United Kingdom Royalty

Book Categories: Kings & Queens, Pro & Con, The Monarchy, Genealogy, Princes of Wales, Royal Life, Fashion, Sex, Aristocracy, Coronations, Death, Early Britain, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Stuarts, Civil War, Commonwealth of England, Hanovers, Regency, Victoria, Edward VII, British History, British Empire, Commonwealth of Nations, Windsors, British Palaces, Royal Collection, Order of the Garter, Anecdotes, Animals, Portraits, Christmas, Dining, On Film, Manuscripts, Miscellaneous, Sealand, Children's Books, DVDs, Royalty Magazines, Europe

British Monarchs

The Kings and Queens of Britain by John Cannon and Anne Hargreaves. A dictionary of the kings and queens of Britain, ranging from mythical and early pre-conquest rulers to the present House of Windsor. Covers English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish monarchs.

Divorced, Beheaded, Died: The History of Britain's Kings and Queens in Bite-sized Chunks by Kevin Flude. A witty guide to Britain's royal history, from Henry VIII to some of lesser-known and mythical monarchs.

Kings & Queens of Great Britain: A Very Peculiar History by Antony Mason. Which king's guards massacred his supporters by mistake? Who had an oversized tongue and slobbered when he ate? Meet the rulers, discover their bizarre habits, and enjoy quirky stories.

The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain by Charles Phillips. This comprehensive visual encyclopedia lists every British king and queen, and provides insight into the world in which they lived.

The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Royal Britain by Charles Phillips. A study of Britains's royal heritage, with a directory of royalty and over 120 of the most important historic buildings.

The Kings and Queens of Britain by Cath Senker. An illustrated guide to the British monarchy from Alfred the Great to Charles III, with photos and timelines.

Kings & Queens of Great Britain: Every Question Answered by David Soud. Biographies of monarchs from Roman Britannia to the present day, focusing on details of their personalities. Includes a section on royal edicts.

A History of Royal Britain in 100 Objects by Gill Knappett. Ordered chronologically from Alfred the Great to Queen Elizabeth II, this book takes an illustrated journey through the centuries.

Queens & Royal Women

Forgotten Royal Women: The King and I by Erin Lawless. From Cartimandua to Maria Fitzherbert, bite-sized biographies tell forgotten tales of women's history.

Queenship in Britain 1660-1837 edited by Clarissa Campbell Orr. Essays about royal patronage, court culture, and dynastic politics. Topics include the marriage options of royal daughters and the travails of Princesses of Wales.

Queens Matter in Early Modern Studies edited by Anna Riehl Bertolet. Essays about two centuries of queens and their afterlives -- historical, mythological, and literary.

The Monarchy

Crown & Sceptre by Tracy Borman. A history of the British monarchy from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II.

A Brief History of the British Monarchy by Jeremy Black. Covers the monarchy's origins, medieval era, Early Modern developments, the British Empire, the modern era, and the future.

Monarchy: From the Middle Ages to Modernity by David Starkey. The rise of the British crown from the War of the Roses to the coming-to-terms with modernity under the wise guidance of Prince Consort Albert.

The Rough Guide to the Royals by Alice Hunt and James McConnachie. Background and insight into the current British royal family: what they do, where they get their money, how British they are. Also looks at figures from the past.

Loyalty to the Monarchy in Late Medieval and Early Modern Britain, c. 1400-1688 edited by Matthew Ward and Matthew Hefferan. Political and religious upheaval tested the bonds of loyalty between ruler and ruled.

A Companion to the Royal Heritage of Britain by Marc Alexander. An encyclopedic work on the monarchy, from semi-legendary times to the present day.

Historical Dictionary of the British Monarchy by Kenneth J. Panton. Provides a chronology from the year 495 to modern times, bibliography, and over 600 entries on people, places, events, and more.

