Published: 25/06/2020
Glamour, romance and personal tragedy; the dramatic life of Anne Glenconner, Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, is recounted with rapier-like wit and sparkling vivacity by the woman herself. From the euphoria of partying on Mustique to the horror of losing two grown-up sons, this is an incredible life lived to the fullest.
Shortlisted for the British Book Awards Non-Fiction Narrative Book of the Year 2020
The remarkable life of Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret who was also a Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation - and is a character in The Crown this autumn. Anne Glenconner reveals the real events behind The Crown as well as her own life of drama, tragedy and courage, with the wonderful wit and extraordinary resilience which define her.
Anne Glenconner has been close to the Royal Family since childhood. Eldest child of the 5th Earl of Leicester, she was, as a daughter, described as 'the greatest disappointment' by her family as she was unable to inherit. Her childhood home Holkham Hall is one of the grandest estates in England. Bordering Sandringham the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were frequent playmates.
From Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation to Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Lady Glenconner is a unique witness to royal history, as well as an extraordinary survivor of a generation of aristocratic women trapped without inheritance and burdened with social expectations.
She married the charismatic but highly volatile Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, who became the owner of Mustique. Together they turned the island into a paradise for the rich and famous, including Mick Jagger and David Bowie, and it became a favourite retreat for Princess Margaret.
But beneath the glitz and glamour there has also lurked tragedy. On Lord Glenconner's death in 2010 he left his fortune to a former employee. And of their five children, two grown-up sons died, while a third son had to be nursed back from a coma by Anne, after having suffered a near fatal accident.
Anne Glenconner writes with extraordinary wit, generosity and courage and she exposes what life was like in her gilded cage, revealing the role of her great friendship with Princess Margaret, and the freedom she can now finally enjoy in later life. She also appeared as a character in the The Crown.
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 9781529359107
Number of pages: 336
Weight: 260 g
Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 28 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
‘If your jaw doesn’t drop at least three times every chapter, you’ve not been playing proper attention.' - The Sunday Times
'Lady Glenconner's life story is a combination of royal magic, personal tragedy and resilient survival. With humour, courage and preternatural poise, she at last tells the story of her uniquely fascinating life.' - Tina Brown
'I couldn't put it down. Funny and touching - like looking through a keyhole at a lost world.' - Rupert Everett
'Anne Glenconner has written a remarkable memoir - containing, at last, a genuine portrait of Princess Margaret from one who knew her well. But this book is poignant too, and through the pages shine her courage and good-humoured acceptance of her demons and tragedies.' - Hugo Vickers
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“Surprising, entertaining, utterly brilliant!”
I bought this book after seeing Anne Glenconner interviewed on the Graham Norton Show. I would never have picked this up had I not seen her interviewed but I am so glad I did. I read it in one sitting. I laughed out... More
“Loved this biography”
This is a memoir written by one of Princess Margaret’s ladies in waiting.
Anne Glenconner has had a fascinating life. She talked a little about her relationship with Princess Margaret and the royal family, but I...
More
“An Amazing Story.”
This was an absorbing read and an extraordinary memoir. Written by Anne Glenconner who moved within the royal circles since childhood, we learn of her relationship with the royal family and the Queen, but in... More
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