Robert Lacey
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  • Home
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    • 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

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Prince Harry and the paradox of his publicity-seeking

April 21, 2022
Prince Harry and the paradox of his publicity-seeking

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s provocative comments on the same topics will keep the contracts coming writes Robert Lacey in The Times

It was a timely moment yesterday for Prince Harry to talk about his bold and brave Invictus Games in the Netherlands for disabled servicemen and women — at a time when real war is happening just a thousand miles or so away. We watch it on our screens every night. Russia’s assault on Ukraine has, sadly, become a spectator sport in its own right.

Founded only eight years ago, the Invictus Games reminds us of war’s ghastly reality, and how the human spirit can sometimes do just a little to redeem its cruelty and waste. Every nation pays and trains young people to do this dirty work on our behalf, and Harry was one of those potential victims.

In 2014 the prince used his royal status creatively — as royal people are supposed to do — to seek to mend and make a difference. Harry proudly said as much yesterday, how he had learnt over the years to “find healing in helping others”.

But those were just about his only words of relevance. By question three of the NBC interview — “What’s a Wednesday like for you?” — the onetime helicopter pilot who risked his life in Afghanistan had moved on to Archie and how his young son (nearly three) loved to interrupt his telephone calls, with some further thoughts on the virtues of “cheekiness”. Back to the royal tittle-tattle, in other words.

Question five got to the heart of it — how’s the Queen these days? The tragic paradox of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is that they proclaim their wish to escape the royal circus, but that’s all they really want to talk about — while taking TV camera crews round the world to record them doing so.

As Harry dropped his predictable soundbites on the “great sense of humour” displayed by his grandmother (96 years old today!), and how “it was really nice to catch up with her”, one was reminded of Meghan’s revelations to Oprah Winfrey shortly before Prince Philip’s death a year ago.

The American duchess coyly described how she was so close to the Queen she was in the habit of picking up the phone to chat to Her Majesty about the invalid’s health — with no suggestion that calling off a certain interview might really have spared the feelings of the ailing prince.

So it has come to this — the defiantly ex-royal couple are actually trading in royal intimacies. Spotify doesn’t pay money for nothing — and Harry went a step further. “I’m just making sure she’s protected,” he told NBC’s Hoda Kotb, “and got the right people round her.”

The arrogance of this remark was not picked up by his docile interviewer — as even Oprah ventured to challenge the Sussexes when they sat down with her 12 months ago.

Protected? From whom? Is this some offshoot of the prince’s argument with the Home Office over royal security when he is in Britain, and his threat to sue Priti Patel?

And what does he mean by the “right” people? Is this a dig at his father and elder brother who, we know, are the Queen’s principal confidants these days? Or is he referring to the fact the Queen is now spending so much time at Windsor with his Uncle Andrew, whom she chose as her escort to the memorial service for Prince Philip last month — the service that Harry and Meghan found it impossible to attend?

It is no wonder the prince should fear he might suffer from “burnout”. Anyone would get burnt out at the prospect of having to conjure up provocative comments on the same half-dozen topics to keep the contracts coming for the rest of his life. 
Robert Lacey is the author of A Brief Life of the Queen (Duckworth Overlook, £9.99)

Read the full article in The Times

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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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