True to its subtitle, this book outlines many salacious stories of England's late ruling families, as well as interesting selections from the histories of the homes they once occupied. From the Welsh ruins of Beaumaris Castle, to the foreboding Tower of London, the specters of each location enrich Williams' accounts of love, war, tragedy, and perseverance. Paired with charming illustrations, this is certainly an easy selection to tuck into, and let one's imagination do the rest. A fairly easy read, it is one I would recommend to anyone who is interested in learning a little more about the royals who have shaped the histories of England, Scotland, and Wales.

This is a lovely book about royal palaces accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
It flows and is enjoyable.
Great inspiration for creatives, even if you are not interested in the royalty aspect.

Pros: I have been a royal watcher since I visited Windsor Castle in the early 1990s, and visiting a royal palace is often the highlight of my European vacations. I loved to armchair travel while reading this book to palaces across Great Britain. I enjoyed learning the history and details (and scandals!) about each palace featured in this book. I also liked the illustrations of each palace and thought this was a smart way to visually feature the palaces as some are no longer standing.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion | Frances Lincoln for the opportunity to read this book.

A splendid look at 30 British Royal palaces, castles, and houses, with beautiful illustrations that make them come alive with glorious color. Filled too with intriguing historical and often little known stories that will keep readers rapt. Highly recommended!

Nice little book with brief histories of the royal castles and palaces through history. A good book for anyone with a general interest in the subject rather than those who already have some knowledge or are looking for more detailed information. The illustrations are beautiful but again, give an idea of the places rather than any detail. I did at first think it may possibly be aimed at children as there is a fashion among publishers at present for this type of cover for children's non fiction, but quickly discovered that was not the case and particularly enjoyed the illustrations throughout the book. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

The author explores 30 royal residences, ranging from the still in use to those in ruins, and shows that they are full of stories and were intended for a variety of purposes, but they all share one thing - they are part of the story of the monarchy and the countries of Great Britain.

I’m British by birth and a royal watcher at heart; I have loved visiting/touring 9 of these 30 royal residences.

I enjoyed learning about the original owners, the purpose for each home, details such as number of bedrooms etc, and information on determined and devilish break-ins, murders and attempted kidnappings.

I think the facts about Buckingham Palace surprised me the most. I had no idea how self-sufficient this ‘fortress’ is and was in awe of the number of staff bedrooms!

I was gifted this copy by Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced copy.

This book is a little gem. Loved the way it contained stuff i didn't know about these amazing places. If you want a quick read this us book. Kept things interesting and wasn't overloading you. Little added illustrations were great, too.

Nice book to have on your shelf. I would definitely recommend this to others who want to know more about our beautiful royal buildings

A fun book for history buffs and fans of the Royal Family. I like how the book anchors the narrative around the royal palaces and its residents. The illustrations are whimsical and enhance the flow and enjoyment of the book. You’ll definitely recognize some of the more prominent palaces/families and also learn more about the lesser known castles off the beaten path. An enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I had so much fun reading ‘The Royal Palaces’ by Kate Williams! I have always been fascinated by history, and ‘The Royal Palaces’ is chock-full of fun historical facts and tidbits. In my early twenties, I had the great joy of getting to visit England, and I was able to see several of the sites mentioned. This book made me feel like I was right there again! While many of the places might be more well-known, there were still plenty of things I had no idea about.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the absolutely stunning artwork in this work. There were some pages that I wish I had prints of to hang in my office! I had no idea when I requested this that I would also be receiving such beautiful art. I can’t wait to get the physical edition.

If you have an interest in UK history, royal residences, or beautiful artwork with fun trivia, this might just be the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me access to this beautiful book.

Kate Williams does an incredible job explaining the various castles, houses and palaces of the British Royal Family. She writes in such a way that even the casual history buff understands what is being talked about.

What makes this book so unique is the beautifully drawn water colour paintings that decorate the various pages, depending on what building is being addressed.

This book, when it is released will make an incredible coffee table book.

The reason I am giving this book four stars is because download format is very important to me and it is a shame that this book does not come in Kindle format.