Portrait of a Marriage

[Sacha]

I'm half way through the Gyles Brandreth book which is supposed to be as my
subject line suggests but seems, in reality, to be more about Prince Philip.
I have no problem with that but for those who expect something on that
marriage alone, it may be otherwise.
I'm enjoying it *greatly*. It's quite unlike other royal biographies and
frankly, I don't know if that makes it better or worse. But I do know that
it's light in touch, breezy, not heavy on the 'I'm a scholar' stakes and
eminently readable. I recommend it. Brandreth does know the DoE and has
that advantage. And apropos Lady Bangor's dispute with him about who said
what, there are one or two other references in which he finds fault with her
previous biographical comments and - according to him - quotes more directly
from e.g. those on the ground at the time. This might have led to some
uneasiness between the two of them.
So - I think it's good, readable, has some apparently unimpeachable direct
conversation with the DoE sources and shows him as an entirely admirable man
I think. And not least because his own and personal instincts are not to be
one pace behind his wife, as he has had to be all his married life. He
appears to have known what his job was and to have done it to the best of
his ability *and* to have overcome massive hostility from courtiers at the
start of his marriage.
I'm sure those more knowledgeable will correct me but I think this is a new
departure in royal biograhpies - that slight air of 'touch me not' deference
just isn't there but neither is nastiness, bitching or impertinence, IMO.
Now for the other half...........
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Sacha