Making the British Royals Your Own Cottage Industry

Which is actually "a thing" with writer and editor of Royalty magazine, Ingrid Seward.  Her newest of at least a dozen books on various members of the Royal Family is "My Husband and I, the Inside Story of the Royal Marriage."  Which purports to cover the 70 years Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip  have  been married.  The marriage took place in November, 1947 with 2,000 invited guests and another 200 million world-wide listening to the radio broadcast of it.  Think of the presents!

In the department labeled "Truth is stranger than fiction" Seward married Ross Benson, a fellow journalist,  in 1987.  She was his third wife which should have been some kind of warning to her, but after he died in 2005 of a sudden and massive heart attack,in going through his things including the deadly informative cell phone, she discovered to her dismay that he was "a serial adulterer."  

After 21 years of marriage.  As astute as she may well be, she really blew it on that.

Which, to be cattier than not, reflects her writing style as well which could best be described as "vanilla."  She is very definitely a booster because she never says anything nasty about any of them (and God knows there's the material, staring her in the face)  which goes far to explain her popularity with the Royals.  They apparently appreciate this and respond accordingly.

Anyhow, "My Husband And I" is pretty much one sunny day after another.  She does report repeatedly that Philip has a hair trigger temper, can be extremely difficult with whom to deal; still has a restless physical nature - always rushing off to this charity or another; clearly unable to just sit down with a book, but, no!  Up and off!  The Queen is a great deal more deliberate in her actions.  When she is upset about something, she will herd up the Corgies (universally hated by the staff) and go for a lengthy walk or have a horse saddled and go off for a solitary ride.  

She is said to be relaxed  and funny with intimates, but in big events such as State dinners she is shy.  She is most definitely not good at "small talk" at the table which is why she often lets her dogs join them - as a source of conversation.  Ask her about any promising horses in her various racing stables and then she will rattle along on breeding, etc. with enthusiasm  or so it is said.

"My Husband and I" by Ingrid Seward, 305 pages,  $12 amazon.com  paperback