English Royalty Biographies

In March 2008, the public learned the news that Prince Harry had been fighting with British troops in Afghanistan. This amazing book gives the definitive inside story of Prince Harry's brave service and reveals, amongst other breathtaking stories, how the third in line to the throne was operating only 500 yards from enemy positions, calling in air strikes and carrying out surveillance of Taliban fighters in Helmand province.

It was one of the most famous romances of the 20th century - Europe's most eligible bachelor, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and America's most beautiful movie star, the Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, fell in love against the backdrop of the closest thing the modern world has to a magical kingdom, the French Riviera's Principality of Monaco. Grace of Monaco takes listeners beneath the surface glitz and the glamour of Monte Carlo for a never-to-be-forgotten portrait of the House of Grimaldi.

A unique and fascinating look at Victorian society through the remarkable lives of an enlightened and philanthropic aristocratic couple, the marquess and marchioness of Aberdeen, who tried to change the world for the better but paid a heavy price. This is a true tale of love and loss, fortune and misfortune.

The never-before-published diaries of Alathea Fitzalan Howard - who spent her teenaged years living out World War II in Windsor Great Park with her close friends Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth, the future queen of the United Kingdom - provide an extraordinary and intimate look at the British royal family.

This biography evokes the pervasive importance of religion to Queen Victoria's life, but also that life's centrality to the religion of Victorians around the globe. The first comprehensive exploration of Victoria's religiosity, it shows how moments in her life - from her accession to her marriage and her successive bereavements - enlarged how she defined and lived her faith.

Inheritance charts the forgotten life of Mary Grosvenor, born in London during the Great Plague of 1665, and the land that she inherited as a baby. This estate would determine the course of her tragic life. Hollis restores this history of child brides, mad heiresses, religious controversy and shady dealing. The drama culminated in a court case that determined not just the state of Mary’s legacy but the future of London itself. Today, Mary’s inheritance is some of the most valuable real estate in the world; and her family, the Dukes of Westminster.

In this unusually personal document, Queen Liliʻuokalani paints a detailed picture of life in a royal family—something few such figures ever attempt. She shares important memories from her childhood and chronicles her life on the international stage, beginning with her momentous ascension to the throne and ending with her effective overthrow by American businessmen and politicians who had little interest in maintaining Hawaii’s autonomy.

This is the story of the real bodyguard, Lee Sansum, ex-Royal Military Policeman, martial arts champion and expert in close protection. Part of Mohamed and Dodi al-Fayed's protection team, Lee also had to protect the most famous woman in the world, Princess Diana. He formed a close bond with Diana and the young princes, particularly Harry and it was only by a stroke of luck that he was not in the car the night Diana died. That night proved to be the turning point in his own life.

The history of women in medieval Wales before the English conquest of 1282 is one largely shrouded in mystery. This misfortune touches even the most well-known royal woman of the time, Joan of England, the wife of Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd. This first-ever account of Siwan, as she was known to the Welsh, interweaves the details of her life and relationships with a gendered re-assessment of Anglo-Welsh politics by highlighting her involvement in affairs, discussing events in which she may well have been involved but have gone unrecorded and her deployment of royal female agency.

In the heart of North London, beneath the iconic red and white banners, lies a tale of footballing glory, passion, and unwavering commitment. Come on You Gunners!: A Fan’s Brief History of Arsenal Football Club invites you to embark on a captivating journey through the rich and storied history of one of the world's most beloved football clubs. From its humble beginnings on the banks of the Thames, Arsenal FC emerged as a powerhouse in the world of football, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.

In the heart of the Mississippi Delta during the early 20th century, Robert Johnson, a young man born into poverty, discovers solace in the blues, a music born from the suffering of his people. His journey is marked by struggles, addiction, and an unyielding desire for greatness. As he navigates the harsh realities of his time, Robert's passion for the blues drives him to seek legendary musicians, leading to sleepless nights and endless practice.

The beginner's guide to cultivating cannabis in Canada, authored in 2021, offers a detailed exploration of the art and science of cannabis cultivation within the boundaries of Canadian law. From the outset, it emphasizes the crucial importance of adhering to legal requirements and fostering responsible cultivation practices.

In Historic Doubts of the Life and Reign of King Richard III, Walpole defends Richard III against the common belief that he murdered the Princes in the Tower, and many of the other crimes laid at his door by the Tudor dynasty which followed Richard’s defeat at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. In this he has been followed by a number of other writers, including Josephine Tey in her classic 1951 mystery novel The Daughter of Time.

In this impressive volume, Helen Cathcart guides the listener through the public galleries, state apartments, and private rooms of royal abodes, pointing out the historic furniture and bespoke ceramics, the royal portraits, and of course the Old Masters that adorn the tapestried walls. Here is the pencil sketch by Michelangelo, the watercolor by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise, the first edition Lewis Carroll in the Royal Library, and the Faberge Easter eggs, among many other treasures.

Henry VIII is Britain's most notorious monarch, remembered for his six wives and splitting the church in two for the sake of annulling his first marriage. But few know the full story of his tempestuous reign. This captivating biography chronicles Henry VIII's life and times, from his early childhood at Eltham to his dominant role as one of the leading players on the international stage. It includes his love affairs, military campaigns, the scheming and plotting of his courtiers and the way in which sex and politics were sometimes fatally intertwined with the Tudor Court.

Focusing purely on Queen Elizabeth II's relationship with television, this book shows how she was ahead of the game in helping to change the face of British television from the outset of her reign in 1953 when she let the cameras into Westminster Abbey. The queen embraced television at a time when Winston Churchill and her government advisors recommended that she should keep them out--on the grounds that the cameras would destroy her royal mystique--right through the 1950s, which was Britain’s television decade.

This compelling book begins on the 2nd of August 1793, the day Marie Antoinette was torn from her family's arms and escorted from the Temple to the Conciergerie, a thick-walled fortress turned prison. It was also known as the "waiting room for the guillotine" because prisoners only spent a day or two here before their conviction and subsequent execution. The ex-queen surely knew her days were numbered, but she could never have known that two and a half months would pass before she would finally stand trial and be convicted.

Dubbed the "pirate queen" by the Vatican and Spain's Philip II, Elizabeth I was feared and admired by her enemies. Extravagant, whimsical, and hot-tempered, Elizabeth was the epitome of power. Her visionary accomplishments were made possible by her daring merchants, gifted rapscallion adventurers, astronomer philosophers, and her stalwart Privy Council, including Sir William Cecil, Sir Francis Walsingham, and Sir Nicholas Bacon.

This is the Prince Harry you've never heard about before. Published in celebration of his 30th birthday, this is the story behind the tabloid stories. The Prince who has the power to make or break. The maverick Prince, who is brilliant, impetuous, and unpredictable. The Prince who with his unique talents, charm, and bloody-minded determination is changing lives across the world. But the Prince who could, in a moment of madness, bring it all crashing down.

In 1785, a sensational trial began in Paris that would divide the country and captivate Europe. A leading Catholic cardinal and scion of one of the most distinguished families in France stood accused of forging the queen's signature to obtain the most expensive piece of jewelry in Europe: a 2,800-carat diamond necklace. Where were the diamonds? Was the cardinal innocent? Was, for that matter, the queen?