Surely no life could ever have been more fun than our late Queen’s. From the moment she was born to the moment she breathed her last, she enjoyed the highest level of luxury, was adored by millions and knew everyone who was anyone for the best part of a century. But, as Hugo Vickers reminds us in his new biography-cum-reminiscence, she also took her duties very seriously: ‘She made a promise to serve and she kept that promise faithfully for seventy-five years. We will never see that again even if we live for a thousand years.’

He takes us behind the scenes of some of the duties. Theresa May’s 2019 resignation meant the Queen ‘had to delay her holiday in Scotland while the Tory party sorted itself out. She was able to ride her pony, Emma, and spend time with her budgerigars.’ Who knew that the Queen kept budgies? That she did is just one of the great many royal details Vickers has lovingly amassed in Queen Elizabeth II. If you want to know what films George V watched in his final days (Top Hat, The Thirty-Nine Steps), the type of lavatory roll dispenser in the Queen’s first married home (push-button, chromium-­plated) or what she wore at the wedding of Prince Edward to Sophie Rhys-Jones (pale lilac, lace and feathers), then this is the book for you. Some facts are so arcane they demand further research. I had no idea what a Coburg bow was, as performed by Lord Spencer at the 2004 unveiling of the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. But having looked it up I can share that it’s a discreet nod from the neck, popular among relatives of Queen Victoria.

The Earl of Strathmore would have no doubt known as much. The Queen’s maternal grandfather had a flowing moustache, which he used to part in order to kiss his children, and was fond of bowling Christmas puddings down the table at his wife. ‘He was generally considered to be delightful,’