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Behind Palace Doors: My Service As the Queen Mother's Equerry | 
 enlarge | Authors: Major Colin Burgess, Paul Carter
Publisher: John Blake
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $6.86
You Save: $8.09 (54%)
New (10) Used (2) from $6.86
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 88754
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 1844544443
Dewey Decimal Number: 941.082092
EAN: 9781844544448
ASIN: 1844544443
Publication Date: May 28, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The Queen Mother did not give one media interview in her 101 years. This is a brief glimpse into that wonderful world by a man who spent two years constantly at her side from 1994 to 1996 and then as a close friend until her death in 2002. In this sharp, funny, and evocative memoir, Major Colin Burgess draws on his years as her right-hand man to recount numerous stories of an extraordinarily long and eventful life. From dancing with Fred Astaire to living through the Blitz; from the time Princess Margaret caught fire at a dinner party to when Prince Charles sought solace in his grandmother as his marriage collapsed; each anecdote and observation provides an historic insight into one of our longest-surviving institutions. Constantly fascinating and packed from start to finish with previously untold stories that lift the lid on the idiosyncrasies of royal protocol, this is warmly remembered celebration of a life gone—and a way of life fast disappearing.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A peek inside palace doors November 24, 2008
A fun book and an easy read by the equerry to
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother for two years.
Very little has been written about her private
life so this was interesting. I just wish the
book had been longer!
 Upstairs, Downstairs at the Palace September 10, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Interesting read. Gives a behind-the-scenes look at palace life. Nothing juicy. Make a cup of tea, put your feet up and relax for an hour or two.
Go inside the world of Clarence House before Prince Charles lived there August 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Major Colin Burgess' book about being the Equerry to the Queen Mother from 1994-1996 makes a wonderful read. Real insight to what its like to be "behind the scenes" of Clarence House from someone close enough to see quite a bit. He does not reveal anything that isn't really already known about the Royal Family. In fact, he is quite diplomatic about the Royal Family, but what makes this book such a fun read is learning the little quirks and interests about the Queen Mother. It is sadly a bit of a quick read, but I enjoyed it!!
Equerry to the Queen Mum August 11, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Not quite below-stairs gossip nor entirely unbiased, either, this account of two years spent as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, gives only a glimpse of her life and activities during the years when Prince Charles and Princess Diana were making headlines with their marital problems. The ghost writer who helped the equerry to write this book said, in his preface, that there were so many other interesting stories that could have been shared but, for a number of reasons, were not. I wish they had been, since several chapters chat about difficulties that staff members of other royal households face rather than staying on point. I'm sure the author was very relieved not to have worked for either Prince Charles or Princess Diana while their marriage was breaking down, but the key bits of intelligence that those chapters provided were that the Queen Mother removed herself from the battle lines early on and that Prince Charles has a nasty temper. The overall focus of this book is more about the duties an equerry to a member of the British royal family is expected to fulfill and less about the Queen Mother. Still, it's a good, fast read and provides an interesting view of the other members of the Queen Mother's senior staff and their little foibles.
A "must" read for the Queen Mother's fans June 18, 2008
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is a great insight written by a young military officer who was Equerry to the Queen Mother for 2 years. It's written with great respect and fondness of his experiences as her close personal assistant. A rare glimpse into the everyday life of the Queen Mother and her association and influence in the Royal Family. An endearing book that touches on her home at Clarence House, other members of her household, his duties, and describes her "little extravagences" like Lobster, strawberries in winter, champagne, and daily fresh flowers in all the rooms. He describes her other residences at Royal Lodge and the Castle of Mey in Scotland. Full of interesting little known facts and antecdotes. No scandals (she never had any)or unflattering gossip. You'll LOVE this book. Easy reading!!
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