'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?

Also from the Guardian “[The Prince of Wales] said he had ceased contact with Ball once he was convicted in 2015. “It remains a source of deep personal regret that I was one of many who were deceived over a long period of time about the true nature of Mr Ball’s activities.””

earlier in the same article, to paraphrase, the Bishop seems to have told him he was being set up by an individual with a grudge without giving any details and Prince Charles basically believed him because he was a cleric….

I also don’t understand how in the days before her death when they knew she was so fragile that they didn’t incorporate a visit when they were over from the US?

Either:

They didn’t care or HMQ refused to see them.

Did they ever say why they couldn’t pop in to see their 96 year old frail grandmother?

She had refused all other invitations there when the Queen was alive

How do we know this?

Were they / she ever invited?

Maybe HMQ said only H to visit when alive which he refused as I can’t understand why he didn’t schedule visit his adored 96 year old frail GM when over from the US?

Very good point about ''Loose lips sink ships''.

Absolute trust and zipped lips count for a lot in most friendship groups, but especially so when leaked ''Stories'' could have enormous financial value.

I can’t imagine HMQ would have not invited them all - Meghan and the children too - but there may have been a tactful mass exodus of the rest of the family just before any (non existent) arrival.

I think if they had seen the Queen at any point, Scobie would have tweeted triumphantly about it too, probably afterwards. Seeing HMQ in person was good for the brand Sussex.

I've read the latest instalment now. Very interesting.

@AnnunciataZ VL actually writesCharles "was not always a good judge of who should have his ear". I am cynical and old enough to say that I'm not surprised that over the years, he was close to 3 different men who turned out to be paedophiles. Firstly, because it's a sign of the times. Secondly, because of the positions of power and professions they were in. Frankly it's not really a shock at this point that someone high up in the Church was a paedophile. Thirdly, paedophiles seek protection by having a clock of respectability.

Charles did defend Peter Ball but that was in like 1994 after the bishop had been cautioned but before more allegations came out and he was convicted. Wasn't good of Charles to get involved and hopefully he learnt his lesson. However he was not the only one who defended Peter Ball circa 1994, the clergy did too.

I very much think it is where they have the potential to be unless things change dramatically. They've been gone 2 yearsish, Edward and Wallis were gone decades and matters never really improved at all.

My grandmother (same age as the Duke of Windsor) had no time for either of them, loved and respected George VI. I remember the night they brought Edward's body back from France in 1972, watching it on TV with her. She cried a lot (unusual for her) and said that it used to be different, he was "their Prince" and he was loved. Always stayed with me and I am actually sad to think of Harry ever being in anything like that position.

I know there will be people on to tell us how wonderful their life in Montecito is, etc etc, but on the surface the Windsor's life was full of glamour. It is on him and Meghan though and ultimately I think Charles and William will protect the Crown at all costs, even to the loss of the relationship with Harry. It's their job, they have to, like George VI had to.

I've just read Andrew Lownie's book about the Windsors and the parallels between them and H&M are poignant - not the obvious ones, but the corrosive situation that arises when someone who has been regarded as important suddenly isn't, but can't understand why. Lownie suggests the Duke of Windsor was furious but also baffled that the Royal Family/Govt wouldn't award him a significant political role, without ever realising that he'd done nothing to deserve the role he'd given up, other than being the eldest child of the King. He had no qualifications or experience to hold a real office, and the more the Govt fannied around trying to find him something 'important' but safe to do, the more susceptible he was to influential Nazis playing into that wounded pride and promising him a role he felt befitted his status as a below averagely intelligent, charismatic but mindbogglingly selfish playboy. And all this fuelled by anger that his wife wasn't getting the respect she deserved either. Some of the documents that have been unearthed from 1940 more or less have the DoW promising to come back as a Nazi puppet ruler after the Luftwaffe have flattened London. Pretty grim reading.

Obvs, not saying Harry's a closet Nazi but I suspect some of the flattery/persuasion he's had from Netflix/Sunshine Sachs has been more in their interests than his, longterm. Charles needs to find a way to get Harry back in the fold. He's got so much to offer the family business, and maybe the last few weeks have reframed what the job description actually is.

Absolutely true.
Dying people can feel very vulnerable, {Unsurprisingly} and absolutely don't want to be gawked at by people whom they don't know well, or feel at ease with.
~This can sometimes extend to spouses of adult children~
After the pain caused by the allegations towards the RF, there is little doubt that MM would be wanted at such a poignant and deeply intimate time.

She didn't deserve to be there after being the cause of such division.

A Dying person and their nearest and dearest Do have the final say in who is present at the 'Bedside' so to speak.

It's just incredible to see how it could happen. Most of us have members of our own family who we would trust literally with our life. My brother would always have my back and would support me no matter what. The idea of him meeting someone who changed that relationship (I know relationships have to adapt) to the extent that he couldn't be trusted, and would happily spout off in public about things we'd discussed historically that were private and personal. A shared 30+ years gone. William must be heartbroken - thank God for Kate.

