"William Tallon was a creature of extremes: though intensely loyal, he was also a dangerous risk-taker; though charming, he could also be vicious; though considerate and amusing, he could be ruthless and predatory. For much of his life he was driven by two demons: a powerful sex drive and an intense, almost pathological love for the Queen Mother…"From humble beginnings as a shopkeeper's son in Coventry to 'Page of the Backstairs' at Clarence House, William Tallon, or 'Backstairs Billy' as he came to be known, entered royal service at the age of fifteen. Over the next fifty years, he became one of the most notorious and flamboyant characters ever to have graced the royal household - the one servant the Queen Mother just could not do without. While others came and went, he remained by her side, becoming one of her most trusted friends and confidants.The fascinating life story of the man who spent more than half a century working for one of the world's most elusive institutions, Backstairs Billy provides a rare glimpse of what the royals really get up to behind closed doors…
eBook - ePub
Backstairs Billy
The Life of William Tallon, the Queen Mother's Most Devoted Servant
- 272 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter One: Joining the royals
- Chapter Two: Working for the firm
- Chapter Three: Northern lights
- Chapter Four: Glamorous worlds
- Chapter Five: Below stairs
- Chapter Six: The shy King
- Chapter Seven: A boy at the palace
- Chapter Eight: Life partners
- Chapter Nine: An outsider on the inside
- Chapter Ten: Feuds and factions
- Chapter Eleven: Wine and roses
- Chapter Twelve: On the prowl
- Chapter Thirteen: A dangerous character
- Chapter Fourteen: Sudden enthusiasms
- Chapter Fifteen: Change and decay
- Chapter Sixteen: Twilight
- Chapter Seventeen: Farewell
- Acknowledgements
- Copyright
- Advertisement
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Yes, you can access Backstairs Billy by Tom Quinn in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Residential Architecture. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.