Lady in Waiting

By Anne Glenconner

Lady in Waiting - Anne Glenconner
  • Release Date: 2020-03-24
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 487 Ratings

Description

Discover untold secrets with this extraordinary memoir of drama and tragedy by Anne Glenconner—a close member of the royal circle and lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret. 

Anne Glenconner has been at the center of the royal circle from childhood, when she met and befriended the future Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, the Princess Margaret. Though the firstborn child of the 5th Earl of Leicester, who controlled one of the largest estates in England, as a daughter she was deemed "the greatest disappointment" and unable to inherit. Since then she has needed all her resilience to survive court life with her sense of humor intact.

A unique witness to landmark moments in royal history, Maid of Honor at Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret until her death in 2002, Anne's life has encompassed extraordinary drama and tragedy. In Lady in Waiting, she will share many intimate royal stories from her time as Princess Margaret's closest confidante as well as her own battle for survival: her broken-off first engagement on the basis of her "mad blood"; her 54-year marriage to the volatile, unfaithful Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, who left his fortune to a former servant; the death in adulthood of two of her sons; a third son she nursed back from a six-month coma following a horrific motorcycle accident. Through it all, Anne has carried on, traveling the world with the royal family, including visiting the White House, and developing the Caribbean island of Mustique as a safe harbor for the rich and famous-hosting Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Raquel Welch, and many other politicians, aristocrats, and celebrities.

With unprecedented insight into the royal family, Lady in Waiting is a witty, candid, dramatic, at times heart-breaking personal story capturing life in a golden cage for a woman with no inheritance.

New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
The Sunday Times Bestseller

The Globe and Mail Bestseller
ABA Indie Bestseller
The Times (UK) Memoir of the Year
One of Newsweek's Most Anticipated Books of 2020

Reviews

  • Dissatisfaction

    1
    By 7SoviaK777
    This book was about sex, alcohol, frivolous spending & immoral values all hidden behind a religious veil.
  • Light Read

    2
    By Gramafkof7
    Lady in Waiting read more like a confession/excuse than anything. If your looking for an in-depth idea of the inside workings of the Royal Family this isn’t it. It reads more like a confession, regrets for not being there for her first 2 sons & excuse’s that it’s what all society did at that time, sacrificing your children for your husband. And while that may be the case that isn’t a good excuse for abandoning your children to nannies & au pairs. As for her stint with Princess Margaret there really isn’t any thing worth noting as she doesn’t really talk about her - tidbits here & there but nothing substantial & what she did write certainly didn’t make me feel any more charitable toward her. Why any one would stay with a psycho husband is beyond me but I certainly don’t give her kudos for it. This book reads like one big “pat on the back to me.” I read it to the end only because I bought it.
  • Lady in Waiting

    1
    By 4 Pete's Sake
    I couldn’t read the whole thing. It described lives that were rediccuolous, shallow, boring - like way too much cake! Don’t bother.
  • Great read

    5
    By cestmoi7
    Thoroughly enjoyed.
  • Royal Fans-beware!

    2
    By pattygrandma
    Fascinating! Couldn’t put it down!
  • What a life!

    5
    By Mynameistaken22
    What an amazing life this lady had. Interesting read and also a glimpse into what kind of person Princess Margaret really was, a beautiful person.
  • Brilliant and fascinating.

    5
    By E. Rouco
    This book. The life. A fascinating story so well told. Lady Glenconner draws you in, making you part of her amazing journey through life. What an inspiration.
  • Good quick read

    5
    By Virgogirl2
    This was an easy read. Fascinating life of an aristocrat. Interesting historical insights.
  • You can visualize it all

    5
    By Snash52
    Lady Glenconner describes her life in such detail, you fell you are walking with her. Loved This book
  • Bravo!

    5
    By uchimane
    Anne writes in a way that feels honest yet polished like the true aristocrat she is. What an extraordinary life she’s lived. You’ll laugh, cry and won’t be able to put it down. Thank you Anne for telling your story and for never giving up!