Very good point about ''Loose lips sink ships''.

Absolute trust and zipped lips count for a lot in most friendship groups, but especially so when leaked ''Stories'' could have enormous financial value.

This is allegedly the reason why they weren't invited to the Beckham wedding along with another important reason: because the media spotlight would be on Harry and Meghan. That's bound to be a big factor in what they get invited. They Hollywood and celeb set are massively famous, but Harry being a Prince is a type of infamy that is different.

When Harry and Meghan were/are invited to big events as the Duke and Duchess they are the star guests and are expected to get media attention for the event, which works in the event's favour. Ditto William and Catherine of course. If invited to a showbiz wedding as 'just' Harry and Meghan then they are not the star guests; they'll still get attention but this time it won't necessarily be working in the event hosts' favour. It might not even be a case of feeling overshadowed, the hosts may not want that level of media attention or security issues.

So I can see how the media and SM presence and interest may make celebrities have to think twice about inviting them.

A Dying person and their nearest and dearest Do have the final say in who is present at the 'Bedside' so to speak.

And obviously someone as important as the Queen's death had been meticulously planned for in advance. Apparently, it was just supposed to be Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward, Sophie (because the Queen was very close to her) and William. Harry wasn't supposed to be there at all, but an 11th hour invitation was issued to him (not sure why actually - an olive branch perhaps?). He then said he wanted to bring Meghan (no doubt for his own emotional support), but Charles said 'No, not appropriate'. Harry then apparently argued with Charles for ages, keeping the plane waiting with William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie on board, until it became clear he wasn't going to leave in time to catch it, so it left without him.

I can’t see that Harry will ever be an asset to the RF again. He’s completely unsuited to a public role. However the family need to try and find a way to defuse the growing antagonism and misunderstandings.

Meghan had accused Victoria Beckham of leaking about her, and Harry had spoken to David about it and was told firmly that she was wrong. I doubt their relationship is warm.

Charles needs to find a way to get Harry back in the fold.

He really doesn't.

The Queen is supposed to have issued an invitation for them to visit but they didn’t want to go.

I don't agree Charles should get Harry back in the fold because I don't think the role that Harry would want back if back in the fold is actually feasible. He doesn't want to be tied too much by the strictures of hierarchy and pomp and ceremony but there isn't really a choice about that. It is what it is.

They don’t even bother leaking now - they have the audacity and deluded grandiosity to send their threats out directly “unfiltered” so we can see and hear it ourselves.

I bet MM was squirming when she had to be in the close personal company of the people she had issued that veiled threat to from The Cut interview just days before when they were mourning their mother / grandmother.

It’s easy to throw barbed threats via the internet / press from across the other side of the world…..harder to throw stones up close.

I wonder if there was a requirement for H to have HMQ review his book before he was allowed to visit? The Jubillee visit was likely a calculated decision that not to have them there would create more speculation and shadow.

I don’t think they can be considered an asset to the RF anymore, and while KC may want to be keep them on side, it would be at arms length

Are there any more excerpts from the book coming, does anyone know?

I wonder if VL was able to interview Andrew's courtiers? That'd be a story...

I thought this, no wonder she couldn't wait to fly back because of the "bad vibes"!

Yes, if it's true that Harry kicked off when Charles said that Meghan wouldn't be welcome at Balmoral the day the queen was dying then again that shows a spectacular lack of awareness from Harry. How would you NOT know this wasn't appropriate?!!

This is one where I can actually see Harry’s point of view - it’s likely he’d been invited up to Balmoral by his father because it’s clearly obvious that he will shortly be the son of the King rather than one of the grandchildren of the Queen. But he’s also clearly not on the best of terms with his family, and wants his wife with him as moral support on what’s going to be a tough day all round.

This of course doesn’t mean it’s remotely the right, or sensitive choice to make, but when has that ever stopped anyone from making the wrong choice in any family situation? Maybe they thought that getting Scobie to announce they were both coming meant the family at Balmoral would have no choice but to go along with it as a fait accompli? As we know, however, the family wren’s bothered about it becoming a story, and they backed down.

Obvs, not saying Harry's a closet Nazi but I suspect some of the flattery/persuasion he's had from Netflix/Sunshine Sachs has been more in their interests than his, longterm.

Yes I agree he had his head turned by promises of wealth from MM business manager, agent, lawyer and SS PR who were all present brokering deals which would have meant they all have $$$$$ in their eyes - H&M are just another commodity / asset to maximise

And speaking of books, I wonder if Harry's really was set to be published in Nov/Dec this year, and if so, if it's even possible to delay publication at this point. I imagine the publisher will be having a lot of discussions and hard thinks.

She really did herself no favours with the thinly veiled threats in that podcast!