The Juiciest Royal Memoirs to Snap Up Right Now

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In 2023, Prince Harry's memoir made waves, becoming an immediate bestseller. It was filled with revelations about his relationship with his brother, Prince William, what life is really like in the royal family, and various odd anecdotes. Though the Duke of Sussex's memoir caused quite a stir, he was not the first royal to publish a memoir. He's not even the only royal to publish a memoir following the death of Queen Elizabeth; the Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent wrote a memoir called A Royal Life, which included rare photos from the Duke's personal collection.

In light of Prince Harry's memoir, we've assembled a list of the most controversial, emotional, and illuminating royal memoirs available right now.

Spare

Prince Harry's memoir is surely the most revealing royal memoir on this list. From detailing fights with his family to his drug use and time in Afghanistan, Spare is an unprecedented look into the life of Prince Harry—and, by extension, behind-the-scenes of the royal family.

Sarah the Duchess of York, My Story

Sarah Ferguson has written two juicy memoirs, though it was her first, published in 1996, that really caused a ruckus with the royal family. It's filled with the inside scoop on the royals, plus plenty of gossip. Reportedly, Princess Diana stopped speaking to Ferguson after she revealed in the memoir that she had caught plantar warts after borrowing Diana’s shoes.

Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself

The Duchess of York released her second memoir in 2012. In this book Ferguson spoke about her post-royal life, following her divorce from Prince Andrew. She also charted her own self-improvement journey, and included contributions from Dr. Phil McGraw and Suze Orman.

Diana: Her True Story--in Her Own Words

Though Diana: Her True Story was technically billed as a biography by Andrew Morton, it was written in collaboration with Princess Diana, lending it a memoir-esque feel. The book made history, as it was the first time such a high-ranking member of the royal family spoke with such candor about his or her unhappiness with the monarchy.

A King's Story: The Memoirs of H.R.H. the Duke of Windsor K.G. (Lost Treasures Series)

The controversial Duke of Windsor wrote a memoir in 1951 describing his decision to abdicate the British throne in order to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Edward wrote about his childhood as heir to the throne, his time at Oxford, and his love affair with Simpson.

Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII

In 2023, the Duke of Windsor's memoir was republished, featuring never-before-seen material from the notes of his ghostwriter, Charles Murphy. Read more about King Edward VIII's lost memoir, here.

The Heart Has Its Reasons

Wallis Simpson, too, wrote a memoir about her marriage and Edward's eventual abdication. The book, published in 1956, also covered Simpson's first two marriages. Though the book is now out of print, used copies are still available, though increasingly rare.

My Memories of Six Reigns

Princess Marie-Louise, one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters, published her own memoir in 1957, shortly before she died.

For My Grandchildren: Some Reminiscences of Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone

An oft forgotten royal memoir is that of Princess Alice, another one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters. At the end of her life, the Countess of Athlone wrote down the lessons learned throughout her service to the monarchy. The book was originally published in 1967.

Prince of Wales: A Biography

Like his ex-wife Diana, Prince Charles participated in the creation of his biography, which was written by Jonathan Dimbleby. And while his relationship with Dimbleby was not as close as the one Diana had with Andrew Morton, Charles spent many hours offering his own point of view to the author of the book.

Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown

Lady Anne Glenconner has known Queen Elizabeth since childhood. As the daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, who controlled one of the largest estates in England, Lady Glenconner witnessed many historic royal moments, and even served as maid of honor in Queen Elizabeth's coronation. In her memoir, she shares her unique insight into the royal family.

The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe

Angela Kelly isn't technically a royal, but she is certainly intimately involved with the royal family. Kelly is the official dresser of Queen Elizabeth, and the pair share an exceedingly close bond. In her memoir, Kelly shares never-before-heard stories about the monarch, and received the Queen's full endorsement in publishing this book.

The Windsor Diaries: My Childhood with the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret

The Windsor Diaries, a recently-released collection of diary entries, charts Alathea Fitzalan Howard's childhood growing up alongside then-Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The entries, compiled by Howard's niece, share intimate stories about the royals, as they spent time in Windsor during World War II.

The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir by the Queen's Cousin

Margaret Rhodes is the Queen's cousin and wrote her story about growing up alongside Queen Elizabeth. She was a bridesmaid in the Queen's wedding to Prince Philip and the Queen Mother regarded Rhodes as her "third daughter." Rhodes also details her childhood, growing up in an estate run in the style of Downton Abbey.

Snowdon: The Biography

Like Charles and Diana's biographies, Anne De Courcy's book about Antony Armstrong-Jones, i.e. the Earl of Snowdon, was written with exclusive access to the Earl himself. The book chronicles his marriage to Princess Margaret and ensuing divorce, the first royal disunion since Henry VIII divorced Anne of Cleves in 1540.

Princess Alice: Memories of Ninety Years

Princess Alice, Duchess of Glouchester, was the daughter-in-law of King George V and Queen Mary (she married their third son, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester). At age 90, she published her memoirs, reflecting on her long life in the royal family. She would live until 102.

A Royal Life

Prince Edward, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, detailed his decades in the public eye in his brand-new memoir A Royal Life. "I never felt I was locked into a system that was operating against me, or restricting me unduly. Far from it," he writes. "I always felt I wanted to support [the Queen]. That's by far the most important thing in life." It's not quite a memoir—it's based on a series of conversations between the Duke of Kent and author Hugo Vickers, all of which took place before the death of the Queen.

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