I used this as a research tool on a fiction project. To say that reading this was overkill for the project at hand is praise for the book's attention to fascinating detail and an indictment of my own tendency to procrastinate. If the monarchy irritates you in specific or general, this book does it no favors. Rather than humanizing history's rich and powerful, this book highlights the absurdity of them having the privileges of rank when they are ordinary people in virtually every way (except in recognizing they're ordinary people and their servants are their equals). A useful title in that it fills in things we want to know about history but are generally, incorrectly, told don't matter.

This was a well researched and insightful look into royal households and the roles the support staff played.

This sounded really interesting as it was looking at the daily lives of the royals but this was not interesting in the least. I found it to be dry and a bit dull and the text felt like it had the life sucked from it. I wish it had been more interesting as the premise was everything I like.

Richly detailed history of the royal household from the Tudors to the present, with Tinniswood picking out the bizarre and elaborate rituals that persist and get things done behind the scenes, like Queen Victoria's dinner orchestra, the dressers, grooms of the stole (stool, literally), drivers, bodyguards, cooks and nannies. Assembled from primary sources, this is a look behind the curtain over the centuries.

This was full of interesting anecdotes and accounts of royal rivalries. For example, I liked the one

about Prince Charles having his servants line up several boiled eggs so that he could choose between them! The royal rivalries include stories about the King Georges and their dreadful relationships with their sons.



I found, however, that I could only read a little of this book at a time. There was just too much information, so I didn't finish it. It is a good read for lovers of royal history.



I received this free ebook from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Behind the Throne by Adrian Tinniswood gives the reader a glimpse into the massive world of “employees” or courtiers holding up the working sides of the royal household. Beginning with Queen Elizabeth I to the present day Queen Elizabeth, this book details how the needs and wants of the ruling families have been helped and sometimes hindered. I loved the anecdotal style of this book. It has interesting “behind the scenes” stories that help to bring the history alive.
Thank you to Basic Books and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lol! I've heard many of these tales before! So funny! The Royals put on a show, but behind the scenes, they are just like the rest of us with the same issues! Our presidents have the same problems, too! I guess all leaders have skeletons, black sheep, and who knows what in their family closets! But it is fun to peek behind the curtain and see how the rest of the castle gets along and plays it's part! Too much time is actually spent on the Royals, IMO. Fun read!

With a lot of books about Royal History, you really only get to see one side of the operations, that of the Royalty themselves. I liked this book because it shows what it was like to be the Royalty, the lowest man on the totem pole and everything in between. This is a carefully researched and interesting look at daily life and operations in the Royal household. The author does not hold back on the truths she has uncovered in her research and it made for a thoroughly interesting read.

As an author, I am always on the lookout for books that can add the fine details every writer needs when wanting to make their historical works authentic and books like this are wonderful for just such a purpose. I would recommend this book to general readers, but also to other authors, artists or any historian of the age. I was impressed.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Behind every king or queen there is the fool, the cook, the darning woman, the maid, the overseer of the toilet and so on. This book covers most of the staff that keep the kings and queens in good shape. One wonders how much influence these folks had over the households of these all-powerful monarchs. This book gives the answer in 500 years of monarchic history!

Adrian Tinniswood's Behind the Throne explores the lives of English royalty from Queen Elizabeth I to Queen Elizabeth II through the eyes of those who served them. In a light, conversational style of writing, Tinniswood examines how costly Elizabeth I's 'visiting' her nobility was and the incredible lengths nobles needed to go in order to house and entertain her- not only in a way fit for royalty, but also in a way fit to recommend them to Elizabeth the next time she had a gift to bestow. It is hard to imagine the number of residences that have come and gone during this time period, and what one royal thought of as the best of all houses the next might hate and ignore.

Much of the book looks at the inevitable balancing act of how a king (or queen) should be seen to live like royalty, while at the same time trying (or not) to keep in some kind of budget. Throne has an uneven amount of behind the scenes stories to tell, and often instead of newly discovered research into the daily life of English royalty and those who serve them, we read the same stories we've heard in any history. While I didn't learn anything new about the Prince Regent (George IV)'s living habits, there were many good glimpses behind how Elizabeth I and King James I lived. George V and the more modern royals become more known and accessible and we see the harbingers of the modern day paparazzi and the new balancing act between private lives and what the public wants to know.

