First published 2020
Anne Glenconner opens her life story from the heart of Britain's royal circle, where she served as Princess Margaret's closest confidante for decades. Born into aristocracy as the daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, she was considered a disappointment simply for being female and unable to inherit the family's vast estate. Her childhood friendship with the future Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret launched her into a world of privilege and peril. Glenconner navigated court intrigue as Maid of Honor at the Queen's coronation and remained Princess Margaret's lady in waiting until the princess died in 2002. Her personal battles proved equally challenging. She endured a broken engagement blamed on her "mad blood," survived 54 years married to the volatile Colin Tennant who ultimately left his fortune to a servant, and faced the deaths of two adult sons while nursing a third back from a six month coma after a motorcycle crash. Through royal tours, White House visits, and developing Mustique into a celebrity playground for guests like Mick Jagger and David Bowie, Glenconner maintained her humor and resilience while witnessing history unfold.
Genres: 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resilience
Setting: Britain, Mustique
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
336 pages · Hardcover · Hachette Books
Content warnings: death