The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor: The Truth and the Turmoil

This is a very hard one to rate. I found it very interesting, but very challenging to read. A family with so many troubles and so much privledge and so out of touch. Yet I can see the frustration they must feel. I started the Epilogue the day the Queen died. The book and the timing really challenged my thoughts on the topic of the monarchy.

Tina Brown’s extensive research is evident. She gives a gossipy insight into the cast, & is amusingly clear-sighted, neither sycophantic or having an ax to grind. Fantastic, punchy writing.

I am always fascinated by our Royal Family and love reading about them. In this book there is so much information……is it 100%% correct? Who knows, but it’s gossipy and also interesting to read about their foibles. The book is well written and well researched.

Tina Brown puts on her old gossipy hat from her days as editor of Tatler magazine as well as her knowledge of the British upper c lasses to bring us what is th4e most honest look at the British Royal Family in a long time.
The Windsors have been a dysfunctional family going back to Queen Victoria, but up until the late twentieth century they manages to keep their private lives private. However, with the rise of aggressively intrusive tabloid journalism, social media, and celebrity culture. All pretense of privacy has been abandoned.
Brown, who wrote an excellent book on Princess Diana in 2007, shows in this book that she also has a good understanding of Diana’s children and their spouses and presents them in an honest and even-handed show more way. After reading this book, I would say that I have my doubts of this institution surviving after the current monarch goes to her great reward. And maybe that’s a very good thing. show less

They're all here: Elizabeth, Philip, Charles, Andrew, Diana, Camilla, Harry, William, Meghan, etc. etc.
Lots of detail, and I think lots of research. Lots of gossip and juicy details. A bit hard on some of the characters. But then I have to ask myself, why should I care about some of these people who have done nothing to "earn" their positions except be born or marry into them? Why does the world still have monarchies, anyway?

Tina Brown is a journalist and former editor with ties to the Royal Family. In 2007 she wrote a bestselling book about Princess Diana who was a personal friend. Her new book is about the current people who are part of the royal family. I thought that the first half of the book was all old gossip that had been regurgitated for her new book. It was about Diana and Charles and Camilla, issues with William and Harry growing up and the issues they faced after their mother's death. However, it really gets interesting when she writes about Prince Andrew and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and the behind the scenes issues when American actress Megan Markle starts dating and marries Harry plus their decision to move to the United States. show more

Several reviewers have stated that this book is biased - either towards William and Kate or towards Harry and Megan. I didn't think it was biased at all. She had positive and negative things to say about all of the Fab 4 No one comes out of this book without some dirt flung at them. Overall this is an interesting and well written look at the Royal family and all of its scandals, love affairs and betrayals. show less

This is a great book from which to get information about the Royals and some of their current issues. The author tries to provide a somewhat unbiased representation, however even with that, the Sussexs still come out looking like absolute jerks - there's just no way to paint them in a positive light. The story of Charles and Diana is given a fair review - there was fault on both sides. The Queen would not allow Charles to marry Camilla because she wasn't as "pure" as the Queen wanted - enter Diana with her aristocratic background. If only the Queen forbade Harry to marry TW, there would not be such turmoil that we're seeing now. The book conjectures that maybe she was trying to make up for the mistake she made with Charles - but then we show more wouldn't have William - the Royal who is truly "king material." The book is written in a conversational style and keeps one's attention throughout. Recommend. show less