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Lady in Waiting

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What to expect

**OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD**

'The gossip is stupendous but it's also tremendously touching. It's one of those books that makes you long for bed so you can read more!' - JILLY COOPER

A Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation and former Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Anne Glenconner has spent her life as a friend of the royal family. In this bestselling memoir, she looks back on an extraordinary life full of glamour, drama and tragedy.

'The best royal book by miles . . . funny, gossipy and riveting' -JANE RIDLEY, SPECTATOR

'If your jaw doesn't drop at least three times every chapter, you've not been paying proper attention' - SUNDAY TIMES

The eldest child of the 5th Earl of Leicester, Anne knew as a daughter she would not inherit the family fortune and was instead brought up to secure an eligible husband. Her marriage to the charismatic Colin Tennant - later Lord Glenconner - would prove a test of every strength she possessed, while her friendship with Princess Margaret, which began in childhood, grew ever closer.

From the tragic loss of two of her grown-up sons to the cruel surprise of her late husband's final will, Lady in Waiting is Anne Glenconner's remarkable testament to the resilience and humour that define her as she emerges from the shadow of her husband and the crown, reminding us that all that glitters is not gold.

'A captivating account of a life lived with resilience and grace' - DAILY MAIL

'The stoical Lady G writes with infectious joy and optimism' - DAILY EXPRESS

'I can't recommend it highly enough' - LORRAINE KELLY

'Gentle, wise, unpretentious, but above all inspiring' - THE TIMES

'A candid, witty and stylish memoir' - MIRANDA SEYMOUR, FINANCIAL TIMES

'Stalwart and disarmingly honest . . . emotion resonates through this delightful memoir' - THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

'Discretion and honour emerge as the hallmarks of Glenconner's career as a royal servant, culminating in this book which manages to be both candid and kind' - GUARDIAN

'I couldn't put it down. Funny and touching - like looking through a keyhole at a lost world.' - RUPERT EVERETT

Critics Review

'A remarkable life, remarkably told'
The Sunday Times
'A funny, sometimes tragic and disarmingly frank memoir . . . Lady in Waiting is gentle, wise, unpretentious, but above all inspiring'
The Times
'A candid, witty and stylish memoir'
Financial Times
'The insider memoir of the year'
Evening Standard
'A startling, rare, beguiling insight into a lost world of royalty and celebrity with as many tears as there are titles'
Daily Express
'Marvellous book . . . one's eyes were on stalks'
Daily Mail
'Discretion and honour emerge as the hallmarks of Glenconner's career as a royal servant, culminating in this book which manages to be both candid and kind.'
Guardian
'[An] astounding memoir'
The Sunday Times Magazine
'Remarkable . . . If your jaw doesn't drop at least three times every chapter, you've not been paying proper attention'
The Sunday Times
'It's a total hoot - I couldn't put it down'
'A romp of an autobiography'
The Times T2
'I couldn't put it down. Funny and touching - like looking through a keyhole at a lost world'
'Lady Glenconner's life story is a combination of royal magic, personal tragedy and resilient survival. With humour, courage and preternatural poise, she at last tells the story of her uniquely fascinating life'
'Anne Glenconner has written a remarkable memoir - containing, at last, a genuine portrait of Princess Margaret from one who knew her well. But this book is poignant too, and through the pages shine her courage and good-humoured acceptance of her demons and tragedies'
'An absolute hoot'
The Times
'This memoir made me laugh, wince, cry and gasp. For anyone who craves a bracing dose of the older generation's stiff upper lip, Anne Glenconner provides it.'
Daily Mail
'Wonderful'
The Times
'It's impossible not to admire her fortitude . . . funny and sometimes dazzling'
Observer
'Rollicking . . . [Lady in Waiting] paints such a rich picture of the aristocracy it's impossible not to marvel at the institution, both in admiration and horror'
Sydney Morning Herald
'This outlandish memoir drips with royal tidbits . . . but it's also insightful on the more damaging aspects of being a member of the British aristocracy. Sobering - and terrific fun'
Metro
'One of the most enjoyable books of 2019 . . . Anne Glenconner, now 87, captures a lost world in which she waited (with remarkable good grace) on Princess Margaret. Sometimes the best view of history is given by the minor characters'
Sunday Telegraph
'The author reads her own words in indomitable fashion, and anyone who enjoyed Craig Brown's life of Glenconner's former employer, Ma'am Darling, will find this fascinating.'
Financial Times
'This year's Ma'am Darling - the perfect book to curl up on the sofa with.'
The i
'This riveting read will leave you open-mouthed and hungry for more.'
Sunday Post
'Fascinating and beautifully written . . . I can't recommend [Glenconner's] book high enough'
Spectator
'Captivating'
Observer
'Beyond admirable'
Sunday Telegraph
'Riveting life'
Mail on Sunday
'Lady in Waiting has made me laugh and cry several times. I raced through it in 4 days. Book heaven'
'Such a moving book'
'A riotous social document and a beautifully written account of a vivid life superbly lived'
The Critic

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
5.0
5.0
I throughly enjoyed listening to this book, which is narrated by the author herself. It was insightful and at times, raw in it’s honesty. This true story is a lesson on how to successfully survive life’s adversities and tragedies
Tlivy 05/01/2026

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