Monarchy, Magic and Democracy: The Royal Family and Modern Britain by A.J. Olechnowicz. Examines why the monarchy has been mostly popular with the public since the days of Queen Victoria.

The Monarchy and the British Nation, 1780 to the Present edited by Andrzej Olechnowicz. Essays on the monarchy and public values, the monarchy's popularity, the monarchy and Ireland, and more.

The Royal Line of Succession by Hugo Vickers. This brief book traces the histories of the men and women who have found themselves in line to the throne.

The Oxford Illustrated History of the Monarchy by Ralph Alan Griffiths and John Ashton Cannon. Ranging from the Dark Ages through to the present day, the authors provide a vivid picture of Britain's kings and queens, and of the monarchy as a political and social force.

Modern British Monarchy

Royalty Inc.: Britain's Best-Known Brand by Stephen Bates. The future of the Commonwealth, the true scale of royal finances, the legacy of Diana, and the problems faced by any heir to the throne.

Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture by Cele C. Otnes and Pauline Maclaran. How and why consumers use products, services, and experiences to satisfy their fascination with royal family.

The Windsor Dynasty, 1910 to the Present: Long to Reign Over Us? edited by Matthew Glencross, Judith Rowbotham, and Michael D. Kandiah. Starting with George V, this collection considers the repackaging of the British royal family for mass consumption via the media.

Crowning Glory: The Merits of Monarchy by Charles Neilson-Gattey. Argues that monarchy is a stabilizing force and explains how the concept of a constitutional monarch emerged.

Royal Bounty: The Making of a Welfare Monarchy by Frank Prochaska. The story of the royal family's voluntary work from the 18th century to the present, and its significance in a democratic, collectivist age.

Running the Family Firm: How the Monarchy Manages Its Image and Our Money by Laura Clancy. Contends that the royal family's power is disguised through careful media representations.

(Un)making the Monarchy edited by Anette Pankratz and Claus-Ulrich Viol. Essays about the ways the monarchy has been legitimized in British culture.

Pros & Cons of Monarchy

And What Do You Do? What the Royal Family Don't Want You to Know by Norman Baker. A hard-hitting analysis of the royal family, exposing its use of public money and the dubious behavior of some royals. Published in 2020.

Down With the Royals by Joan Smith. The author argues that modern Britain should have an elected head of state. Published in 2016.

The Magic Kingdom: Property, Monarchy, and the Maximum Republic by Dan Hind. Explores what the republican tradition has to offer the British at a time of deep political, social and economic dislocation. Published in 2014.

Monarchy: Past, Present... and Future? by Christopher Lee. Examines the British monarchy's staying power beyond the current succession Will William be "the last"? Published in 2013.

War of the Windsors: A Century of Unconstitutional Monarchy by Lynn Picknett, Clive Prince, and Stephen Prior. Examines the battle for power in the modern British royal family. Topics include financial scandals and the use of euthanasia on royals. Published in in 2002.

God Save the Queen? Monarchy and the Truth About the Windsors by Johann Hari. The author says the royal family's members have been broken and destroyed by the institution they were born into. Published in 2002.

The End of the House of Windsor: Birth of a British Republic by Stephen Haseler. Is the British monarchy an absurd anachronism or the lynchpin of the nation state? This book argues that a republic is inevitable. Published in 1993.

Princes of Wales (Heirs to Throne)

Princes of Wales by Deborah Fisher. An overview of all 21 officially recognized Princes of Wales (heirs to the British throne), from 1301 to Queen Elizabeth II's son Charles. Published in 2007.

Princes of Wales: Royal Heirs and Their Lives in Waiting by David Loades. The stories of history's most interesting British royal heirs, from the charismatic 14th century Black Prince to the colorful characters of the 20th century.

Investiture: Royal Ceremony and National Identity in Wales 1911-1969 by John S. Ellis. A study of the ceremonies of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales and the public reaction to them.

