I didn't really know much about the inner workings of the monarchy so I was excited to read this. Definitely a lot of info and could be a slow read at times with all of the terminology to learn but overall I found it very educational. I think if you have an interest in the royal family it's definitely worth a read!

Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor by Valentine Low

I have always been rather fascinated with the Royals so I was excited to read Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor by Valentine Low. However, I found this book to drag on and on about palace protocols and politics. I wished it had more in depth information about the Royals.

As an avid royal fan, I was really interested in this book and super excited to read. However, the writing is rather rough and soooo detailed (even for a fan like me) that I wouldn't recommend this one. It goes soooo in-depth and on tangents that we often don't care about that it could have been edited down a bit more. I was very disappointed in this one and really wanted to like it.

For its entire history, the British monarchy has relied on its trusted courtiers—the unseen advisers who handle both the forward public-facing activities of the royal family and its behind-the-scenes feuds and scandals. For better or worse, with their guidance and influence, they have been instrumental in some of the biggest events in British history.

In Courtiers, Valentine Low has given readers not only an in-depth examination into the reigns of King George and the unprecedented 70-year-long reign of Queen Elizabeth II, but we also gain insight into how the current courtiers of King Charles III and Prince William are working with them to shape the future of the monarchy in Britain.

Valentine Low has been a fixture in British journalism covering the royal family for the past fifteen years. Traveling on assignments with the late queen to Russia, with the now King Charles III to the Galapagos Islands, and with the new Prince and Princess of Wales to Bhutan, Low has gained the trust of both the monarchs and the courtiers and is sharing their stories of what it is like to work behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace.

There is little doubt that most readers who pick up this book will grab it because of the ongoing drama between The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and The Prince and Princess of Wales. And that’s the publisher and author’s goal, to get the reader to grab the book thinking there will be a no-holds-barred account of their fights between warring factions of the Sussex team and then Cambridge team, the cover of Courtiers has their photos on it even though they are only in the last 3-4 chapters of the book. It is worth noting that Valentine Low is the journalist who first broke the story of Markle’s abusive behavior toward her courtiers in May 2021 and a subsequent inquiry was conducted by Buckingham Palace, results of which have never been released.

This is a fascinating look into court life for any British history buff, but sadly it will most likely only be read by those who want the dirt on Harry & Meghan and William & Catherine.

3 out of 5 stars. It is a great book for a history buff, but most will read it for the scant coverage of the Sussex/Wales drama.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Being a huge fan of the royals, I found this book to be an excellent insight into the family, or "firm." I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the royal family, especially if you are interested in the inner workings of the members.

Having grown up hearing about the Windsors and knowing the hype surrounding this book ahead of its release date, I knew I wanted to review it especially considering the media coverage over the 'Mexit' situation, a circumstance we haven't seen since Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry twice-divorcée Wallis Simpson.

I enjoyed learning about the courtiers over the years, how they should behave and ways in which they assist individual members of the monarchy with the utmost goal of protecting the institution, as well as the inner workings of royal members. While this was an interesting read, I did find it at times boring and tediously drawn out in certain chapters. However, it's important to keep in mind that if you are looking for something was a myriad of gossip surrounding the Windsor family then this book isn't for you. It focuses on the courtiers who serve behind-the-scenes to the British monarchy and, as a result, can at times be a bit dry. If this sounds intriguing to you then I recommend checking this book out, especially as 50% onwards of the book is when it becomes more riveting as Valentine Low covers Harry and Meghan's relationship, using contacts within the royal household that are both anonymous and on record.

eARC was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!

I was so lucky to receive an advance copy of Courtiers by Valentine Low from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I had been patiently waiting for this book to be published as I love anything to do with the Royal Family. I throughly enjoyed this but I will say if you have no interest in the RF than this might be a tough read for you. I personally ate it up!

This is such an interesting book. We all see the British Royal Family on TV, in magazines, etc. but we don't think about the people who make their events happen, make sure they get coverage for them, and help them make an impact. The staff behind the scenes are collectively called courtiers, and this book focuses primarily on the private secretaries and press secretaries who serve(d) Queen Elizabeth, King/Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry (or have in the past couple of decades).

