Mrs. Queen Takes The Train by William Kuhn

 The Queen is feeling a bit downhearted.  It seems that everywhere she looks, things just aren't right.  Has her life been a waste?  The papers are full of stories about how the monarchy just isn't needed any more or various scandals about the royal family.  The royal yacht has been mothballed and now she learns that the royal train is headed the same way.  

The Queen decides to walk to the stables and visit her favorite horse.  While there, Rebecca, who works with the horses, notices that the queen isn't dressed for the weather and gives her a hoodie.  Dressed in the hoodie and a scarf which shadows her face, the queen makes a decision to walk over to the shops a few streets away and buy more of the cheese that her favorite horse loves.  When she gets there, the young shop assistant, of Indian descent, recognizes her and helps her.  When she decides to go visit the royal yacht, he takes her to the station in a taxi.

Back at the palace, panic has ensued.  Where is the Queen?  Why don't they know where she is?  Several staff spring into action.  The Queen's dresser and her lady-in-waiting band together and decide to go to where the yacht is.  The equerry, a young man back from the Iran war and William, the butler, also team up.  All head off into the night to rescue the queen, although she is sure she doesn't need rescuing at all.

This was the author's first novel, having before this book written nonfiction.  He focuses on the royal family and on Jackie Kennedy for his various books.  This novel is a charming tale told with warmth and love for the queen.  It exposes the daily rivalries between the palace staff and their loyalty to their queen.  It also gives an inside look at what it must be like to be a royal in modern times when it seems that they are just figureheads and perhaps past their time.  This book is recommended for readers of light fiction.