After finishing this remarkable memoir of Anne Glenconner, I know I would like to spend time chatting with her over a pot of tea and cookies. Having lived such a full, rich and extraordinary life, she has found a comfortable and peaceful life at 87 years old. She relates the very good all the way to the very bad that made up the tapestry of her life. Raised in the titled world of the British aristocracy in a wonderful stately home during WWII, she had the title and the nanny and the connections but money during the war was tight and rationing governed just about everything. She learned how to adapt - like her green parachute dress. That served her well throughout her life - she knew hard work, too.
The first half of the book is her life which included Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Anne's mother was Lady of the Bedchamber and Anne became a Lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. The glimpses she shows us of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth are wonderful.
All was not a bed of roses for Anne nor Princess Margaret. Both married men who treated them badly and that was another tie that bound them together. Anne had married a man who could be a charmer one moment and the next he could explode in a screaming tantrum. All in public. She was mother to five children - six if you count her erratic husband. She held it all together.
The times were changing when Anne was born. The days of women being in the shadows of their fathers and husbands were giving way to the Swinging 60's and the turbulent 70's. Her family was not immune to the tragedies of drugs and she saw it first hand. She faced painful challenges with her sons but, with the help of Princess Margaret and their large circle of friends and family, Anne weathered it all and has come to a place in her life that most of us would want for ourselves. A life full of the love and friendship from family and friends. I hope she write more about her life because I suspect that her life isn't at all dull at 87. Two things that will stay with me - her stories of visiting Paris (can be a very strange place to visit) and never travel without a bottle of gin.

I would love to read this book, however, the download is not working and therefore, I am unable to open it.

Lady Anne Glenconner was born into rank and privilege. Her entire family served the King and Queens of England and served in various positions. This book outlines her life, focusing on her friendship and status of Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret.

This was a well written and engaging book. The story flowed nicely and the people felt realistic. I couldn't help thinking how wacky and entitled all of the royals and their followers acted. Although it was hard to relate to their lavish lifestyles and outrageous antics, it was a fun and fascinating read. Overall, highly recommended.

Only about half of this book covers her time with the royal family, the rest is about her own very interesting life. An excellent read, and not disappointing even if you only picked it up for Margaret.

I received a free e-galley from netgalley.com.

I love all things English royalty and this did not disappoint. Such a beautiful insight into what it is to be included into the royal family, good and bad. Anne Glenconner bore her soul and heart open so we could see her pain as well as her blessings. One of the best and fact filled royal memoirs out there.

Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner is an excellent memoir that gives the reader a glimpse into an extraordinary life.

I love anything and everything associated with England’s Royalty, and this did not disappoint. This isn’t just a book about being a Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, although a good bit of it is, it is also a book about a fascinating, strong, classy, intelligent, multi-talented, realistic, and imperfect woman. Anne admits her few faults, not being as hands-on of a mother to her two oldest boys as she ended up being with her three youngest, and the reader loves her even more for her admissions.

I loved reading about British aristocracy and her childhood, her turbulent marriage to an intelligent and talented, but yet eccentric and difficult man, and I was impressed at her ability to conquer the instability and find happiness amongst the chaos.

I loved reading about her travels, her friends, family, and adventures. She was able to always create a literary version of a snapshot to make me feel as if I was with her the whole time. I loved how she was able to come into her own and settle in her little piece of paradise in her home in Norfolk amongst her kids and family.

And of course, I loved to read about her decades-long friendship, connection, and working relationship with Princess Margaret. I truly feel it gave the reader another glimpse into the many positive attributes of the amazing woman Princess Margaret was in her own right. It was downright fascinating.

It was heartbreaking to read of her tragedies and her losses. No mother should ever have to go through what she did with her 3 sons. It just showed me her inner strength and determination to make the best out of everything and to come out into the sunlight at the end.

I hope she writes a second book to give us an update and further stories of the many years she has yet still to come.

5/5 stars. I loved every minute of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for this stunning ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fascinating read, and the perfect book to read before watching the new season of the Crown. Lady Anne Glenconner was Princess Margaret's Lady in Waiting (as well as a Maid of Honour for the Queen), but she has also lived her own interesting and full life. I didn't know much about her before reading this, but I have so much appreciation for what Ladies-in-Waiting go through now. Anne had a somewhat difficult family life, with several of her children facing issues- she had to go through that while still serving as a Lady in Waiting. Princess Margaret was incredibly supportive throughout it, though, and it is a kind look at a princess who is often dismissed as snobby, mean, and petty. (There isn't a ton about Princess Margaret, but she floats in and out.) This is the perfect book for any royal watcher or historian!

This is precisely the type of memoir I love, one that feels like you are sitting with someone interesting and hearing their stories. I very much liked this look into a different time, place and life! I would highly recommend to anyone that enjoys memoirs, history, royalty.

Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner was a whole-heartedly enjoyable read.

Glenconner brings a unique and fresh point of view to a work of fiction that feels as if it magically draws you further and further in. Despite the slower, melodic pace of this memoir, which is the perfect speed for this story, I couldn't stop listening. I never found myself distracted, in fact I found myself thinking about all of the interesting scenarios that Glenconner introduces us to. I loved this.

Thanks to Netgalley for my eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review!

I found this to be a delightful memoir. The author has lived an extraordinary life, one that most people could never imagine. It makes me excited for the return of the Crown.

As a fan of The Crown I was fascinated by this intimate account of the Royal life, The author shares with us her lifelong friendship with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret her participation in Queen Elizabeth’s coronation ,friendship with Princess Margaret.She also shares with us the ups and downs of her life, So well written an intimate look at the life of a Royal really enjoyed this well written memoir.#netgalley# hatchettebooks

This was so interesting and because I had just gotten done watching "Downtown Abbey", I felt like this was the perfect book to keep my love of the royals alive. It was very well written, sometimes too much so that I felt lost in the words and had to re-read, but it captured the time very well. This is definitely going to be a great book for people who want to know what the life of a Lady is like.

A fresh and unique perspective on the coronation of our present Queen, as well as the life of Princess Margaret. The author also shares a very honest look at her own storied life.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.