Everything you ever wanted to know about the royal family told interestingly. (not enough about the corgis :-) ( )

Review: Not in Front of The Corgis by Brian Hoey.

I found this book interesting with some humor. Plus, I did learn two things about Royal Corgis’s and that is only the Queen feeds them (but the top chef cooks all their meals) and they are not potty trained and they often poop throughout the Palace. The book was mainly about obsessively detailed accounts of who does what job and for how much. If you are the type of person who is interested in how extensive an operation Her Majesty has to deal with and be aware of in her role as Queen you will enjoy this book. I myself would have wanted to read more on staff duties yet there was some information how the staff got their positions within the Royal House.

Besides the insights into how the Palace is run Brian Hoey commented on the few attractions, events, and humor that he has embellished over with no means of disgracing the Royal Family. Brian Hoey has been writing about the Royal Family for forty years so one assumes that he has more than a passing interest in, and knowledge of, the subjects he writes about. Such as; the story about Prince Charles underwear is new each day, as the previous day’s undergarments are dropped to the floor, kicked aside and the person in charge of that duty throws them away; the story going around for some time about of the late Princess Margaret dismissing a maid for borrowing and wearing one of her gowns for a night out on the town and rumor has it that this maid did this on other occasions; the story behind the title of this book is that wherever the Corgis’s are the Queen is soon to follow.

The subject of housing for the staff and the Royal Family were described in detail but no photographs to accompany the pages to enhance the reader’s curiosity. The book was a one setting read and informative to some point for me.
( )

blah. i was expecting inclusion of the Corgis themselves or at least domestic details of some kind, but this book spends a lot of boring pages on the hierarchy of the household positions and a lot of gossip about how the royals are as employers. ( )

No one knows more about the Royal Family than their 1,200 staff. They know which royal is most popular below stairs, who the Queen gives her cast-off clothes to, who has his shoelaces ironed, and what goes on behind a trick mirror at Buckingham Palace. Some of the more interesting stories include:

The Prince of Wales has never picked up his own clothes or undressed himself. He has three valets to take care of his clothes. If he has several engagements in one day, his valet places several ties in the car so he can change en route. He likes to wear the tie of the organization or military establishment he is visiting. The record is five changes of tie in one day. A valet’s other duties include ironing the Prince’s shoelaces whenever his shoes are taken off.

Regarded as the most warm and welcoming state room in the palace, the White Drawing Room (actually painted yellow) has a secret ante-chamber. In one corner of the drawing room is a large fixture containing a full-size mirror. During functions a footman is stationed alongside it and at a signal he presses a button and the entire fitment swings open to reveal the Royal Family, who have been waiting in the Royal Closet, a small drawing room hidden behind the mirror, having their own per-function drinks.

William Tallon, page of the backstairs for the late queen mother, and his lifelong friend Reg Wilcock, page of the presence, were openly gay. The queen mother, like most of the royal family, was relaxed about their relationship. Rumor has it that on one occasion, her majesty was waiting for her usual gin and Dubonnet, when she heard sounds of a loud argument coming from the page’s pantry. Finally losing her patience she shouted, “When you two old queens have quite finished, this old Queen would like her cocktail.” After Tallon’s death, a handwritten note from the queen mother asking him to pack two bottles of Dubonnet and gin for a picnic fetched £16,000.

This is an interesting behind the scenes, gossipy look at what goes on in the Royal Household. There's really not lots about the corgis, much to my disappointment. ( )

cute, but not really about the secret life, and not really about the corgis LOL.

This book gives interesting information about the palace, people who work there, old customs, and some stories.

If you're looking for gossip you're going to be disappointed. If you want to know about the rooms, the layout, who does what, the ranking of the staff and stuff like that, you are in for a treat. ( )