From what has changed to what hasn't, Behind the Throne gives an entertaining, and highly readable, account of 500 years of history and the lives of English royalty and those who surround them. A good read for history lovers and those who think they don't like history, but always enjoy a good bit of royal gossip.

A great book with interesting information and a writing style that keeps thing flowing smoothly with no boredom. Loved the book!!

I love reading about more ordinary people in history and this definitely piqued that interest in me. Well written and researched and a pleasure to read.

Behind the Throne: A Domestic History of the British Royal Household takes a look at the workings of the royal household, above and below stairs. We begin with Queen Elizabeth I and end with the second Elizabeth 500 years later. I enjoyed the first parts of the book but as it also focusses heavily on the timeline and major events, which most will be familiar with, it can become rather repetitive. It became less and less about the workings of the households and more about the Kings and Queens involved. Despite this, you can certainly tell that a lot of research has gone into this and I cannot deny that the writing style is quite good.

This book was extremely interesting. As an American, I had no idea what it took and still takes to run the monarchy behind the scenes, or in this case, behind the throne.

I have such respect for those that have devoted their life to their country to serve as the sovereign because it can't be easy to have so many people around you all the time, to help you dress and, like Henry VIII, someone to watch you go to the bathroom. 3.7 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed this book on Netgalley. #netgalley #behindthethrone

I will post this review on Amazon once it is released.

A well-researched and interesting look at the way the royal 'household' has evolved from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II. This is a lot of ground to cover, but Tinniswood manages well - it's fascinating how much continuity there is across the centuries, as well as change, and how many archaic positions have evolved or hungover into the present. This isn't at all dry - there's plenty of primary sources and anecdotes for every era and point; it's too much a history to be a true gossipy below the stairs romp, but it's extremely lively history. I particularly adored one of Elizabeth I's men losing all patinece with her constantly chattering ladies of the household and getting them to go to bed by storming into their chamber in his nightshirt and spectacles and reading Italian pornography to them. Delightful.

Enjoyable non-fiction about royal retainers. Definitely worth the read if you enjoy this sort of thing.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC ebook to review.

I love this book.
It's written in a style that's easy to read and the anecdotes add humor to the subject.
Most of the historical books are focused on the kings and queens, if they're not then it's about everyday life. But what about the servants? Those often nameless people who have to contend with the mad, bad and sad kings and queens?
This book tells fascinating anecdotes about servants (and their masters) from Elizabeth I and is an enthralling read that I would recommend to anyone.

I would like to thank Perseus Books, Basic Books and Netgalley for issuing me with the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I read Adrian Tinniswood's book on the Verney family and since that moment I have become a great fan of the Author. And his latest book does not disappoint readers who are interested in history and who have already gained some knowledge but would like to learn something about the details which are usually, but not always, left behind in the context of battles, fights for the crown and other historic developments. Adrian Tinniswood's takes a magnifying glass and looks for details which may not have influenced the history, but which definitely played part in the lives of the rulers of Great Britain. The reader is given the opportunity to gain access into the daily routines of those in power.
The amount of research done into the subject matter is overwhelming and the panorama of each period splendid. So, if you want to learn about facts which are not so well-known, this book is a must for you.
I enjoyed reading this particular book immensly and already look forward to Mr Tinniswood's next book.

This book covers the subject of royal upkeep well. You truly get a sense of what a ruler was like as a person, as well as some of their most unreasonable demands. Most interestingly, you get a look at the way the households functioned, and how the lower classes were employed by royal service. It's a good look into the lives of both the rich and poor in historical royal society.

Behind the Throne is an enjoyable journey through history. Naturally, for any history buff, the major timeline events will already be familiar, but I love the way this book portrays them in a different light, from another point of view. With plenty of anecdotes and 'behind the scenes' action, Behind the Throne is a fascinating review of monarchy through the eyes of those who serve, rather than those who reign. All in all, it is a book sure to appeal to both scholars and general history fans--well written, well researched, and great fun to peruse.