Mrs Ronnie of Polesden Lacy, Hardcover

A fascinating illustrated biography of the life of the remarkable Mrs Greville of Polesden Lacy. From obscure and humble origins Margaret Greville rose to become a millionairess and prominent society hostess and friend to a portfolio of royalty and politicians. Her meteoric rise to social prominence was lived against a background of tumultous historic events: the halcyon years of the Edwardian era, the Great War, the Roaring 20s, the Depresssion, the Abdication, World War II and the London Blitz. Among her friends she numbered Edward VII, Queen Mary, George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Oswald Mosley, Ribbentrop and Mussolini. This is an intriguing and scandalous story of a famous society hostess and her magnificent house, Polesden Lacy, where George VI and the Queen Mother spent their honeymoon.

Sian Evans is a cultural historian who has worked for the National Trust, The Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Design Museum. She is the author of "Ghosts: Mysterious Tales from the National Trust," "Life Below Stairs," and" Pattern Design."