Lady Glenconner was born Lady Anne Coke in 1932, the eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, and growing up in their ancestral estate at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. A Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation, she married Lord Glenconner in 1956. They had 5 children together of whom 3 survive. In 1958 she and her husband began to transform the island of Mustique into a paradise for the rich and famous. They granted a plot of land to Princess Margaret who built her favourite home there. She was appointed Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret in 1971 and kept this role - accompanying her on many state occasions and foreign tours - until her death in 2002. Lord Glenconner died in 2010, leaving everything in his will to his former employee. She now lives in a farmhouse near Kings Lynn in Norfolk.
"Charming."--The Daily Beast
"In Whatever Next, [Lady Anne] leans into her newfound status as
agony aunt and offers up a deeper cut of the wisdom she's gained
through adversity. Happily, she's still the witty, kind, forgiving,
and often hilarious queen of the candid comment in this delightful
follow-up."--Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
"Both Lady in Waiting and follow-up volume Whatever Next?...are
funnier and sadder than might be expected. While never losing sight
of the advantages of being born into an élite family, Glenconner
offers a poignant perspective on the constraining limits on
aristocratic women of her generation, whose formal educations were
minimal and whose life expectations revolved around marrying well,
managing a large household, and providing a male heir."--The New
Yorker
"Whatever Next...is more personal and paints a more vivid picture
of [the royals'] claustrophobic world....Glenconner has dealt, over
her nine decades, with a difficult marriage, the death of two sons,
all the limits placed on a lady of her generation -- and seems to
have done so with great charm....It's a memoir of another time,
when England was smaller and the empire larger, and aristocrats
truly were the untouchable celebrities."--The New York Times
"As she enters her tenth decade, her spirits unflagging, her memory
undimmed, and her patrician beauty unchanged, Anne Glenconner has
clearly discovered the fountain of truth....She has...delved
truthfully into that past.... The subtlety of Whatever Next? is the
matter-of-fact way in which Glenconner tells her story. Totally
free from self-pity...she writes with an absolute, almost childlike
truth...With typical elegance, she blames no one for her
innocence--least of all, fittingly, herself."--The Oldie
"A...nuanced re-visitation of [Lady Anne's] life as she shares how
she applied the diplomatic qualities instilled in her by her
mother: always do your best, put others first, concede the
limelight, and consider your own needs last. Fans will be happy to
know that Lady Anne is delighted with her current roles as
best-selling author, gay icon, mother, and grandmother. Readers
will also be happy to follow
along and see where she goes next."--Booklist (starred review)
"Glorious and highly readable...packed full of new
stories.....Glenconner's generation is full of extraordinary,
untold tales...She does them a service in telling her story,
reminding us that with privilege comes not just responsibility, but
often secret suffering."--iNews
"It's rather like having lunch with her. Charm itself....Part of
her success comes from the old-world solidity and decorousness she
embodies: her utter lack of introspection or guff....Anne's love
for Princess Margaret is infectious."--Spectator
"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 [Anne's] courage and
good-humored acceptance of her demons and tragedies."--Hugo
Vickers
"A smart, dishy, and truly touching autobiography."--Town &
Country
"Anne Glenconner's life story is a combination of royal magic,
personal tragedy and resilient survival. With humor, courage, and
preternatural poise, Anne Glenconner triumphed over all of it and
at last tells the story of her uniquely fascinating life."
--Tina Brown
"As her memoir makes clear, her capacity 'to get on with life and
not dwell, ' even in the most extreme circumstances, is heroic.
There is, nevertheless, a vein of quiet anger. The book is a
retaliation as much as a reminiscence. It is also a finely drawn
double portrait. Margaret is in the foreground, spotlit, while
behind her Glenconner's life plays out with such self-effacing
matter-of-factness that it takes time for the reader to realise
that of these two intertwined biographies Glenconner's is by far
the more remarkable....Glenconner has an eye for detail, and if her
picture of Princess Margaret dwells on the positives, it makes no
attempt to conceal the difficulties....Lady Anne brings out a
touchingly naive side of Margaret's character, visible only to an
insider familiar with the realities of royal life....Her book is
partly a meditation on how much or how little she could have done
differently. Although regret isn't in her emotional register, there
is an unmistakable sadness when she remembers certain things,
especially about her children, and her 'heart sinks.'"--London
Review of Books
"Discretion and honor emerge as the hallmarks of Glenconner's
career as a royal servant, culminating in this book which manages
to be both candid and kind."--The Guardian
"Exceptional."--Andre Leon Talley
"I couldn't put it down. Funny and touching - like looking through
a keyhole at a lost world."--Rupert Everett
"Riveting...[Anne's] stiff upper lip never quivers."--Oprah
Magazine
"Stalwart and disarmingly honest....Emotion resonates through this
delightful memoir...candid, humorous."--The Wall Street Journal
"A jolly anecdote for every day of the year and excellent
advice."--The Times (UK)
"This second volume of memoirs is as fascinating at the first...The
book is full of wit, joy, vivid vignettes, and useful insights on
topics such as parenting, adventures, and being a good guest.
Readers keen on startling detail about aristocratic life will find
plenty here."--The Sunday Times (UK)
"Electrifying."--The Daily Mail
Praise for Lady in Waiting
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