Ladies of the Bedchamber: The Role of the Royal Mistress [Paperback]

Dennis Friedman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Examining the roles played by the mistress and the concubine, this study also sheds light on commercial sex, the ready availability of which possibly protected the sanctity of marriage in the years preceding today's less holy alliances. The book shows how sex addiction cast its shadow over the 20th century—from the accession of King Edward VII in 1901 to his and Mrs. Alice Keppel's great, great grandchildren and to Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles today.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The title of this volume promises a tawdry, gossipy tale, but Friedman instead delivers a psychoanalytic take on five centuries of British royal history, casting the reigns of royals from Henry VIII to Charles, Prince of Wales, in terms of childhood neglect and sex addiction. In workmanlike prose, he chronicles the monarchy's dangerous liaisons: Henry VIII's six marriages ("His long-suppressed emotional needs produced a hunger for sex and power so insatiable that he had difficulty in concentrating on any political issues..."); William IV's violence towards prostitutes (he "probably suffered from what would now be called bipolar mood disorder"); Edward VIII's alliance with Wallis Simpson (he "probably spent most of his adult life looking for the emotional security he lacked as a child"). Readers with a penchant for pop-psychology will appreciate this book, but anyone with a deeper interest in British history-or a desire for a little salacious fun-should probably look elsewhere.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Dennis Friedman is a psychiatrist and author of innovative studies of phobias, sexual problems, and other psychological disorders. Formerly of St. Bartholemew’s Hospital, London, he is now medical director of the Charter Clinic, London. He is the author of Darling Georgie: The Enigma of King George V.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers; 2nd edition (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0720612446
• ISBN-13: 978-0720612448
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,123,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Royal childhood needs and relationships, February 27, 2005

By 

J. N. W. Bos "Joan" (Utrecht, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ladies of the Bedchamber: The Role of the Royal Mistress (Hardcover)

Friedman is clearly more a psychologist than an historian, because throughout the book he has the family relations of the royals in this book often completely messed up. His most stupid fault is calling King William IV "Silly Billy" (even in the title of the chapter about him); "Silly Billy" was the nickname of William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, a cousin and brother-in-law of King William IV.

The book is not really about "the role played by the royal mistress" or "the effects of extramarital sex on marriage", as the author claims. It's more about the influence of one's upbringing on one's later sex life, both for the royal and his mistresses. The youth and relations of both the Kings and their paramours are described in much detail. In my opinion, he oversimplifies the complicated reality of relationships by explaining everything in terms of childhood needs.

Nevertheless, the book is easy to read and Friedman sheds a new light on Wallis Simpson's behavior during the abdication crisis.