Book review: The final curtsey

Prior to this release, there were a couple of articles in the Telegraph, about revelations from this book. I don’t know if it was just me, but the articles made it seem like it would be quite a substantial book in size. It isn’t. Just over 150 pages, the book is actually rather small. But, it is packed with information and stories

The Final Curtsey is the autobiography of Margaret Rhodes – she is the niece to the late Queen Mother, and cousin to the current Queen.

I am always wary when there are spelling errors as early as the family tree in the first pages of the book. True, it looks like a mere typing error, but one would have hoped that such minor trifles could have been caught prior to the book going to press. It makes me wonder how many other things I am not catching.

However, despite the book being short, the story is well-written, and you keep following it easily. It gives an insight into a lost age, so to speak. I am not familiar with all the events of the story, but for me that was also why I enjoyed it. I liked learning more about the British royal family, from someone who knew them over several generations.

Interestingly, there is also included a first hand account from Rhodes’ brother who was a POW during WWII – and especially singled out because his aunt was the Queen of the UK.

Fascinating tidbit: Upon cleaning up the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, there were found a collection of Christmas cards from the Queen Mother. “… each of them inscribed affectionately, giving the lie to the popular view that my aunt bore a deep rooted grudge towards the Duke and Duchess…”

If you follow the British royals, I do recommend this book. If not, I think it is a bit of a special interest book.