Three books that shed light on the world’s most famous monarchy
In the wake of the Queen's death, many people will turn to fiction to make connections between the past and present in ways that facts sometimes obscure, writes Monique Verduyn
With the ubiquitous media coverage of the events, processions and elaborate ceremonies marking Queen Elizabeth’s death, there is no question that the British are the best at pomp and pageantry. From the queen’s lying-in-state in Westminster Hall to the funeral cortege borne on the state gun carriage of the Royal Navy, drawn by 142 sailors in a procession to Westminster Abbey, the final farewell was practically flawless.
I was astonished to learn that one man organised this extraordinary state funeral – the Duke of Norfolk, Edward William Fitzalan-Howard. For more than 350 years, his ancestors have passed down the ancient office of Earl Marshal. They are responsible for overseeing funerals of royal family members, coronations of Britain’s monarchs and openings of parliament...
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