The book makes it clear how important those people can be in shaping the monarchy, and contains all the juicy gossipy tidbits that you could want. Valentine Low talked to so many people, and also included some behind the scenes of historical events that really added to the story. If you've read "Spare" by Prince Harry or any of the other books about the royal family that have come out in the last few years, you'll want to pick this one up too. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-copy.

I thought this was an interesting read of the royal family. I personally really enjoy learning more about the way the Royals work. I thought this book had good information in it, and was different than other Royal family nonfiction books. I learned about what goes on behind the scenes that may not be covered in media and how many people work on things behind the scenes.

"There are two sides to every story, and the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle". That's the phrase I kept thinking of while reading this. Courtiers, written by a Royal watcher journalist focuses on the advisors to the Royal family and their roles and experiences. It gives an inside look at who is really making the decisions, in charge of scheduling and press and how the offices of the Royal family work with each other. Princess Diana and Meghan have alluded to The Institution, and these are those people. While the majority of the book was based in facts on the inner workings, I sensed a bias when referencing specific royals. So while an interesting read, I wouldn't rely on it as the whole truth.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Valentine Low for letting me read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ve always been interested in the Royal Family and this book was perfect for that. I loved learning more behind-the-scenes facts and seeing how the institution runs. History fans will love this one - as fans of the Royal Family.

This was a very interesting read considering how Prince Harry's book just came out as well. To be honest I didn't even, know what a courtier was or what they did, until I read this book. So, I found the history, about it fascinating, and I also found from the courtier's point of view how Prince Harry was before and after his marriage.

This knowledge might be common if you follow the royals closely, but I think for someone like me, who isn't too familiar with the workings of the royal family, I think you would find this book interesting as well.

This a fascinating book about the people behind the Royals. I didn’t realize that being a courtier was a job passed down my families.
Some parts are repetitive and not as interesting as others, but either way I was surprised at the power courtiers hold. A really interesting book, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This was an interesting look at those who serve the royal family closely. They are the ones available in all circumstances and seemingly at all times, living in service to others.

It was interesting to learn about people I had heard of from watching the Crown, and also to get a different take on some well known events.

At times, the sheer amount of names and information was overwhelming and I had trouble understanding the point of the particular chapter or understanding what was going on.

I am still glad I read it as I learned a lot and was fascinated by the parts that related to events I can remember from my childhood up to present day.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book. All views are my opinion.

A very interesting book at the backside of the Monarchy and Royal Family as an establishment. If you read Spare and wondered how true his comments about the Courtiers are, this gives you a bit of context. Some of it was historical, but it gives you a good ideas of how the institution operates today in a very 'real' sense. I didn't know Courtiers could be such power players but in many ways they seem to call the shots behind the scenes.

Thank you to Netgalley for this early review copy. I love reading non-fiction and what more juicy of a story than, The Royals. I really enjoyed this behind the scene look.

This was alright. It’s not my typical read, but it was an interesting perspective I find it hard to really take any of the words at face value. I felt this was more attention took seeking to stir up folks to hate the royals. I’m sure some of this stems from some truths, but it seemed more manipulative in my opinion.

Courtiers by Valentine Low seems well-researched and unbiased. It is heavy with historical facts, and the writing seems a bit dry in places. If you're looking for the H&M tea, you will be disappointed. History buffs, however, will enjoy this book greatly.

This is a different type of book on the British Royal family than the one currently on the best seller lists. This book deals with the people that work inside the palaces and the power they hold. ‘The Institution’ wields an enormous amount of influence over the royal family and this book details the inner workings. The mad scrambles from the courtiers to outdo each other and stay in prominent and relevant roles are detailed in this book. This was a fascinating look at the inner workings of the employees of the family and it is obviously very timely.

I really thought and wish I liked this but I just wasn't that interested. Having grown up at the same time Prince William and Prince Harry did I love paying attention to the Royal family.