if you are a lover of England and its historical attributes, then i say go for this book! this book has illustrations (which are kind of like cute and comical in a way) as well as explanations of these images. as for accuracy, i am not quite sure about it but it's definitely worth a read :)) thank you to NetGalley and the author for this book!

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book turned out to be a perfect guide through centuries and. a great inspiration for my next travels through Britain. the author masterfully weaves the histories from the life of royal family and the important role this palaces played in their lives. The illustrations were delightful and engaging. the book fell a bit short on the scandals and secrets, but it was still informative and entertaining.

This is the absolute perfect coffee table book for someone who loves all things Britain. I wish the stories were in a more chronological order. BUT it is great to just read about one and then put to the side for another dose of castle history again later.

This was a fun book! I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and learning historical facts about some of the UK's castles.

It was interesting to read about where various notable events took place. My only wish is that the stories of the castles were in chronological order. It was sometimes disorienting to jump backward in time, then forward again.

Other than that though, I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group–White Lion, and Frances Lincoln for the ARC.

I'm not a historian by any stretch, but I came across this book just a few days after returning from a trip to London. I absolutely love the illustrations (some are worth framing), and the historical excerpts give a nice overview of each structure and some of its pivotal moments. In addition to the history lesson, this book helped to add a few places to my list of sites in Britain that I want to see--Edinburgh is definitely up next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is the perfect collection of information and pictures/illustrations of 30 palaces. This would be a great coffee-table book or make a great gift for Royal fans!

I can’t wait to purchase a paper copy of this book. This book is a great source of information of 30 royal places. The artwork in this book is stunning. If you are a Royal fan or collector you need this book for your collection.

The Royal Palaces
Secrets and Scandals
by Kate Williams


This book will keep you reading one palace after the other. I enjoy reading the story behind each palace. From the modern time to the ancient time. The royal lives are always fascinating to read. In this book, easy and simple way to share the story of each royal palace.

The illustrations are beautiful, which is another way to express the exterior of the palace.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

I absolutely adored this book. The illustrations are beautiful and have this sort of sketch quality that i love similar to urban sketching. I find myself not just looking at the picture's content but also marveling at how the illustrator has simplified structures without losing the character of the building or item. I have been to most of the places in this book and i have to say each illustration was immediately recognizable.
The stories themselves are very well written and researched. I think this book would make an amazing coffee table book and a great read before visiting any of these palaces.

Oh my goodness, this book was so informative and packed full of facts. Super easy to read with the most exquisite illustrations! The drawings add so much to the text - so much so, I'd be keen to purchase a hard copy as it's the kind of book to dip in and out of.

There were also many more palaces/buildings covered throughout that I had not expected - so much more than the core palaces we all feel we know such as Buckingham or Windsor. Lots I have not even heard of, but still as interested to read about.

A fantastic book that I'd fully recommend- especially to royalists and history buffs- but there is something for everyone!

If you are interested in the British monarchy or love castles, this might be a great fit for you. You will learn a lot of history regarding around 30 royal residences. The book covers both construction/ownership and some of the important events which took place within the homes. Kate Williams does a great job teaching us about these palaces and James Oses provides beautiful illustrations. I’m pretty sure I will buy a hard copy of this book as it is both a fun read and beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you love England’s Royals history this is a very fun book. The focus is on 30 castles, palaces, and great houses that have belonged to the British rulers. The book promises scandals and secrets. I’ve read a lot of books on royal history so I didn’t feel I learned anything big I didn’t already know. The book goes by location and while there are no photos I did love the illustrations by James Oses. While the history for individual sights is chronological the book can be a little confusing. Some rulers are connected to multiple locations which throws off the flow. But because the book is about the location, I don’t know of a better way to present the information. I have traveled to England and Scotland and was happy to see I’ve been to ten of the thirty sights covered. I found the book informative and it has given me ideas for places to visit in the future. My one suggestion would be to have a map especially for those outside of London. Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group-White Lion for the temporary ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion | and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I love learning about all things England, so I requested this book.

I love the illustrations in this book and found it very informative. This was a really neat book!

Thanks to Quarto for the eARC; All opinions are my own.

