'Courtiers' by Valentine Low

[RandomPenguinHouse]

Extracts of this were being discussed on a previous thread ('The Times) which just finished.

I'm interested in buying this book, despite never having ever bought any other book about the Royal Family and never having watched The Crown.

I'm interested however in the archaic rituals of the Royal Court and how it works as an employer, and also how the courtiers advise.

Yes the excerpts were focused on Harry and Meghan but presumably that's just for clicks given the relevant timing, and that the book goes well beyond that.

Poignant that in the synopsis for it on The Foyles website it says:

The Queen, after a remarkable 70 years of service, is entering the final seasons of her reign without her husband Philip to guide her. Meanwhile, Charles seeks to define what his future as King will be, with his court wielding ever greater influence as he plans for his imminent accession.

www.foyles.co.uk/witem/biography/courtiers,valentine-low-9781472290908

Anyone else thinking of buying this?

I think that this has been a really interesting thread about the Times excerpts / Courtiers book which has refreshingly not yet got derailed despite a couple of attempts.

I think that where you see “MM bashing” “bitchfest” others see yet more shocking behaviour from H&M as disclosed in the book we are discussing.

What is your opinion @MrsMaxDeWinter on the revelations in the book?

In these Times excerpts linked we are told consistently of horrendous abusive bullying by H&M to their staff - constantly screaming, harassing, demanding, belittling and berating at least 6 staff to tears, shaking and feeling destroyed. Others - v Sr experienced seasoned professionals are characterised as being under huge stress. Many, many other employees left, the palace had to split their households to cope and complaints were made about their despicable behaviour right to the top and an investigation launched.

Their behaviour is appalling to other human beings and would not be tolerated in any other institution or corporate environment.

it shows how made up stuff is on here(maybe it was in Heat lol)

I'm agreeing with IcedPurple about ignoring any derailments here.

Maybe…..or possibly HMQ had stipulations in place that required review of his book ahead of publishing?

I hesitated before sharing it 😂 but I do believe that is the magnetic spell which binds them together and anybody wishing to 'rescue' their boy is going to have to address it, as painful as they may find it. Remember that tree in their front garden joined at the bottom. Well, they could start right there!

what does that mean?

Hi 👋 @Snog, I agree totally and very boring for us lurkers , who are reading.

👍

@Croquewhat tree?

I don’t think it’s that …. her health issues and cancelled engagements had been in the press for months and months unless he just didn’t read about it or believe it?

But he would have seen it with his own eyes at the Jubilee when she had really physically declined and with PP’s death in the recent past it must have been front of mind.

Another reason why it was crazy to get married and drastically alter your life after what was basically an extended holiday romance.

What strikes me about this thread is that women are expected to take any amount of shit and if they are good girls are remain quiet and ‘dignified’ they will be rewarded with our approval. Horrendous.

I am no MM fan but I don’t think any of the Royal women should have to put up with the sort of abuse

@DFOD What do I think of the "revelations" in the book "Courtiers"? I believe that the "revelations" will be swallowed whole and unquestioningly by people like you and other posters here, and will be gleefully received by those like you with confirmation bias against a woman you so evidently loathe.

I do not believe the stories of Tom Bower, Angela Levin, the Colin Campbell woman or indeed Valentine Low about Meghan because the sources they cite are always "anonymous" "palace sources".

I also do not believe them because this is the Royal Family playbook: this is not only a smear campaign, it is a take down. Never explain never complain is simply a cover for backhanded dealings with the media, as we saw with Charles, Diana and, later, with the rehabilitation of Camilla.

I do not believe these revelations because there is nothing in Meghan's life, from university to her working life to make anyone believe she is the sort of person described by Tom Bower, Low, Levin etc. It is striking that her ex-husband has never spoken about her, and her colleagues, including some who were offered money, have nothing but god things to say about her. I'm not saying she's a saint, but there have never been any accusations of anything resembling what the royal Rota accuses her of.

I do not believe any book about Harry and especially Meghan written by any of the Royal Rota, especially from the publications they specially said they would not work with, and that includes the Daily Mail, The Sun, Express, and The Times.They also had the temerity to take on the press, and win. Not once, but several times. And they had the temerity to challenge the incipient racism in the media coverage of Meghan.

Low's book and all the other books are just weapons in the war the media has declared against them. The Daily Mail has a tag for news about Prince Harry and one for news about Meghan Markle but none for William or Kate. I mean come on, the agenda is so transparent you have to be wilfully blind to see it. It is hate for profit pure and simple.

I believe that Meghan and Harry are the subjects of a hit job by the media that has been approved by the palace, in the same way that Diana was before her death. It also helps that writing about Meghan especially is really lucrative, you van only imagine how much Angela, Piers and Wootton get for each hit piece they write.

I am looking forward to reading Harry's own book.

I am sure that those who are fair-minded will agree that if the Royal Rota is able to make money from writing about Harry and his wife, then he should be able to make money by writing about his own life.

I hope that answers your question.

@MrsMaxDeWinter

Why aren’t the famously litigious couple suing ?

What did you think about Finding Freedom? The book was clearly virtually written by Meghan due to its flowery overly wordy style. She admitted to having cooperated with it after initially lying about that.
What did you think about the recent interview she gave to the Cut?
What do you feel about the Oprah interview?
How do you feel about the things Harry has said about his family, and the inferences that the Queen was surrounded by dubious people?

The Royal Rota had nothing to do with all that did it?

And why haven't the individuals named in the book come out to deny the words, opinions and actions attributed to them?

It's certainly not all 'anonymous palace sources' as the above poster suggests.

Exactly.

@Readinginthesun

Because they have probably been advised, as I would advise, that suing would only bring more publicity to the books. Bower for instance has been exposed by his many inaccuracies. No need to sue a man who got so many basic things wrong you can only wonder about the anonymous sources!!

Where they have sued, they have been extremely strategic.

So, MrsMax, if you are happy to discount everything that Tom Bower wrote on the basis of various inaccuracies, would you likewise discount everything in the Opray interview on the basis that there were at least 17 inaccurate or untruthful statements of fact in it?

The fact that VL has so many verified names - staff who worked closely with both Harry and Meghan - does give some credence to his book.

If I was trying to build a brand based on 'compassion in action' and specifically, on mentoring young women, I'd be extremely unhappy about a book which detailed numerous instances of my bullying staff, some of them young women. Even more so if I was known as someone willing to take legal action against the media. These are extremely serious allegations.

Yet Meghan has never taken legal action against Valentine Low, either for this book or for the Sunday Times article last year. Her legal team were given advance notice of the article, but could not get it withdrawn. Nor have the allegations been explicitly denied.

Are you suggesting that Low, a highly experienced and respected journalist, is simply making stuff up?

I wonder if the role of courtier has changed much over the decades.
Does anyone know if there are other books written by earlier courtiers?

I don’t know if they have been ‘strategic’ in their suing - as we all know now that Meghan lies, she lied to the court and had to amend the court record and that she framed the letter to her dad to ‘pull at the heart strings’ so a cynical exercise

I’d hardly consider that a success. I think as she’s lied to the court before, she may struggle to be a credible witness in the future

Is there actually such a job description as 'courtier'?

It sounds a bit archaic. And yes, I know the monarchy is almost by definition archaic but I think most of these people have job titles like 'private secretary' or 'advisor' rather than 'courtier'.

I think this book is totally on another level of credibility as numerous and v experienced and sr professionals with reputations built up globally over decades to maintain (x Ambassadors, x Clinton staff etc) have given tactic approval to the contents by allowing their names to be associated with these claims - why are they not suing?