A Royal Christmas

by Louise Cooling

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, King George III’s German-born wife Charlotte gave a Christmas party for children in which she displayed a small tree decorated with lights and sugar ornaments, a custom unknown in Britain at the time. Christmas trees would go on to delight children of the royal family for decades to come, and are now a cornerstone of Christmas throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.  A Royal Christmas is the first official publication to explore the fascinating Christmas traditions of royalty past and present. Drawing on many previously unpublished objects and images from the Collection, this lavishly illustrated book offers insight into the influence and charm of royal festivities. In this beautiful gift book, expect to see royal Christmas dinner menus and recipes; Queen Victoria’s account of Prince Albert falling through the ice while skating; photographs of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret performing Aladdin at Windsor’s Christmas pantomime; exquisitely festive jewelry, cards, and gifts; and many more holiday delights. Full of charming anecdotes, potted histories, and glittering photographs, A Royal Christmas is the perfect gift for the season.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, Holiday, History, British Literature

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec A Royal Christmas ?
"Une des boutiques cadeaux que je préfère à Londres, c'est sans hésiter celle de Buckingham Palace et j'aime bien faire un tour sur la version en ligne de temps à autre. C'est là que j'ai découvert cet ouvrage et une amie a eu la gentillesse de me l'offrir à Noël."

Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Ce livre explore les traditions de Noël de la royauté britannique, dans le passé et jusqu'à nos jours..."

Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Tout d'abord, comme je m'y attendais, je l'ai trouvé très beau, un livre qui fait sans aucun doute son effet dans une bibliothèque. Les illustrations et les photos sont charmantes et sûrement le point fort de l'ouvrage. On découvre des peintures, des photos, des objets de la collection royale, comme si on se baladait dans un musée.

Pour ce qui est du texte, nul doute qu'un féru d'histoire et de la famille royale y trouvera son intérêt, même si on reste très en surface et que je ne suis pas sûre qu'il apprendrait grand chose. Mais pour être honnête, le tout est surtout assez plat, c'est factuel, ça manque d'anecdotes, d'une touche d'humour... On lit un livre sur l'histoire de Noël dans la famille royale britannique, ni plus, ni moins."

Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Il est certain que j'aurais aimé quelque chose d'un peu différent, avoir vraiment l'impression d'entrer dans l'intimité des noëls royaux par exemple mais, tant que l'on sait à quoi s'attendre, cela reste pour moi un livre plaisant à parcourir pour les fêtes."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louise Cooling (2018) A ROYAL CHRISTMAS
London. Royal Collection Trust

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars

Thr sleeve reads, "A Royal Christmas is the first official publication to explore the fascinating Christmas traditions of royalty past and present. Drawing on many previously unpublished objects and images from the Collection, this highly visual book offers insight into the influence and charm of royal festivities. The book details the history of the royal broadcast, which is a cornerstone of Christmas for many people. It also discusses the introduction of Christmas trees to Britain by Queen Charlotte and how this custom was later popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In this beautiful gift book, expect to see royal Christmas dinner menus and recipes; Queen Victoria’s account of Prince Albert falling through the ice while skating; photographs of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret performing Aladdin at Windsor’s Christmas pantomime; exquisite festive jewellery; and many more seasonal tales."
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Am not a Royalist but nevertheless - this book is fascinating. Really interesting, thoroughly recommend.
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#LouiseCooling #ARoyalChristmas #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads

[Lucy-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book as a gift for Christmas 2018 by my mum, & I really wish I had had time to read it during the festive season. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this little book & learning about the history of the royal traditions genuinely put a smile on my face. I’m a big fan of the history of our royal family, but not really a fan of Christmas, however, that didn’t matter during the read, showing that Louise Cooling has done an excellent job. Her writing was joyful & informative, without even a touch of dullness, & I feel like this will be something I read around Christmas every year from now on.

I recommend this to anyone who has an interest in royal history and/or anyone who loves Christmas traditions.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Royal Christmas by a Louise Cooling was published by The Royal Collection Trust. A lot of our Christmas traditions were created by Queen Charlotte, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It was interesting learning how the traditions were started and where they originated. Reading how George V made the first Christmas Broadcast with the help of the BBC Broadcasting House and The Post Office was very interesting. The tradition of the 3pm Royal Christmas Message came about because George V broadcasted his message live. Nowadays they are pre-recorded messages sent onto all Commonwealth countries and those that have the British Monarchy as head of state.

A Royal Christmas would be perfect for those interested in the British Monarchy or Christmas Traditions and where they originated.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exquisitely made, from the weight of the pages to the gold foil decorative accents and print inset on the cover. It’s like an exhibit in book form—a personal tour of the Royal Trust Collection’s art, artifacts, and photos from one of its curators. And a wonderful chance to see those pieces within their original context as Christmas gifts, for example. I'd have liked to see this grounded in a nod to the hours of labor it took for staff to put these celebrations together and a closer look at how the expansion of the British Empire is reflected in these collections… but this is a publication from the monarchy so that isn’t very realistic!

[Alenka of Bohemia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this pretty little volume and I think most people who are interested in history and monarchy would too. I give it five stars not because it would be something amazing and revelatory, but because it does exactly what it sets out to do: breathe into your day a little festive nostalgia.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the royal family you will love reading about their Christmas celebrations. I loved the pictures and artwork. It is a beautiful book.