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Margaret Rhodes

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The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir by the Queen's Cousin Kindle Edition

by Margaret Rhodes (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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The bestselling behind-the-scenes memoir of the royal family by a cousin who served in MI5—and as one of the Queen’s bridesmaids. Includes photos!

A Sunday Times number one bestseller in the United Kingdom, this is the intimate and revealing autobiography of Margaret Rhodes, first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and niece of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Margaret was born into the Scottish aristocracy, into a now almost vanished world of privilege. Royalty often came to stay, and her house was run in the style of Downton Abbey. During the Second World War, she “lodged” at Buckingham Palace while she worked for MI5. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin, Princess Elizabeth, to Prince Philip. Three years later, the King and Queen attended her own wedding, in which Princess Margaret was a bridesmaid.

In 1990, she was appointed as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, acting also as her companion, which she describes in touching detail. In the early months of 2002, she spent as much time as possible with her ailing aunt and was at her bedside when she died. The next morning, she went to Queen Elizabeth’s bedroom to pray, and in farewell dropped her a final curtsey. The Queen Mother regarded Margaret Rhodes as her “third daughter,” and she has been extremely close to her cousins, the Queen and Princess Margaret, throughout their lives. Full of charming anecdotes, fascinating characters, and personal photographs, this is an unparalleled insight into the private life of the British monarchy.

“Surprisingly addictive.” —New Zealand Herald

Print length

204 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Birlinn
Publication date

November 23, 2011
File size

4371 KB
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Margaret Rhodes is Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin and a former employee of the British Secret Intelligence Service.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XRJ3K1K
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Birlinn (November 23, 2011)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 23, 2011
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4371 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 204 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #64,728 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #14 in 20th Century History of the UK
- #31 in Biographies of Royalty (Kindle Store)
- #110 in Great Britain History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3,399

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4.1 out of 5

3,399 global ratings

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Michael S. Adams

An Intimate, Touching, and Heartfelt Memoir from One Who Knew Her Well

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023

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I can only think of a very few books and works of literature that have moved me more than this book has. As the sub-title says, this memoir was written by Queen Elizabeth's first cousin. What I really loved about the author was that she allowed us to see The Queen as a normal individual that was approachable. But still, she in now way diminished the important role that her cousin faced as Queen Elisabeth II.
But not only did this memoir look at the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth; Margaret Rhodes brought us into her own life as well. And I can tell you that it was an exciting life!
If you love history as I do and you want to understand the people of history better, you will do well to read this book. I truly loved reading it.

2 people found this helpful

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Lyric

A pleasant read for Anglophiles

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2016

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A very enjoyable look at life as an aristocrat as well as functioning as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother while also being cousin and closest friend of Queen Elizabeth II. The book contains no revelations of anything remotely controversial or scandalous instead we get look into what it was like growing up in a real "Downton Abbey" setting. Rhodes father never actually worked -- he was a wealthy man who pursued pleasant travel and adventure as a young man and she inherited some of that same wanderlust which she details in the sections of the book that she devotes to travels in India, Bhutan, Africa etc. She very matter of factly says that when she was growing up, the manner in which her family lived -- with multiple houses, servants, etc, did not seem extraordinary but rather == it was just the way things were. And she does say that looking back at that time and comparing to today, that way of life seems all but impossible. She tells some interesting stories of her relationship with the two Queens and gives a glimpse into the personality of the Queen Mother particularly who appears to have been a charming, friendly, outgoing woman who liked a joke, enjoyed following horseracing, and was very conscientious about doing her "job" as a working member of the monarchy when as she reached an advanced age she could have retired from it all.
This is a book for people who are interested in the royal family and enjoy a peek behind the scenes of what life is at times when they are on their own. Who could imagine the Queen Mother sitting with a tray eating a meal and watching TV -- but that happened on occasion.
I thought one of the most interesting comments that Rhodes makes is in regard to her education and that of her sisters and Queen Elizabeth as well as other women of their station -- which was that the education was very limited and rather scattershot and that she and the Queen were part of the last generation of that kind of woman who did not receive a formal education. While her own parents were getting her brother ready for prep school and then Oxford, she and her sisters were preparing for no higher education.
This is an easy book to read and the story is told in manner suited to the topic and tone of the book.

84 people found this helpful

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Bookworm

Interesting, but not captivating

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2014

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This was fairly well written and was a very easy read. It didn't provide very much that isn't common knowledge. If you want more details about the Royals, this isn't the book for you. The author is the niece of Queen Mother Elizabeth; her mother and the Queen Mother were sisters, and she was quite circumspect about discussing her royal relatives. The Queen Mother was a commoner from an aristocratic family; think "Downton Abbey, so this author is not a member of the Royal Family, so she has little, if anything, to say about extended members of the Queen's family. George was not the heir to the throne at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth, or she might not have been considered such a suitable match for him. The heir apparent could marry a well-born commoner, but a union with a Royal from another European country would have been preferable.

To clarify, his older brother was King Edward VIII (later Duke of Windsor) who abdicated in favor of George because he felt compelled to marry "the woman I love", Wallis Simpson, a divorcee. Mrs. Wallis was not rejected because she was American, though that didn't help, but as Defender of the Faith, the king would not marry a divorced woman Changing times now allow the Prince of Wales to marry divorcee Camilla Parker-Bowles. Contrary to the belief of some, there is no constitutional reason that Camilla cannot become Queen consort when Charles ascends the throne.

Other reviewers commented that much of the book was directly about her and her own family, but I think this is to be expected because she really was only directly related to the descendants of King George VI and his consort. With that being her only connection to the Royal Family, there wasn't a lot she could say about anyone else. Of course, she adored her aunt to the extent that she was almost fawning in every comment she made about her. I found that to be charming because the Queen Mother was presented from that viewpoint rather than from the viewpoint of a biographer or journalist. It is a lovely little tribute by the author to someone she cared for deeply and misses very much. Because she was a member of the Queen Mother's staff, she no longer has a "job", and that is another loss altogether.

6 people found this helpful

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Linda Berger

The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir

Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024

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This was a most delightful book! I understand why it was on the best sellers list. If you are interested in the Royal family and the behind the scenes narrative, this is a must read.

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diane hopkins

Clean condition

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2023

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This book looks pristine, it doesn't look as if it's even been opened.
I've only read the first chapter so far so can't comment on anything else but pleased so far.

maria G.

An exciting book full of history

Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2021

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I love this book as it gives a new and different look into the life of the Royal Family
I think is a must read for all those interested in knowing a bit more into the history and life of the contemporary Royal Family though the eyes of a member close to The Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth.

Amazon Customer

Interesting Book

Reviewed in India on May 15, 2021

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The book is very interesting. The author has written it as if a grandparent is narrating life experiences to the grandchildren, sitting on the verandah of their house. Also, the author has chosen to speak positively about the people she has encountered in life. That is something good. A good book to read 📚.

Marc

Un classique

Reviewed in France on May 23, 2020

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Pour un cadeau.

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guido.adinolfi

Venditore ottimo

Reviewed in Italy on May 17, 2019

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