Royal Lives

Royal Confinements by Sir John Dewhurst. Examines pregnancies and childbirths of British royals, including Queen Anne and Queen Victoria. First published in 1980, it has been updated to include modern royals.

Royal Babies: A Heir-Raising History by Alison James. Go behind palace doors to discover the pleasures and pitfalls of royal pregnancies, births and babies.

Royal Childhood by Anna Reynolds and Lucy Peter. From the time of the palace's purchase by George III in 1761 to the birth of Prince George of Cambridge, this book covers royal children's playtime and hobbies, birthdays, school days, and public outings. Illustrated.

Royal Childhoods by Charles Carlton. How the early years of Britain's kings and queens have coloured their lives.

Our Sporting Monarchs: Royalty at War and Play Through the Ages by Keith Baker. Traces the involvement of royalty with sports - including archery, wrestling, and pigeon racing - from the Norman Conquest to modern times.

Royal Warriors: A Military History of the British Monarchy by Charles Carlton. Explores the role that kings and queens have played in war, and how war has shaped the monarchy.

Behind the Throne: A Domestic History of the British Royal Household by Adrian Tinniswood. An upstairs/downstairs history of the British royal court, from the Middle Ages to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Rights and Wrongs of Royal Marriage: How the Law Has Led to Heartbreak, Farce and Confusion by Rebecca Probert. Parliament has threatened to render members of the royal family illegitimate and prevented others from following their hearts.

British Royal Clothes

Elizabeth: Reigning in Style by Jane Eastoe. In the 1950s and 1960s Elizabeth II was a style icon, copied and adored. This is a detailed sartorial portrait of the Queen, featuring photographs, sketches, and mood boards.

Royal Dress by Valerie Cumming is about the image and the reality of clothing in the English royal court from 1580 to the present day.

Wardrobe Wisdom From a Royal Lady's Maid: How to Dress and Take Care of Your Clothes by Alicia Healey. The author spent four years working in Buckingham Palace.

Princess Diana & Fashion
Kate Middleton's Style

Royal Sex and Scandals

Sex Lives of the Kings & Queens of England by Nigel Cawthorne. An expose of royal sex scandals from Edward VIII to the House of Windsor.

Royal Affairs: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy by Leslie Carroll. Love affairs that "disrupted dynastic alliances, endangered lives, and fed the salacious curiosity of the public for centuries."

Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly From Royal Britain by Michael Farquhar. The personal lives of monarchs from Henry VIII to Elizabeth II. For a fun, sometimes racy look at British royal history with all the boring parts left out, I recommend this book. (Read my longer review here.)

Ladies of the Bedchamber: The Role of the Royal Mistress by Dennis Friedman. According to the author, sex addiction threads its way through 600 years of the British monarchy to the present day.

Royal Sex: Mistresses & Lovers of the British Royal Family by Roger Powell. Certain aristocratic families provided monarchs with mistresses over the centuries to capture royal power and patronage.

Royal Marriage Secrets: Consorts & Concubines, Bigamists & Bastards by John Ashdown-Hill. Were the Princes in the Tower illegitimate? Was Queen Victoria "Mrs. Brown"? This book exposes the hidden skeletons of England's most famous rulers.

Royal Mistresses by Charles Carlton. Focuses on the influence British royal mistresses had on monarchs and society at large.

The Pocket Guide to Royal Scandals by Andy Hughes. Facts and rumors about history and skeletons in the British royal cupboards.

Lives of the English Rakes by Fergus Linnane. Charts the exploits the English rake, from the hedonistic King Charles II and his licentious courtiers to the flowering and decline of the rake during the Victorian era.

Books About European Royal Sex Lives
Books About International Royal Scandals

British Aristocracy

The Dukes: The Origins, Ennoblement and History of 26 Families by Brian Masters. There are only 26 non-royal dukes in the British Peerage. The author tells their stories.

The Earls of Essex: A Tale of Noble Misfortune by Robert Bard. The dramatic story of an English aristocratic family from the Norman Conquest to modern times.

