William Collins signs 'amusing and astonishing' collection of stories about Queen Mother

William Collins has scooped an “amusing and astonishing” collection of stories about the Queen Mother by historian Gareth Russell. 

Arabella Pike, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Do Let’s Have Another Drink: The Singular Wit and Double Measures of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother from agent Brettne Bloom at The Book Group. It will publish on 13th October. Trish Todd of Atria at Simon & Schuster will publish simultaneously in the US. 

The publisher said: “During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations, and dry-as-a-martini delivery style, as she was for being a member of the Royal Family. Now, Do Let’s Have Another Drink recounts 101 amusing and astonishing vignettes—one for each year of her long, remarkable life, including her coming-of-age during the First World War, the abdication of her brother-in-law, the truth about her tragic nieces, and her relationship with her daughters over half a century of widowhood.” 

Pike said: “Gareth Russell has been collecting stories about the Queen Mother for the past two decades and there is warmth and laugh-out-loud moments on every page of the book. It is a complete delight and we cannot wait to publish in the autumn.” 

Russell added: “I have absolutely loved writing this book. There are so many surprising, funny stories about the Queen Mother—and it’s been a real joy to get some of them down on the page, for the first time. I can’t wait for people to read them.”