Valentine Low

Courtiers, by Valentine Low, was a very good book indeed. Mr. Low was, until his recent retirement, the royal correspondent for The Times of London. He is knowledgeable, well-connected, and very careful not to make any claims without sources; this book must have taken years to write.

The book's focus is on the people behind the public perception of the Royal Family. He is not writing about palace cooks, or the mid-level financial advisors, but about the private secretaries, Lords Chamberlain, and media/communications staff. These are the people who advise royal family members, who write with consummate rectitude the media releases put out by the family, and who make the plans that are put in front of their Principal.

There are several chapters covering what happened behind the scenes at the times that the royal family faced change and private disasters, and who took the decisions that were made. Low covers the brouhaha that was Harry and Meghan; the death of Diana, Princess of Wales; the struggle by the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) to have Camilla (now the Queen) accepted by his family and the country.

I'm not giving the book a full five stars simply because there was a chapter that I had to fight my way through because of an overload of unfamiliar names, and because I don't understand the workings of the higher echelons of the British parliamentary system, which rendered the chapter nearly incomprehensible to this Canadian reader.

The book was nicely peppered with anecdotes and sly winks; it was written intelligently, and the author often popped his head into the text with his own recollections and opinions. I liked it very much. The book was written and published before the death of Queen Elizabeth II. it would be terrific if Mr. Low used part of his retirement to add a couple of chapters to Courtiers, or indeed to write an entirely new and up-to-date book that includes the new reign of Charles III.… (meer)

“Being a courtier is like sipping tea. The pot is hot. The fragrance is sweet. The sips delightful. The sugar comforting. The monarch is agreeable and listens deeply. That is the pot. They tell you how they want things and also listen to what the courtier has to say without showing boredom or difficulties in understanding and grasping situations. The fragrance is sweet is the courtier. That means whenever a courtier comes on to help the monarch they must know the cultural aspects of handling different kinds of peop,e. Yet they also must know how to adapt and modify their behavior to fit the circumstances and those that are in the Royal Household. They see and hear but do not speak on everything they see and hear. The sips delightful is the tenure of working for the monarch and the assets you get by working for them no matter how long or short. How do I deal with this person thus and thus without affecting their relationship with their family member(s)? How do I deal with certain issues when they cannot be easily resolved? How do I treat them as a human yet not one that is put on a pedestal as the outside people believe they are? How can I change my principal for the better without letting on that I am doing that? How will my skills be repaid at the end of my tenure?”

“The sugar comforting is at the end of the tenure how the Royal Households treat their courtiers and the benefits that are given to them at the end of their time. I like to think that the courtiers have to be skilled psychologists to think how to deal with people and relationships. Adapt without complaining. Love their job without minding the pay. And always being willing to listen, to counsel, and to help their principals along to greatness or somewhere between great and tolerated.”… (meer)

In the never ending onslaught of books on British royalty this one tries to take a different slant focusing on the seemingly hundreds of advisors and aides to the royal family going back to Queen Victoria up to the present. It appears that Queen Elizabeth was still alive when the book was written. Of course, most of the book focuses on the juicy recent turmoil of the last thirty years. Things kind of line up tradition versus change in the modern world to keep the monarchy relevant. Andew and Meghan get thrown under the bus mostly deserved. For royaly junkies.… (meer)

Courtiers by Valentine Low

Once ensconced in ceremony, they now sit in plain sight, slate gray suits behind the colours of the ruling family. I am, of course, referring to the courtiers: private secretaries, the teams who deal with press relations, and all of the rarely-acknowledged people guiding the throne from behind the scenes.

Valentine Low, a journalist known for his work both at The Times and on television as a royal commentator, dives deep into the history of courtiers and their respective relations with the British monarchy. It is a fascinating look at the time-honoured traditions still in play, and the true influence of those who write the speeches as opposed to those who deliver them. Low investigates how each courtier made their way into the court, and goes over their career highlights and scandals in equal measure. He also offers an intimate peek into recent royal dramas, and offers a (mostly) factual take, sprinkled with his own opinions.

For those unfamiliar with English history, you may miss a lot of references to dramas both old and new. This is a book for those who have a deep appreciation for history, and an interest both in government and the royal family.

Something to note: this book was written before the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Hence, it does not comment on the events of the last few months, but includes events up to the middle of 2022.… (meer)