Coronations, Ceremonies, Celebrations

Coronation by Roy Strong. This comprehensive history sets each of Britain's coronations in its political, religious, and cultural context. Illustrated.

The Coronation: A Royal History by Annie Bullen. Illustrated with over 80 photographs, this souvenir guide looks in detail at the history of the coronation of Britain's kings and queens: the traditions, the pomp, the ceremony, the robes, the jewels.

Royal Coronations by Lucinda Gosling. The British coronation -- its earliest origins, the meaning of the ceremonial rituals, behind-the-scenes organization, and the robes and jewels worn.

The Language of Space in Court Performance, 1400-1625 by Janette Dillon. Where was the chair of Mary Queen of Scots placed for her trial? How many paces did the king walk forward to meet an ambassador? How were spectators arranged at tournaments?

A History of British Royal Jubilees by June Woolerton. The evolving story of the popular royal celebrations, which took hold in the reign of George III.

Royal Jubilees by Judith Millidge. This 64-page book describes past British royal jubilees and gives examples of the souvenirs that accompanied them.

The Queen's Coronation: The Inside Story by James Wilkinson. An inside look at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Death and Tombs

The Ends of Kings by Geoff Brown. About the death and burial sites of all English kings and queens since William the Conqueror. Includes maps and photographs.

Great Britain's Royal Tombs: A Guide to the Lives and Burial Places of British Monarchs by Michael Thomas Barry. Learn the true-life stories of the monarchs of England, from the warrior kings of the Dark Ages to modern day, and where they are buried. Includes 234 illustrations and photos.

British Royal Tombs by Aidan Dodson. Covers all the burials of British kings, queens (and lords protector). Includes photos, diagrams of major sites, family trees, and a bibliography.

Books About Royal Deaths and Wills

The Stuarts

Books About the Stuart Dynasty
Books About the English Civil War

Cromwell and the Commonwealth of England

Oliver Cromwell by John Buchan. Biography of the devout Puritan who established the Commonwealth.

Cromwell: Our Chief of Men by Antonia Fraser. Biography of a decisive and ruthless commander was also a country gentleman.

God's Englishman: Oliver Cromwell and the English Revolution by Christopher Hill.

Cromwell's Failed State and the Monarchy by Timothy Venning. The story of Oliver Cromwell's unique experiment in the governance.

Perceptions of a Monarchy Without a King: Reactions to Oliver Cromwell's Power by Benjamin Woodford. In 1657, Parliament offered Cromwell the crown of Britain. This book explores the nation's response to this unprecedented event.

The House of Hanover

Books About the Royal House of Hanover
Books About the Regency
Books About Queen Victoria and Her Family

British History

Folly and Fortune in Early British History: From Caesar to the Normans by Kenneth G. Henshall. Examines the role of foolishness in major events of British history, particularly invasions.

Revolution: The History of England from the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo by Peter Ackroyd. Takes readers from the Glorious Revolution to the Regency, an era of coffee houses and playhouses, newspapers and novels, shops, and extraordinary technological innovation.

Books About England's Royal History
Books About Scotland's Royal History
Books About the History of Wales

The British Empire

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire by Lawrence James. A comprehensive history of the British Empire from 1600 to the late 20th century.

Royal Tourists, Colonial Subjects and the Making of a British World, 1860-1911 by Charles V. Reed. A study of 19th-century British royal tours and those who participated in them.

The British Empire: Sunrise to Sunset by Philippa Levine. Looks at the rise and fall of the Empire, its inner workings, and what it meant to those who lived under its authority.

The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire edited by P.J. Marshall. Twelve experts survey the experience of colonialism in North America, the Caribbean, India, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.

This Sceptred Isle: The British Empire by Christopher Lee. Britain's empire was the largest the world has ever known. At his coronation, over 400 million people saluted George V. The story of the British Empire is one of enormous personalities, adventure, and complex international administration.