The author clearly invested a lot of time and energy. into this book. The details of the palaces and the stories of the people who lived there all make for a fascinating overview of the Royal Palaces of the United Kingdom. While entire books could be dedicated to each palace on their own, this book makes for a wonderful overview of the Royal Palaces, providing a gateway introduction for people wishing to learn more. This book would be great for people planning a trip to the UK and want to learn a bit about the palaces before, perhaps, deciding which ones to visit.

I liked the illustrations of each palace, though wish there were also photographs or even, when possible, floor plans to help me better understand the scope and scale of some of the places.

Very interesting!

Wonderfully remarkable with over-the-top studies of the buildings and those who have lived there in various times. The information does become mind boggling after a bit. The illustrations are carefully executed and representative of each subject. I evidently misread the blurb because I was hoping for drawings that were more imaginative interspersed with actual photo reproductions. But that's my problem, not the book. I feel certain that the right people will go nuts over this tasteful book and it would be great for giving to a school or local library as well.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof EARC on Adobe Digital Editions from
Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion | Frances Lincoln via NetGalley. Thank you
available Aug 20, 2024

I loved reading this book.

I was absolutely hooked after only the first page.

As a lover of history, most historical books are hard to follow but this book was such an easy read and the information was just so gripping.

The Royal Palaces by Kate Williams contains intriguing history and illustrations of 30 palaces, castles and homes in the United Kingdom lived in by royalty over the past several hundred years to the present. The author also describes the roles and purposes of palaces such as defense, battle planning, plots, weddings, christenings and executions.

As a castle fanatic, I have visited approximately 250 including seventeen mentioned here and was utterly captivated by them and the secrets they contain. Whenever at a castle I wonder what life was like in a certain place and time and get completely lost in curiosity and my imagination.

This book contains fascinating personal information such as young Elizabeth and Margaret hearing Elizabeth will be queen, the name Victoire anglicized to Victoria, poisonous confectionary, Susan the corgi's place of burial and the Windsor Castle Dolls' House. The sheer number of rooms including a jewel room and Post Office in Buckingham Palace is mind blowing. I will never forget the oldest tennis court at Falkland Palace; birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, at Linlithgow Palace; the Shakespeare link at Glamis Castle: Whitehall murals;) unfinished Beaumaris and eerily atmospheric Lochleven. I learned about "Sandringham Time" as well as Charles II's magic touch.

If you are smitten with castles and/or royal history, this book is unmissable. Jam packed with tidbits, it informs and inspires.

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group-White Lion and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this exemplary book.

The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals is an enjoyable book about royal houses and the secrets behind their walls. Author Kate Williams discusses some royal palaces, including Hatfield House, Whitehall Palace and Banqueting Hall, Glamis Castle, Greenwich Palace, Frogmore House, Osborne House, and Windsor Castle.

James Oses beautifully Illustrates the book throughout. As I read it, I learned so much about the royal family's history, the role of these lovely places, and who designed and built them. The delightful illustrations James Oses provided also helped me engage with the book from the first page and continue to the end. Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals was well-written and researched by Kate Williams.

I recommend this book.

Informative and interesting overview of a lot of UK castles. The subtitle is "Secrets and Scandals" but I don't really feel I've read a lot of secrets and scandals, more of an overview which royals resided in which castles.
The book is very nicely illustrated.
Sometimes it was a bit confusing because the events at each castle weren't always told chronologically.
Overall a fun read but would liked to have read more of the secrets and scandals.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing-White Lion for access to the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A gorgeously illustrated summary of historic events that have occurred in 30 palaces associated with the British royal family.

What I liked: The illustrations were beautiful; this would make a fantastic coffee table book for any fan of British royalty. The exploration into the history surrounding each palace was an excellent premise.

What didn't work for me: Perhaps I've consumed too much media on British history, but aside from learning of a couple of incidents, the majority of the events described weren't secret and have been well-documented and dramatised. While it was interesting to know which part of the story happened in which palace, there was so much overlap that a single event would often be repeated under many of the palaces.

Final thoughts: A bright, colourful introduction to the history of the British royal family, told through the palaces they resided in.

Who would enjoy this book: General fans of either history or the British royal family.