Bertie: A Life of Edward VII

Ridley has written a marvellous biography. Her book is racy and pacy, filled with delicious descriptions of grand Edwardian shooting parties, cutting-edge fashion and, of course, a string of beautiful society women. But she is never trivial, and nor is her Bertie

Kathryn Hughes, Mail on Sunday

A fascinating and compulsively entertaining biography... Ridley’s research is woven through the book, often with considerable humour, illuminating not only the life of a king, but those of his family, friends and lovers... A vibrantly atmospheric portrait

Juliet Nicholson, Daily Telegraph

Profoundly learned and a cracking good read

AN Wilson, Spectator

Richly colourful and wittily observed

Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times

Brilliantly entertaining… Richly detailed, impeccably researched… Written with a light touch and full of human sympathy… A landmark royal biography

Anne Chisholm, Sunday Telegraph

This is not only the best biography of King Edward VII; it’s also the best book about royalty ever published… Vivid, detailed and original

Piers Brendon, Independent

Paints the story of Edward VII and his long, hectic life as Prince of Wales in vivid colours: no scandal is left unturned, and yet the depth and authenticity of the research make it clear that this is a serious, even magesterial work

Antonia Fraser, Sunday Telegraph (Books of the Year)

A model of how royal biographies should be written... impeccably researched, with much new material, balanced, sensible, disrespectful without being offensive, funny, and a vivid portrait of one of Britain’s most underrated and understudied monarchs

Philip Ziegler, Spectator (Books of the Year)

Hugely entertaining from first page to last... It is also scholarly and revealing

Miriam Gross, Evening Standard (Books of the Year)