Books by Jan Morris

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress by Jan Morris traces the beginnings of the British empire. (The author was previously known as James Morris.)

Pax Britannica: The Climax of an Empire by Jan Morris. About the heyday of the British empire.

Farewell the Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat by James Morris. Third book in Morris' series tells the story of the empire's decline.

Books About the Commonwealth of Nations

The 20th Century and the Windsors

Books About King Edward VII
Books About the Modern Royal Family

British Royal Castles and Palaces

Royal Castles and Palaces of Great Britain

Anecdotes and Quotes

The Little Book of Kings & Queens by Orange Hippo. A collection of quotations from British monarchs, starting with King Alfred.

Right Royal Remarks: From William I to Queen Elizabeth II edited by Michael Hill. Intriguing and entertaining quotes from British royals.

Royal Wisdom: The Most Daft, Cheeky, and Brilliant Quotes From Britain's Royal Family by Kate Petrella. Entertaining quotes and quips from British royals, including Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Charles.

The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family by Karen Dolby. About the British royal family's sense of humor, from Prince Philip's gaffe-prone remarks to the "in" jokes of the younger royals.

You Look Awfully Like the Queen: Wit and Wisdom From the House of Windsor by Thomas Blaikie. An illustrated collection of amusing and affectionate anecdotes about the British royal family.

Corgi and Bess: More Wit and Wisdom From the House of Windsor by Thomas Blaikie. A second anthology of hilarious and touching royal anecdotes.

What a Thing to Say to the Queen by Thomas Blaikie. An illustrated collection of anecdotes about the modern royal family.

Royalty & Animals

Noble Hounds and Dear Companions by Sophie Gordon. Over a century of photographs of royal pets and royal owners.

All the King's Horses: A Celebration of Royal Horses From 1066 to the Present Day by Amanda Murray. A history of British royal horse-racing and breeding. Discover how the side saddle was introduced, the connections between horsemanship and architecture, Queen Victoria's achievements as a breeder, and more.

Portraits & Photos

Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits by National Portrait Gallery. Portraits of British royalty spanning 500 years of painting and photography.

The Crown in Focus: Two Centuries of Royal Photography by Claudia Acott Williams. Includes 200 images and extended captions that tell the story behind each photo.

The Royal Portrait: Image and Impact by Jennifer Scott. This book focuses on royal portraits from the Royal Collection. Each chapter opens with a quotation and is structured around specific key images which are discussed in detail.

Lust, Lies and Monarchy: The Secrets Behind Britain's Royal Portraits by Stephen Millar. Features little-known stories, color paintings, photos, family trees, and Royal London walking tours with maps.

Royal Christmas

A Right Royal Christmas: An Anthology edited by Hugh Douglas. Explores events in English history that took place during the Christmas season, and how royals such as Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria celebrated the holiday.

A Royal Christmas by Jeremy Archer. How the British royal family has celebrated Christmas through the ages. Covers such topics as Christmas pastimes, festive feasts, and Christmas and the Commonwealth.

A Royal Christmas by Louise Cooling. A gift book exploring the Christmas traditions of British royalty past and present.

Christmas at the Palace: A Cookbook: 50+ Festive Holiday Recipes by Carolyn Robb. Former royal chef shares Christmas recipes and historical royal Christmas traditions.

Royal Dining and Recipes

Eating Like a King: A History of Royal Recipes by Michele Brown. What did Mary Tudor eat for breakfast? What made George IV so very fat? This collection of recipes enjoyed by British monarchs from William the Conqueror to Edward VII explains how to prepare roast peacock, blackbirds baked in a pie, and more practical dishes.

At the King's Table: Royal Dining Through the Ages by Susanne Groom. The author, a curator at Historic Royal Palaces, considers the diets of monarchs from Richard II to Elizabeth II, and also discusses royal table manners, cookbooks, chefs and kitchen staff. Includes menus from state banquets, weddings, coronations and jubilees.

