and her children after their security was stripped. How they wish she would die in a car crash going through a tunnel in France?!! They called her the B word, the N word and many others. Unbelievable!
September 15, 2023
It’s hard to find a book that is well documented and not given to gossip or innuendo about the Royal Family. Kate Nicholl manages this while being very meticulous in her writing. This was not an explosive tell-all, but a very well written and interesting book on the RF from the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s reign through her death and the changing for the first time in over 70 years to the saying ‘God Save the King’. Not a lot of new material here, but Ms. Nicholls first hand experiences were interesting. Steeped in tradition, service and mystique, the RF navigates being a hereditary monarchy. The tradition and service to the country is beautiful and I do hope it continues. 5 stars ⭐️.
December 19, 2022
This was written while Queen Elizabeth II was still alive, but talks about her future and the transition of the throne which has been very accurate. This also goes into the relationship between the media and royalty. Readers are also offered insight of the decisions such removing Prince Andrew and the Prince Harry from royal life. If you follow the British royal family there really aren't any surprises, but you do have an inside look to the family.
How did this book find me? I was looking for another book and came across this one.
How did this book find me? I was looking for another book and came across this one.
January 4, 2023
As an American, I have always had a curiosity about the Royals. I really didn’t know much about them beyond the Harry/Megan drama and the Princess Diana tragedy. If you’re in my place, you’ll enjoy this book! Lots of inside information about the royal family. I learned about the Diana and Camilla love triangle. I learned the dynamics and role of the royal family. I left the book with a lot of respect for Queen Elizabeth, who led with such strong convictions and a deep faith. Four stars because it was a bit slow and repetitive at times.
September 30, 2024
I picked this up because Katie Nicholl shows up in almost anything I read or watch about this family, so I figured I would find out what she’s all about.
This book was really safe. Sticks to “official” versions of events, regardless of what the facts actually prove. Largely focuses on QEII, and largely has no new information or juicy tea. Very basically covers QEII’s reign, had the misfortune of being published mere weeks after her death. If you’re already familiar with it, this book is a pass. I’m just getting started, apparently, so this was a good starting point to jump off of.
This book was really safe. Sticks to “official” versions of events, regardless of what the facts actually prove. Largely focuses on QEII, and largely has no new information or juicy tea. Very basically covers QEII’s reign, had the misfortune of being published mere weeks after her death. If you’re already familiar with it, this book is a pass. I’m just getting started, apparently, so this was a good starting point to jump off of.
April 9, 2025
My kiddos 'splurged' and got this book for me for Christmas from the bargain bin at Wally World. It's the thought that counts, and honestly, it kept me interested and engaged throughout.
Granted, there was a lot that I already knew - and some that I thought was missing (after reading Spare) - but it was a good overview of the royal family.
I was worried that it would be slanted one way or another - from the perspective of Megxit - but her reporting was quite neutral. I appreciated that.
Granted, there was a lot that I already knew - and some that I thought was missing (after reading Spare) - but it was a good overview of the royal family.
I was worried that it would be slanted one way or another - from the perspective of Megxit - but her reporting was quite neutral. I appreciated that.
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