Helen Cathcart

If you're suffering from sleeplessness or trying to take a siesta and you're a royal fan then this is the book for you. It's a royal anthology from a gentler time when royal writers were a little kinder and rather more thoughtful and deferential. From the pen of Helen Cathcart (Harold Albert) this volume contains fascinanting transcriptions of original accounts plus short essays on the various collections held by Queen Elizabeth Il.

There are two important transcriptions: the letters of Queen Victoria's grandmother Duchess Augusta of Saxe-Coburg describing a visit to her English family in 1825 and Queen Victoria's own account of her childhood. The happiness and joy and family affection of the former is interestingly contrasted with the sadness and unhappiness of the Queen's recollections. The former is particularly endearing and valuable even when read in the early hours of the morning. The little future Queen Victoria was described as 'charming ... big and strong as good health itself, friendly and cuddlesome ... agile, poised, graceful in all her movements'.

Other intriguing aspects of this collection include the other Prince Consort, the boy who crept into Buckingham Palace and glimpses of past royal reporting. There are portraits of Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark and her son Prince Philip. And who can resist glimpses of the Queen's collections such as crystal, porcelain, bibelots, dolls (the astonishing France and Marianne) and clocks?

This a cosy, reassuring work from a bygone age but nonetheless enjoyable and informative. As a comment from the front inside flap says 'an enchanting entertainment for all who enjoy reading about royalty of today - and yesterday.'… (plus d'informations)