For the Royal Table: Dining at the Palace by Kathryn Jones. A lavishly illustrated behind-the-scenes look at 350 years of royal banquets, from Charles II to the present day.

Dinner at Buckingham Palace: A Unique Collection of Recipes, Menus, Anecdotes and Tastes of the Royal Household by Charles Oliver and Paul Fishman. From Queen Victoria to the present day, this book provides a look at the tastes and traditions of Britain's royal household.

British Royal Recipe Books

Royal Books & Manuscripts

1000 Years of Royal Books and Manuscripts edited by Kathleen Doyle and Scot McKendrick. What role did books play in the lives of English monarchs and their families? This well-illustrated volume presents a wide-ranging review of royal interest in books.

Treasures From the Royal Archives by Pamela Clark and others. The documents photographed and described for this volume include state records, letters, diaries, and jottings. Among them are the account books of Elizabeth I, the deeds to Sandringham House, and letters from Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Monarchy in Movies

The British Monarchy On Screen edited by Mandy Merck. Essays analyzing film and television representations of royalty, from Henry VIII to William and Kate.

Representing Royalty by Julia Kinzler. How power is represented in modern films about British monarchs, including The Queen and The King's Speech.

Miscellaneous

Royal Ghosts: A Very Peculiar History by David Arscott. A light-hearted look at supernatural sightings, including Anne Boleyn and Queen Victoria's faithful servant John Brown.

Democratic Royalism: The Transformation of the British Monarchy, 1861-1914 by William M. Kuhn. Focuses on the actions of five people who created the modern monarchy: Walter Bagehot, W.E. Gladstone, Lord Esher, Randall Davidson and the Duke of Norfolk.

Royal Seals: Images of Power and Majesty by Paul Dryburgh. Illustrated guide to the seals of the kings and queens of England, Scotland and United Kingdom, as well as the Church and nobility.

The Monarchy and the Constitution
New Royal Books
Royalty Magazines

For Children

British Kings & Queens by John Guy. One thousand years of intrigue, struggle, passion and power, from the early Saxon and Danish kings to the present day. For children ages 9 to 12.

Kings & Queens: The History of the British Monarchy by Anita Ganeri. Information, facts and figures on all the kings and queens of England, from William I (1066-1087) to Elizabeth II (1952-present). Includes an introduction about early rulers. Fully illustrated.

The Usborne Kings and Queens Sticker Book by Sarah Courtauld and Katie Davies, illustrated by Adam Larkum. Features over 100 stickers with portraits of British kings and queens.

A Royal Childhood: 200 Years of Royal Babies by Liz Gogerly. A look at British royal children, from Queen Victoria to the 21st century's Prince George and Princess Charlotte. For readers ages 6 to 11.

The British Monarchy: The Changing Role of the Royal Family by Nicole Horning. Includes sidebars, quotations, maps, and full-color photographs. For readers ages 12 to 15.

Sealand

Sealand: The True Story of the World's Most Stubborn Micronation and Its Eccentric Royal Family by Dylan Taylor-Lehman. How a rogue adventurer seized an anti-aircraft gun platform off the British coast and inaugurated himself ruler of his own tiny kingdom.

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DVDs About British Royalty

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

A Complete History of Britain. All 15 episodes of Simon Schama's landmark program are available together in this set.

Companion Books to the History of Britain Series

A History of Britain: At the Edge of the World, 3500 B.C.-1603 A.D, by Simon Schama. Includes striking portraits, pictures, and maps. Companion book to the first History of Britain series.

A History of Britain: The Wars of the British. Second book in Schama's series, covering the years 1603 to 1776.

A History of Britain, Volume III: The Fate of Empire 1776-2002 by Simon Schama. Third book in the series.

DVDs About the Crown Jewels
DVDs About the Modern British Royal Family
More DVDs About Royalty