Yes, Ma’am : The Secret Life of Royal Servants – 9781785908460

What reallymakes the royal family tick?It’s aquestion that royal watchers have pondered for as long as the monarchy hasexisted. And who better to ask than the army of servants and staff past andpresent who feed and clothe the royals, organise their days, polish theirshoes, carry the deer and pheasants they shoot and even put the toothpaste ontheir toothbrushes?From medievaltimes, when the Groom of the Stool oversaw the monarch’s lavatorial exploits,and courtiers accompanied the king and queen to bed on their wedding night andmade bawdy remarks until ushered out of the room, below-stairs staff have had aunique insight into the lives of their royal masters. In thislively and colourful history, royal expert Tom Quinn goes behind palace doorsto give a compelling glimpse of Britain’s royals, ancient and modern. Here youwill find the tales of the equerry who threatened to throw Queen Victoria outof her own stables, the junior footman who had to change his name on the ordersof the queen, and the lady in waiting who, with Prince Philip’s mother PrincessAlice, regularly set fire to her rooms at Buckingham Palace. Perhaps mostintriguing of all, we see, through the eyes of serving and recently retiredstaff, how today’s royals live – including how the relationship between Meghanand Harry and William and Kate started with high hopes and descended intobitterness and anger.