Does the Queen hold a drivers license and did she pass a test? What happens to the hundreds of boxes of chocolate people send Her Majesty on her birthday? These questions and more are answered in a practical miscellany of the royal family. Interest in the royal family is inexhaustible—people are curious about what they wear, drink, and do. This perfect companion to the royals' never-ending soap opera reveals all, from where the best places are to go to see the royal family to such details of tradition as the correct days and hours when it is permitted to fly a flag above Buckingham Palace. Including fascinating facts on abdication, birthdays, Christmas, dining, equerries, fashion, garden parties, hairdressers, insignia, the Jewel House, Kensington Palace, liveries, maids of honor, nannies, orbs, protection squads, the Queen’s piper, racing, Snowdon, tartans, the Union Jack, Queen Victoria, weddings, the x-ray machine at Buckingham Palace, yachts, and Zara Phillips, this is an unstoppable, unbeatable little guide to the British monarchy.

Photographer Chris Jackson has been by the Royal family's side on domestic visits and overseas tours for the past fifteen years, resulting in an unparalleled photographic archive of the evolving British Royal family. Occupying a front-row seat to history, Jackson's assignments have taken him to the four corners of the Earth to document the extraordinary breadth and devotion of the Royals to causes such as cancer research, mental health, and HIV awareness in Africa. In his own words in captions and texts, he reveals the magic as well as the logistics of what it's like to photograph the Royal family. The result is this unique collection of photographs of the modern British Royal Family the archive of this multi-award winning Royal Photographer and current Royal Photographer of the Year. From the modern-day fairy tale of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding to the births of Prince George and Princess Charlotte and their soon-to-be new sibling to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's historic marriage to countless Royal tours in between, this book presents the British Monarchy and Queen Elizabeth II, its most enduring icon, through the lens of one of its most trusted photographers. Whether it's Prince George's first day of school, the Duchess of Cambridge playing cricket in Mumbai, or the Invictus Games, Jackson records moments both large and small with a warmth and sincerity that has made him a media standout. Organized by theme, from State Occasions to Charity works to a typical year in the Royal Diary, this book celebrates fifteen years of the Royals in intimate portraits of a singular family's role on the world stage at a unique moment in time.

Impossible to read at one sitting, but utterly unputdownable, Schott's Original Miscellany is a unique collection of fabulous trivia. What other book boasts an index that includes shoelace lengths, sign language, and the seven deadly sins; dueling and dwarves; the hair color of Miss America and the Hampton Court maze? Where else can you find, packed onto one page, the names of golf strokes, a history of the Hat Tax, cricketing dismissals, nouns of assemblage, an unofficial motto of the US Postal Service, and the flag of Guadeloupe? Where else but Schott's Original Miscellany will you stumble across John Lennon's cat, the supplier of bagpipes to the Queen, the labors of Hercules, and the brutal methods of murder encountered by Miss Marple? A book like no other, Schott's Original Miscellany is entertaining, informative, unpredictable, and utterly addictive.

An in-depth look at the British monarchy that’s “a superb synthesis of historical analysis, politics, and top-notch royal gossip” (Kirkus Reviews). Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England’s various kingdoms, forty-one kings and queens have sat on Britain’s throne. “Shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue’s gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs,” as Tracy Borman describes them in her sparkling chronicle, Crown & Sceptre. Ironically, during very few of these 955 years has the throne’s occupant been unambiguously English—whether Norman French, the Welsh-born Tudors, the Scottish Stuarts, and the Hanoverians and their German successors to the present day. Acknowledging the intrinsic fascination with British royalty, Borman lifts the veil to reveal the remarkable characters and personalities who have ruled and, since the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, more ceremonially reigned. It is a crucial distinction explaining the staying power of the monarchy as the royal family has evolved and adapted to the needs and opinions of its people, avoiding the storms of rebellion that brought many of Europe’s royals to an abrupt end. Richard II; Henry VIII; Elizabeth I; George III; Victoria; Elizabeth II: their names evoke eras and the dramatic events Borman recounts. She is equally attuned to the fabric of monarchy: royal palaces; the way monarchs have been portrayed in art, on coins, in the media; the ceremony and pageantry surrounding the crown. Elizabeth II is already one of the longest reigning monarchs in history. Crown & Sceptre is a fitting tribute to her remarkable longevity and that of the magnificent institution she represents. “Crown & Sceptre brings us in short, vivid chapters from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth herself, much of it constituting a dark record of bumping off adversaries, rivals and spouses, confiscating vast estates and military invasions…. [A] lucid, character-rich book.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune “Borman’s deep understanding of English royalty shines.” —Chris Schluep, Amazon Editors’ Picks, The Best History Books of February 2022

Test your knowledge of Kate, William, Meghan, Harry, Diana, Charles III, and Elizabeth II with this book of trivia. This collection of fascinating facts and anecdotes about the British monarchy will keep you in the know and ready to impress with tidbits on all your favorite modern royals—perfect for cocktail hour (or afternoon tea) conversation. From the jaw-dropping weddings and headline-making fashion moments, to the births of new royals and history behind the most regal events, this book has trivia for any enthusiast. Inside you’ll find the royal scoop, including: · Details about the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II · Drama decoded, from the Sussexes’ move to Montecito to the Cambridges’ path to the throne · Facts about Princess Diana’s royal courtship Sartorial specifics (hello, revenge dress) · And so much more Geared toward fans of Netflix’s The Crown or anyone who loves the royals, this book is a great way to keep up with (and quiz your friends about!) one of the most iconic families in the world. “Take game night up a level with a royal-themed trivia night. Feel free to dress up in tiaras or fascinators and sip martinis (the Queen’s cocktail of choice) while quizzing each other—corgis running around optional.” —People

Illustrated throughout, 'A Miscellany of Britain' puts you right about many truths and half-truths, from Nelson's eyepatch and the number of wives Henry VIII had, to where the word 'curry' comes from and the origins of the police helmet back in the 19th century.