Packed with royal stories from 2,000 years of history, from the immortality-obsessed first Emperor of China to the current master of tact and diplomacy, Prince Philip, this book will leave the reader fascinated, entertained and occasionally appalled. We'll meet all sorts of colorful royal characters, including the Roman Emperor Caligula, who was unspeakably cruel to his subjects but worshipped his horse, Charles VI of France, convinced he was made of glass, and Frederick William I of Prussia, who recruited--and sometimes kidnapped--the tallest men in Europe to form his private army. Fully updated with new stories, this collection is full of scandal, including secret marriages, illegitimate offspring, royal pickpockets, alleged vampirism, madness, cross-dressing and pigeon-fancying
