The palace mentioned in the title is Buckingham Palace. Power and the Palace covers 200 years of British constitutional history, from Queen Victoria to King Charles. It’s based on 100 interviews with senior politicians, top public servants, royal aides and constitutional experts. Written by a journalist, this well-researched book is an exposé of the relationship between the various monarchs and their prime ministers.
Victoria reigned for 63 years; Elizabeth II for 70 years. The most fascinating pages in this book detail leaks from the so-called confidential weekly meetings these two women had with their prime ministers. King Charles III, early in his reign, pledged to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of the British nation.
I formed the impression that in a country with a constitutional monarchy, the accepted convention is that the sovereign has only three rights: to be consulted, to encourage and to warn.
Queen Victoria often ignored the convention, gave her opinion and expected it to be followed. She sulked when it wasn’t and moved to Balmoral for a few months. Her prime ministers were expected to travel weekly to see her there rather than travelling a few kilometres from Downing Street to the palace.
Disraeli worked out a technique to ‘handle’ her: I never contradict, I never deny, but sometimes … I forget.
Elizabeth II’s weekly meetings are particularly enlightening. She had her favourites but struggled with Margaret Thatcher and Boris Johnson. She particularly enjoyed her time with Harold Wilson. They had a similar sense of humour and both found political gossip amusing.
Valentine Low’s prose is easy to read, humorous and entertaining.
Reviewed by Clive Hodges
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Valentine Low is a writer and journalist who was for many years royal correspondent at The Times. He has written about the royal family since 2008, and during that time has produced a number of exclusives, including the exposure of bullying allegations against the Duchess of Sussex which made headlines around the world. His last book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, was a Sunday Times bestseller.
He lives in London.
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