Robert Lacey
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Robert Lacey

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Books
    • Latest Books

      Battle of Brothers

      June 24, 2021

      Latest Books

      The Crown Volume 2: The Official Companion

      November 19, 2019

      Latest Books

      The Crown: The Official Companion

      October 1, 2017

      8.3
      Latest Books

      Model Woman

      June 16, 2015

      8.3
      Latest Books

      Grace: Her Lives – Her Loves

      June 11, 2014

      Latest Books

      Gulf Charities and Islamic Philanthropy

      March 18, 2014

      Latest Books

      A Brief Life of the Queen

      January 31, 2012

  • News
    • News

      As of 1 January 2023, Robert Lacey is…

      January 4, 2023

      News

      Harry and Meghan? John and Yoko? Spot the difference! 

      December 4, 2022

      News

      The Crown does NOT tell lies

      November 9, 2022

      News

      The Crown: Never a truer word was said…

      November 5, 2022

      News

      Yet another new Prime Minister? ’Dear! Oh, dear!’

      October 21, 2022

      News

      Encounters with Elizabeth What was it like to…

      May 31, 2022

      News

      My kitchen EXPLODED when the Queen came to…

      May 31, 2022

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Killing the Monarchy

February 22, 2019
Killing the Monarchy

SIR David Attenborough hit out at the BBC over a documentary about the royal family in the 1960s, as the legendary anthropologist and wildlife expert accused producers of “killing the monarchy”, a biography claims.

The British Monarchy had “never quite come to terms with the power of television or appreciated its need to reduce its subject matter to the level of a sound bite,” Ingrid Seward writes in her book “The Queen and Di: The Untold Story”. One of the most intimate looks ever at the British royal family was shown to the public in the 1960s but has reportedly been sitting in a vault ever since. In 1969, Prince Philip agreed to open the royal doors of Buckingham Palace for a landmark BBC documentary, called “The Royal Family”.

Their activities ranged from Prince Philip grilling sausages at Balmoral Castle to the Queen making smalltalk with former US President Richard Nixon.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward revealed in her book, “The Queen and Di: The Untold Story”, how legendary anthropologist and wildlife expert Sir David Attenborough blasted former BBC director Richard Cawston over the making of the royal documentary in a letter.

She claims Sir David said: “You’re killing the monarchy, you know, with this film you’re making.”

The renowned broadcaster wrote furiously in 1969 to the producer-director of the controversial and groundbreaking BBC television documentary, she adds.

Then a BBC controller, he wrote: “The whole institution depends on ­mystique and the tribal chief in his hut.

“If any member of the tribe ever sees inside the hut, then the whole system of the tribal chiefdom is damaged and the tribe eventually disintegrates.”

Ms Seward claims in the 2000 biography: “It was a warning which was ignored and, in retrospect, the programme came to be seen to have given fateful encouragement to exactly the kind of intrusive interest in their lives which the royal family were at such pains to avoid.”

On 2018 Amazon Prime documentary “The Story of the Royals” experts claim the documentary kicked off the scrutiny the royals now receive from the public and the press.

Laura Mayhall, co-editor of Women’s Suffrage in the British Empire, said in the special: “I think the monarchy, in a very interesting way in the 1960s, tried to get out ahead of this notion they were out of touch or they were unapproachable.”

She said: “It’s really a vehicle for us to see a little bit behind the scenes, so we can understand the monarchy as people like us.”

The documentary was considered a public relations success.

However, even though it was a huge achievement, the Queen reportedly ordered it to be put away in a vault – and it has never been seen in its entirety since then.

Robert Lacey, historical consultant on Netflix’s The Crown, said: “They realised that if they did something like that too often, they would cheapen themselves, letting the magic seep out.”

Read the full article on The Express website

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Robert Lacey

Robert Lacey

British historian and writer

Robert Lacey is a British historian noted for his original research, which gets him close to – and often living alongside – his subjects. He is the author of numerous international bestsellers. lege felicter - may you read happily

Lege feliciter - may you read happily

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As the Platinum Jubilee begins with news of Camill As the Platinum Jubilee begins with news of Camilla’s elevated status, the Queen, Charles and William are making the big decisions as a trio. 

Robert Lacey writes in @thetimes. Article also on Robert’s website: Robertlacey.com

#robertlacey #platinumjubilee #royalfamily #thequeen
Robert lacey writes for the BBC as The Queen celeb Robert lacey writes for the BBC as The Queen celebrates her #platinumjubilee 

Full article on the BBC website: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60201088
As we approach the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s accession on February 6th, Robert Lacey selects his top pick of books about the Royal Family and The Queen. 

shepherd.com/best-books/about-the-queen

#royalfamily #PlatinumJubilee
Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult

First published in hardback: 15 October 2020

What drove Prince William and Prince Harry from the closest of brothers into very different, now distanced men? How has the painful, public unravelling of Prince Charles and Diana’s marriage reverberated through generations? What parts have Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle played in helping their husbands to choose divergent paths? And how does the Queen feel, marshalling her feuding heirs and looking ahead to the future of the British monarchy?

Moving and unvarnished, this is the most intimate insight yet of division in the royal family.

#battleofbrothers #royalfamily #harryandmeghan #williamandkate #britishmonarchy #robertlacey #christmasreads
Little Man - Meyer Lansky and the gangster life by Little Man - Meyer Lansky and the gangster life by Robert Lacey in 1991

Little Man is a book about organised crime unlike any other yet written. If, in the mythology of organised crime, Al Capone symbolised the crude menace of the machine gun and the baseball bat, Meyer Lansky stood for the brains, the sophistication, the hot money, the sheer cleverness of it all. This brilliant biography and social history separates the strands of fact and legend in Meyer Lansky’s – the Godfather of Godfathers – career, revealing a truth about the gangster life in America that is far more fascinating and dramatic than fiction.

#biography 
#meyerlansky 
#americanhistory 
#robertlacey
Extracts from Robert Lacey's book "Battle of Broth Extracts from Robert Lacey's book "Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult" are being featured in The Times this week. 

In Today's article Robert Lacey said allegations against the Duchess of Sussex led to a bitter row between brothers who were once inseparable.

You can read the full article from the link in the bio.

#MeghanandHarry
#WilliamandKate
#TheCrown
#BattleofBrothers
#RoyalFamily
Speaking earlier, Robert Lacey said: “Prince Ph Speaking earlier, Robert Lacey said:

“Prince Philip has been such an integral part of our life. Playing such a key role in the life of the nation.

It was no accident that we decided to feature Prince Philip very strongly in the Crown episode about the moon landing – capturing his interests in science and how he came to understand that science can only take you so far. He went on to develop a strong personal religious faith.

He also helped in bringing the monarchy into touch with everyday life in a fresh way. So many of The Queen’s fresh ideas and fresh initiatives came from this remarkable man.

Prince Philip will be remembered for his sardonic smile, hands behind the back, often unfailingly 2 steps behind Her Majesty. Always there in the most supporting sense.”

Photograph from 1972 in Robert Lacey's book Majesty. “Queen Elizabeth was always front, but Prince Philip was always center.”
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