'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?

@DFOD

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.

There is a book - "Widowland" by C J Carey with this exact scenario, where the Germans won the war and Britain becomes part of Germany. Highly recommend.

I was meaning the relationship between PW, PH & K before MM came on the scene.

There were lots of photos and initiatives where the 3 of them are all together. I am sure all 3 miss those happier times and wonder how they got to where they are right now.

The KM peacemaker comment was from one of the Times links and refers to life pre MM.

I agree KM face was like thunder on the walkabout - and suggests to me that she has good boundaries and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Again taking one for the team.

I can hardly believe H&M though it was appropriate for M to travel to Balmoral none of the other Grandchildren or GCinLaws travelled.

Controversial but Fergie probably had more right to travel than Meghan.

@IcedPurple I actually wonder if The Cut article was the trigger point for the Sussexes & Sachs' divorce. Because I think SS was still representing them at that point and I wonder if even SS could have the power to get the article taken down at that point. It (the article) certainly reads to me as somewhat disjointed, as if there were a lot of deletions. I think the magazine knew they had a corker but also had to tread carefully.

Maybe not so much having the article 'taken down' but ensuring it never went to print in the first place? Having a rep sit in on the interview so that any 'inappropriate' questions can be blocked? Getting copy approval before going to press? Top firms like SS surely have a variety of means at thier disposal to avoid having their client humiliated in such a way. The Mandela comment alone would have set alarm bells ringing at SS HQ!

Then again, Meghan doesn't seem to be someone who takes kindly to advice, so maybe she ignored their suggestions and that, as you say, may have been the trigger for the 'divorce'? I really don't think SS would want to risk their reputation by being seen to sanction such a mess.

Like the podcasts and OW interview “unfiltered”’ is her marketing slogan for Archetypes.

It seems though that the more you see and hear directly “unfiltered”’ the more unpalatable they really are.

They seem to ‘part ways’ with an awful lot of staff don’t they?

Yes, and why did Omid Scobie announce they were both going? They must have told him.

Lol @IcedPurple I was just actually writing a reply when yours popped up. I was saying that basically, I think the Sussexes are loose cannons and that would have been very difficult for SS.

No one wants to be hampered doing their job and knowing that the results are going to be reflect on you (badly) anyway.

I wonder if the reason why there wasn't a rep sitting in on the interview is because Meghan said it wasn't necessary. After all, she chose the interviewer.

Or to placate MM & PH hissy fit.

Meghan would have been briefing Scobie at Balmoral on every happening . It would have been on Twitter quick smart. So inappropriate.

It crossed my mind that was why Harry wasn't told (apparently) until 5 minutes before the news was generally released.

Otherwise we'd have had HM's death announced to the world by Omid.

Apols for the dribs and drabs explanation but what I was trying to say @IcedPurple is that maybe Meghan/M&H* insisted on doing the interview 'their way' despite SS's advice. It came out and M&H were unhappy, complained, and SS banged their heads against their desks and shouted 'ENOUGH'.

*I'm naming Harry here too because if anything he came off worse in the article to me. He made a dig about his own family. He also sounded... not bright. And the model and mum comment just finished me off.

I remember one of her complaints to Oprah was that when she called her either shortly after, or before her wedding, one of the palace staff insisted on listening in on the call. As usual she saaw this as some sort of constraing on 'her voice' but actually it was for her protection. This showed me that despite what you sometimes hear, she actually didn't have a clue how these things work. When an actress is on TV promoting her film, for example, she'll very likely have a studio rep or her own agent sitting in on the interview. That's to ensure the interview stays on topic and that the actress doesn't accidentally say something she might regret.

But Meghan seems to think she always knows best.

I think that may well have been what happened.

The Sussexes just aren't worth the trouble for big firms like SS. They're relatively small fry in the American celeb world, so no point risking your reputation on their account.

What was the intention - to boast that they were elite enough to have a ringside seat at a death?

Interesting @IcedPurple I don't remember that comment, but then I'm not sure I watched the whole Oprah interview.

That anecdote ties completely in with what VL said in his extract about Harry and Meghan's attitude to the courtiers and press. Harry not wanting William to visit him for a needed 'clear the air' chat because it would require William to tell his private secretary.

OMG I've just remembered Harry going off piste with his Belarus penguins comments too. Was that ever verified as real or fake?

It wouldn’t surprise me if MM actually reviewed and The Cut final draft and thought it was perfect.

She is so deluded, self absorbed and grandiose that she couldn’t see how others would take it.

This is why I don't understand why people keep saying she's intelligent. Any intelligent person would realise how The Cut would come over to the world or the book Finding Freedom or all the claims on the OW interview which were so easy to disprove!

@IcedPurple

I wonder did it come down to money in end

The OW interview had a mostly positive result for them in the US (in contrast to the U.K.) but Oprah was a big suck-up.

So I can see why an ‘unfiltered’ interview with a hand-picked magazine journalist didn’t raise alarm bells. US celeb interviews are usually suck-ups in spades.

The journalist went rogue.

I definitely think MM's intelligent, or has a type of intelligence, even though she doesn't appear self-aware.

I think if you are in a bubble - of your own making or otherwise - and then purposefully keep yourself in your bubble, your perception gets distorted.

And thank goodness the journalist did go rogue. I think the RF would probably like to thank her!

The unfiltered interviews and comments certainly contain sediment, that's for sure.

I think the details from Courtiers about the abuses of staff are very, very telling. What is most compelling is the sheer number of experienced, well liked staff that they managed to get through in such a short period of time.

Which does make it feel like what is being said has to be very close to the truth. The details about how staff were being shouted at and harassed in their own time is truly disgusting.

It makes you wonder if this side of their behaviour is why they haven’t been taken up more widely in LA.