The Oxford Book of Royal Anecdotes

by Elizabeth Longford (Editor)

Here is a sparkling collection of Crown jewels--from amusing tales that humanize their subjects to dramatic stories of martyrdoms, palace intrigues, and bloody battles. Elizabeth Longford, intimate of the royal family and biographer of Victoria and Elizabeth II, has assembled the best
anecdotes ever written and reported abut the kings and queens of England, across the full range of Britain's history from the first century A.D. to the present day.
Scholars and versifiers, lawgivers and saints crowd the pages alongside soldiers, scallywags, and imbeciles, and never have these distant figures been brought more vividly to life than in this splendid anthology. We read of Alfred's burnt cakes, Cnut and the wolves, Henry VIII and his six
wives, George III resigning himself to American independence, Edward VII's gambling habits, and much more. There are samplings of royal wit (as when James I said of John Donne's Dr Donne's verses are like the peace of God; they pass all understanding."), of royal modesty (as in Elizabeth
II's explanation of why she wore no crown at the musician Robert Mayer's 100th birthday "I thought it was Sir Robert's night, not mine."), and of royal certitude (as in Victoria's comment during a dark moment of the Boer "Please understand that there is no one depressed this house; we
are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist.")
The Countess of Longford's helpful commentary clarifies the complexities of royal genealogy and adds a sharp and often humorous perspective to bygone events. Her sources range from the earliest medieval chroniclers to biographers and historians of today, from dispassionate descriptions to
intimate and revealing accounts from the letters and journals of the monarchs themselves. The result is truly a historical feast fit for a king.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Royalty, Biography, Reference, British Literature

572 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Elizabeth (Harman) Pakenham, Countess of Longford, CBE was born on 30 August 1906. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Bishop Harman. She married Sir Francis Aungier Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford, KG, PC, son of Thomas Pakenham, 5th Earl of Longford and Lady Mary Julia Child-Villiers, on 3 November 1931. She died on 23 October 2002.
Her married name became Pakenham.

The Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography was established in 2003 in memory of Elizabeth Longford (1906-2002), the British author, biographer and historian. The £5,000 prize is awarded annually for a historical biography published in the preceding year. The Elizabeth Longford Prize is sponsored by Flora Fraser and Peter Soros and administered by the Society of Authors.

Reviews

[A.E. Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of primary source excerpts interspersed with commentary. The personal anecdotes about English monarchs through the centuries made each of them a tangible personality, rather than an abstract figure associated with a list of dates and national events. Reading this book helps you feel like you know each monarch as an individual person.

[Maxwell Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far the longest and most complicated book so far this year.

A great book on the British and Commonwealth's monarchy, featuring trivia in the form of remarks during conversations, writings, and more. However, it is a dense book and requires an academic mind to finish smoothly. Regardless, it is a great and informative work.

If you are interested in the history of the monarchy of Britain and Commonwealth, history of the UK, and monarchies in general, then I recommend this book.

[Isidore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant, but not remotely in the same class as the Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes.

Obviously a big part of the problem is that the history of England's kings and queens has already been so thoroughly pored over by historians that the likelihood of someone turning up a stunning story that is not already in the standard biographies is very remote.

Even so, I felt that Longford too often takes the easy way out, simply transcribing verbatim sections of those aforementioned standard biographies, rather than hunting for tidbits in more obscure publications.

She is better with more recent monarchs, the literature about them being so vast that no one is likely to be familiar with all the anecdotes she transcribes.

There are signs of sloppiness, as in her botched description of the Trent Affair (in which Prince Albert averted war with the North during the American Civil War). And too much time is spent on that transient narcissist, Edward VIII.

But on the whole it is enjoyable light reading. just the thing when you want history but are too worn out to take on something more demanding.

My favourite moment is George III's reaction to being presented with some drawings by William Blake: "What—what—what! Take them away, take them away!"

[Julio The Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving look at the royal men and women of England, edited and with comments by a titled lady, the Countess Longford. It is precisely because the British monarchs assume there is no one higher than themselves, God doesn't count, not after Henry III founded his own church, that they are free to mouth off more often and more immodestly than mere mortals. George V's last words were not the reported "How goes the Empire?'. When one of his beside doctors told him he'd soon be well enough to visit his beloved estate at Bangor, George roared "Bugger Bangor!"and dropped dead. The British, a most pragmatic people, changed the name of the place posthumously to Bangor Regis. His clueless son and successor, Edward VIII, was once handed a bill for a week's stay at an American resort. "What is this?' he asked his hosts. He'd never had to pay for anything in his life. The Americans in residence, in awe of royalty, paid the bill for him after he left. Elizabeth I, who strongly disapproved of married clergy but could not change her own church's rulings on the matter once remarked to the wife of an Anglican priest, "Mistress I cannot call you and Madam I will not call you". Priceless stuff, offering keen insight into the British ruling class to this day.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Soporific.

[Mike Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on the royal family of England going back over twelve hundred years. History by anecdote is almost always interesting and this is no exception. Recommended.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very few interesting anecdotes. More a history of the British monarchy.

[Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning with the first century A.D. and continuing up to Queen Elizabeth II, this anthology of anecdotes covers every monarch who ever reigned in England. Hundreds of fascinating tidbits of information, observances recorded contemporaneously, legends and facts abound in this comprehensive look at the British monarchy and its cast of royal characters. Longford takes each ruler in turn and includes biographical info, along with a number of anecdotes, told in a very readable and engaging fashion. It is a book you will love to pick up and read a few pages every now and then, whenever you need your royalty "fix". Informative and entertaining, I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the history of England and her rulers. My copy has very well-worn pages, and a prominent place on my bookshelf.

[Eunice Muir · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absorbing bedtime companion which can be dipped into one monarch at a time beginning with the Celts and Britons, through the Saxon, Danes, Normans and on to the present day. The anecdotes are interesting, showing a human and often amusing side of the historical figures. Best of all, the book also contains the genealogical tables of all the Royal Families by dynasty: Plantagenets, Lancastrians and Yorkists, Tudors, Stuarts and Hanoverian, to Victoria and her descendents, which would make the book a keeper if nothing else. Time after time I would return to the tables to determine who was who and why they claimed the throne. Certainly, the British Monarchy has taken a few side turns along the way. I found this in a used book sale at the library, in like new condition. The biggest puzzle is why would anyone discard it?

[Erin O'Riordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned quite a bit about the line of succession of monarchs of Great Britain - but large sections are rather dry. (Some tidbits are fascinating - Samuel Pepys' kiss on the lips of a queen who'd been dead slightly over 200 years, for example.) I also wish quotes from the monarchs' contemporaries had been translated, as it were, into modern spelling. For those of us who are lay people and not medieval English scholars, the archaic English may tend to get on one's nerves.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great work of reference - found a lot of interesting (and funny!) anecdotes even in the chapters of Kings & Queens I had read a lot about before. And in any case, it's wonderful to have a book that reunites anecdotes from all British monarchs (even from those before William the Conqueror).

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

a funny romp though British history

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting