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Reviews
Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor by Valentine Low
caidyn's review
informative
medium-paced
4.0
An interesting read on the people behind the scenes of the royal family. Both ones who successfully guided and didn't. This book definitely takes the anti-Harry and Meghan view, which I don't necessarily agree with at all.
ahomelibrary's review
3.0
If you follow the British Royal Family, you’ve more than got your share of royal news in the last few years. The passing of QEII and Prince Phillip, the warring brothers, the Oprah interview, the popularity of the Netflix series The Crown… there’s plenty out there to dissect and rehash.
Valentine Low, a journalist (he broke the MM bullying accusation story in 2021) and writer on the royal family for quite some time, has crafted this “Courtiers” book to be an exploration of the royal establishment and the relationship between modern day courtiers and the royal family.
Essentially, this book reminds me a bit of Lucy Worsley’s Courtiers, just more modern and way more detailed about people the average everyday person probably doesn’t and will never know — the modern courtiers are the advisors, the doers, the planners, and the higher ups of the establishment workers.
If you’ve ever wondered how it all works, this would be a good place to start. It can help explain how different agendas + aspirations of the members of the royal household interact and challenge each other. It reminds me of different countries and their ambassadors working within a completely foreign system to our everyday life.
Highlights of What You’ll Read ⤵️
Valentine Low, a journalist (he broke the MM bullying accusation story in 2021) and writer on the royal family for quite some time, has crafted this “Courtiers” book to be an exploration of the royal establishment and the relationship between modern day courtiers and the royal family.
Essentially, this book reminds me a bit of Lucy Worsley’s Courtiers, just more modern and way more detailed about people the average everyday person probably doesn’t and will never know — the modern courtiers are the advisors, the doers, the planners, and the higher ups of the establishment workers.
If you’ve ever wondered how it all works, this would be a good place to start. It can help explain how different agendas + aspirations of the members of the royal household interact and challenge each other. It reminds me of different countries and their ambassadors working within a completely foreign system to our everyday life.
Highlights of What You’ll Read ⤵️
onafhankelijkheid's review
medium-paced
1.25
Obvious slant, many racist misogynistic micro aggressions
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Misogyny
cdale8's review
3.0
A bit of a slog, but ultimately an interesting look into how the underbelly of the royal world is filled with staff that put up with what seems to be a pretty annoying/frustrating/life-consuming job.
bonniereads777's review
2.0
Courtiers is a look at the powers behind the royal family. It is written by a member of the media so it portrays the courtiers more favorably than I think is realistic. It appears to also be an attempt to soften the reality of the way Diana was treated, which I don’t think is fair. There is a much more favorable treatment of Charles and Camilla in this book while Harry and Meghan are raked over the coals. I have yet to read a book about Harry and Meghan which is not skewed to one extreme or the other. This book also spends more time on the anti-Harry diatribes than others. I would not look for the truth here.
stephisbooked's review
4.0
I've always been fascinated with the Royal Family and their history so when I saw this one I knew I had to read it. If you've ever watched The Crown, you will be familiar with some of the courtiers named in this. It was interesting to read about the people behind the Royals how much influence and sway they have. I enjoyed the more recent stories the most as I watched many of them play out in the media and through royal tours. While this might be a bit dry for some (no talk of todgers in this one!), I recommend it for royal watchers!
jennc_20's review
slow-paced
2.5
Heavy-handed spin with the view from the Palace vs a more balanced view of a he said/she said in reference to the more recent events of Prince Harry & Megan’s experiences and exit from the royal family.