{"title":"Valentine Low","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValentine Low\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a compelling exploration of the intricate dynamics within centres of power. His works delve into the lives and interactions of those close to the British monarchy, providing readers with nuanced insights into the personal and political forces at play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlending meticulous research with engaging narrative, his books are essential reading for anyone interested in \u003cem\u003ebiography\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ememoir\u003c\/em\u003e, and the inner workings of contemporary politics.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"power-and-the-palace-by-valentine-low-9781035418824","title":"Power and the Palace","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Sir Keir Starmer visited Donald Trump in the White House and produced a letter from King Charles inviting the president for a second state visit, it was a gesture that spoke volumes about the continuing importance of the monarchy for Britain's international relations. It was also a vivid illustration of the relationship between Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e lifts the lid on the mysterious power dynamic at the heart of the British state: the secretive and little understood relationship between the monarchy and the government. In vivid, page-turning prose, Valentine Low examines the extraordinary political life of Queen Victoria, who exerted her will in a way that no monarch has done since, the effect that had on her son Edward VII, and the turbulent and fascinating political times of George V. We are taken behind the scenes of the wartime meetings between George VI and Winston Churchill (the origin of the weekly audience) and discover how Elizabeth II played a crucial role in modernising - and saving - the monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the book are the famous meetings between sovereign and prime minister. Low shows how, from Victoria and Benjamin Disraeli to Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher, personal chemistry proved just as important as the constitutional relationship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBased on nearly 100 interviews with senior politicians, top civil servants, royal aides and constitutional experts, \u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e rewrites our understanding of the political power of the monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46669385957612,"sku":"9781035418824","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781035418824.jpg?v=1752729375"},{"product_id":"courtiers-by-valentine-low-9781472290922","title":"Courtiers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFEATURING A BRAND NEW CHAPTER ON KING CHARLES III AND HIS CORONATION\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Fascinating' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Tantalising' \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe gripping account of how the royal family really operates. Valentine Low, royal correspondent for \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e, asks the important questions: who really runs the show and, with Charles now crowned as King, what will happen next?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eToday, as ever, a vast team of people hidden from view steers the royal family's path between public duty and private life. The question of who is entrusted to guide the royals has never been more vital, and yet the task those courtiers face has never been more challenging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith the departure of both Harry and Meghan and the disgraced Prince Andrew from royal life, the complex relationship between modern courtiers and royal principals has been exposed to global scrutiny. William and Kate - equipped with a very twenty-first-century approach to press and public relations - now hold the responsibility of making an ancient institution relevant for the decades to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eCourtiers\u003c\/i\u003e reveals an ever-changing web of complex characters, shifting values and ideas over what the future of the institution should be. This is the story of how the monarchy really works, at a pivotal moment in its history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46804054474988,"sku":"9781472290922","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5046743482712.jpg?v=1757412093"},{"product_id":"power-and-the-palace-by-valentine-low-9781035418817","title":"Power and the Palace","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Lively . . . peppered with entertaining lines. One of [Low's] skills as a journalist is an ability to sift through mountains of archive material and pick out the gems' - \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCovering 200 years of royal history from Queen Victoria to King Charles, and looking forward to the future reign of King William, \u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e is the gossip-laden and highly revelatory account of the relationship between the sovereign and the prime minister - the real story behind \u003ci\u003eThe Crown\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e lifts the lid on the mysterious power nexus at the heart of the British state: the secretive and little understood relationship between the monarchy and the government. In vivid, page-turning prose, Valentine Low takes us behind the scenes of the weekly audience to uncover the ever-changing dynamic between sovereign and prime minister - from the romance and flattery that bound Victoria and Benjamin Disraeli, to the personal and political gulf that separated Elizabeth II from Margaret Thatcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe reveals how the monarchy has gradually ceded political power over the past two hundred years while behind closed doors fighting to keep its finances secure - ensuring the long-term survival of the institution. But it has not all been smooth sailing, and the book includes moments of dramatic tension when the relationship threatened to unravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBased on nearly 100 interviews with senior politicians, top civil servants, royal aides and constitutional experts, \u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e rewrites our understanding of the political power of the monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47607387750636,"sku":"9781035418817","price":73.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/be3477bdd8d8ec12c134103100f19672.jpg?v=1778189797"},{"product_id":"power-and-the-palace-by-valentine-low-9781035418831","title":"Power and the Palace","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLively . . . peppered with entertaining lines. One of [Low's] skills as a journalist is an ability to sift through mountains of archive material and pick out the gems\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCovering 200 years of royal history from Queen Victoria to King Charles, and looking forward to the future reign of King William, \u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e is the gossip-laden and highly revelatory account of the relationship between the sovereign and the prime minister - the real story behind \u003ci\u003eThe Crown\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e lifts the lid on the mysterious power nexus at the heart of the British state: the secretive and little understood relationship between the monarchy and the government. In vivid, page-turning prose, Valentine Low takes us behind the scenes of the weekly audience to uncover the ever-changing dynamic between sovereign and prime minister - from the romance and flattery that bound Victoria and Benjamin Disraeli, to the personal and political gulf that separated Elizabeth II from Margaret Thatcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe reveals how the monarchy has gradually ceded political power over the past two hundred years while behind closed doors fighting to keep its finances secure - ensuring the long-term survival of the institution. But it has not all been smooth sailing, and the book includes moments of dramatic tension when the relationship threatened to unravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBased on nearly 100 interviews with senior politicians, top civil servants, royal aides and constitutional experts, \u003ci\u003ePower and the Palace\u003c\/i\u003e rewrites our understanding of the political power of the monarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48234926997740,"sku":"9781035418831","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781035418831-power-and-the-palace-1.jpg?v=1787812298"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/valentine-low.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}