The Royal Palaces

As an American, I am always impressed by how much history there is in other countries. This book is so much fun because it shows all these fancy palaces while teaching history. The illustrations are paintings, I think, and it would have been fun to have seen some actual photos, but those are easy to find online. Every palace talks about the history of that palace and the people who lived and fought there. It was particularly fun when it was someone current I knew about, like when it talked about where Princess Diana lived. I highly recommend this for other people who love Britain and I hope to get a copy for a friend of mine who wishes she were British. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

I love England and its history. I really enjoyed this book and reading about the various castles and their history. The illustrations are fun and add a nice touch of color to the book. The book is very up to date with current events. I would highly recommend this book.

Showcasing thirty different palaces, castles, and homes, this book is full of beautiful, vividly colored illustrations and, yes, secrets and scandals both, written in an accessible style. The result is a gorgeous book that’s highly readable.

The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals would make a wonderful addition to any royalist’s home; this coffee table book is a highly enjoyable and fantastic read.



Thanks to Frances Lincoln and NetGalley for the PDF

Fantastic read. Fascinating bit of history and yes, scandalous bits, too, that will definitely hold any history buff's attention. Whether history buff, intrigued by British history and eager to learn more secrets about notables and nobles, not to mention royalty, there's something for everyone, even those who come for the architecture. You're in for a treat.

Let's just say, I took pages of notes as I read, at least initially. Ultimately I got so caught up in it all that the notes largely fell by the wayside. Don't worry, though. I'm not going to flood you with the product of my note taking. There are too many facets to them to give you the full picture..... and the watercolor artwork is wonderful.... so I'll restrain myself. I will, however, do something I rarely do on the blog and share part of the official book blurb, much as I always feel like that's cheating:

"Included in the book are such famous royal residences as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, but also lesser-known locations such as Falkland Palace and Beaumaris Castle. Covering the breadth of British history, there are tales from the Medieval era to the present.

Among the palaces included are:

Hatfield House, where young Elizabeth I held court before finding out she would become queen
Whitehall Palace and Banqueting Hall, home to Charles II's secret laboratory, where he tried to create an elixir of youth using human skulls
Glamis Castle, the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Greenwich Palace, where Elizabeth I survived an assassination attempt when poison was placed in her saddle
Frogmore House, a long-time royal residence used by Queen Charlotte, King George V and Princess Alexandra
Osborne House, designed by Prince Albert in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo
Windsor Castle, the famous residence of Queen Elizabeth II before her death

Revel in the glory and glamor of royal life, as well as the salacious scandals that defined these palaces. The book is vividly brought to life by numerous beautiful illustrations by James Oses, and will be irresistible to anyone interested in British royalty and the history of Great Britain."

As for my own take on the book, I obviously enjoyed it. The artwork is just detailed enough to create a sense of what might be seen without distracting you from the content. I mean, so many of these sites look absolutely serene and even bucolic, never mind the horror and bloodshed that may have happened there. Let's just say, Charles II's residency at Whitehall made me shiver. While the various stories aren't necessarily connected, the author does an excellent job giving them their place in time and the role the sites played in events, plus giving s the cast of players. True, some of the facts shared may seem rather meaningless but, well, it's still somehow awe inspiring to know how many bedrooms are in Buckingham Palace, not to mention bathrooms, offices, and such.

Each site is beautifully illustrated. The author somehow manages to dish the more scandalous bits without quite morphing into gossip, making it seem like you're sitting in one of those countless sitting rooms talking one-on-one with her. Even better, silly as, say, the number of rooms may be, there are countless fascinating bits about the people who lived and worked there, too. Even casual fans will find something of interest within, perhaps something they've never thought about. And, hey, we even get to visit Macbeth's stomping grounds, fictional though he may be. And, and, and....so much more, even details about the 1974 attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne. And, hey, how could I not mention that one of the illustrations captures the late Queen Elizabeth's corgis at rest. Thanks #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup - #WhiteLion - #FrancesLincoln for allowing me this early look at some of the places where history happened. It made me once-and-forever history buff heart happy. This will make a great gift, I might note. Now, excuse me while I go savor those lovely illustrations a bit longer. I've never been to England, so this may be as close as I get.

If you grew up pretending to be a prince/princess, consider yourself a Royal Watcher, or just love gorgeous illustrations, then I can't recommend this book enough. From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London to Windsor Castle, this book contains 30 of the most famous and historically significant buildings in the UK. Every location contains beautiful illustrations (some of which I would love to have framed and hanging in my house!) and entertaining, informative essays about their inhabitants and notable events. This book would be a beautiful addition to any coffee table!

This is an interesting book full of history about several palaces. Some of the palaces featured are well known, like Buckingham Palace but there are others with which people may be less familair. The illustrations are eye-catching. I enjoyed learning some of the stories associated with these buildings.

Thank you NetGalley, Kate Williams, and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC copy of this book.

The Royal Palaces is a wonderfully crafted book detailing various royal palaces across England. As a loyal follower of all things British royalty, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The watercolor illustrations throughout are beautifully done and add such a nice touch to the stories being told of each of the locations. My personal favorite palaces that are described include the following: Hampton Court, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Frogmore House, Stirling Castle, and Lochleven Castle.

If you enjoy royal residences throughout history, then I highly recommend this beautiful book. I hope to have a hard copy of my own once it is released!

A thoroughly well researched and written book about these famous and some not as well known palaces.
This is a must read for Royal fans & historians.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

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.

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!

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!