Lust, Lies and Monarchy

"There has been a lot of books written about royal history, and it is rare to find a new perspective. However, Stephen Millar has done just that. When I spotted this book on NetGalley, I knew that it would be a perfect summer afternoon read. (After pushing through several lengthy Queen Victoria biographies, this was a needed cleanse!) This book looks at different paintings showing different episodes in English/British royal history. You have the usual suspects like the Princes in the Tower and Hans Holbein’s portrait of Henry VIII. However, Millar also includes some interesting choices, like Lucien Frued’s Elizabeth II from the twenty first century, and a touching portrait of George VI and his family that you don’t often see. It is a wonderful mixture of well-known and lesser-known figures, and it reads very easily. The Royal London walking tours are a great bonus for anyone who finds themselves in London. (I should say, find themselves in London at a time when they are allowed to walk around!). It is a fast read, I would say it would take an afternoon or evening." —An Historian About Town

Stephen Millar is the author of London's Hidden Walks. He has written and provided photographs for a number of magazines and books including the Independent on Saturday.