Behind Palace Doors - My Service as the Queen Mother's Equerry

I did not thought I would enjoy this book as much as I actually did. I always had the feeling that biographies where boring books about some boring life, but I guess I was wrong. Although, it is true that this book does not talk about the Queen Mother life, but more about what it's like to have lived around around someone as important as she was old. This book helped me realize that no matter who they are, even the most famous and important people in the world, are in the end just people. And also that even if we have responsibilities, we should never forget the little pleasures in life.

I picked this up as a Kindle Daily Deal and it's a light easy read, though inevitably a bit of a eulogy. I met the Queen Mother at a reception in 1973, and, yes, she was and obviously remained very accomplished and polished. This comes through in the book.But hugely expensive. I gather that on her death well over a hundred staff had to be redeployed or paid or pensioned off. Add to this maintenance, catering and travel costs and (for a picnic near Edinburgh, for example) "a whole protection unit......with police cars, Land Rovers, the lot", and a feeling of remarkably expensive luxury comes through. And a lot of elderly, upper class hangers on, gathered round an even more elderly Queen. And everyone so obsessed with form, etiquette and protocol, reminiscent of Anglo-Catholic ritual: style over substance.All this takes place in what the author calls "a fairly sedate place, quite straightforward and quiet". He is modest enough to admit that his job was "not an adrenalin rush by any stretch of the imagination", though it got him a gong (MVO) and promotion to the rank of major at the age of 26. But in fairness although he describes the job as "a comfortable one, quite easy", it obviously demanded a high degree of tact, diplomacy and flexibility and not many people could have done it as well as he did.I had always though that people who had worked for the Royal Family signed secrecy documents, and that a book like this was scrutinised before publication. The author seems reasonably discreet, but I was surprised how forthright he was about Prince Andrew. Also, as a (retired) HR Manager, it rang a bell when I read that Prince Charles's personnel officer had to pick up the pieces after HRH dismissed staff on the spot.Unfortunately towards the end of the book becomes a bit repetitive and platitudinous. We learn, for example, surprise, surprise, that the Queen Mother was not particularly politically correct (yawn). We also get rather a blurred picture of the QM: "you couldn't get more formal", but a few lines later we're told that "she wasn't as formal as the people working below her". And "there was no stuffiness about her". Yet she wouldn't talk racing with a mere secretary, and comes across as steeped in etiquette and protocol.To use the review criteria, this book is "okay". A reasonable bargain for a daily deal.

I would rather have given this book 3 1/2 - it would have been more accurate. Anyway the book was a definite page turner to start with. The Major seemed very fond of the QM but was realistic about her as well. He gave his views on the rest of the royals and seemed very fair. He was pro Prince of Wales and anti Prince Andrew which seemed about right (that opinion based upon what i have seen heard and read) However the Major at times seemed to have a hidden agenda, hence my muted rating. So, yes, read it, it's interesting.

I liked the honesty with which the book appeared to be written. How the Queen Mother was described, warts and all, and I ended up liking her a lot more by the time I had finished reading it than I had before I read it surprisingly.

Glad I read this book as it has given me a better insight I to both the Queen mother and Prince Charles, yet I still don't know who they are but that's ok, I felt the Equity was pro Charles and didn't like the way he spoke about Princess. Diana's death that the feelings were not genuine, yes they were and still are more so than the Queen mother, I felt I really knew Diana & the torment she endured living with her husband who loved another woman their whole married life, that is enough to tip anyone over the edge, but that's another book.

I really enjoyed this book about the Queen Mother. It did paint however, an overly perfect portrait of a very human being.But it is good to read a well written book which carried the reader along. One can always read another view from another writer if one wishes to obtain balance.

What a wonderful book this was to read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. The Queen's mother must have been a very magical person. I will not spoil this review with too much detail except to say she must have been such a delight for anyone who spent much time around her and I think she enriched the Author's life for her being in it.It is well known Charles was her favourite grandchild and I can see why.I smiled and giggled my way through this Book and was sad when I finished it. BUT then a book of 300 odd pages is short for me. I would say I will definitely re-read it again in a few years time.The Queen Mother was an excellent consort for her Husband, the good but reluctant, King George V1. It is a pity and a tragedy their reign was not much longer than it was for many reasons. They made good Royal Monarch and leaders for Britain but also it would have given the current Queen Elizabeth more time as an ordinary country-woman, wife and mother.BUT history did not take that course but I can recommend this book for anyone from History buffs to those with a general interest in Monarchs.