<P style="BORDER-TOP-COLOR: ; BORDER-LEFT-COLOR: ; BORDER-BOTTOM-COLOR: ; BORDER-RIGHT-COLOR: "><B>A concise, authoritative guide to the meaning behind the ritualized pageantry of the British royal family—for the fascinated, bewildered, or amused</B></P> <p>From Elgar to Elton John, the British have always had a penchant for pageantry. Royalty is perhaps the best example of their flair for ceremony, yet rarely do they apply the magnifying glass and question why the Queen and those around her do what they do. This comprehensive new handbook explains the history and reason behind it all. It explains the characters involved, from the Queen's Piper to the Master of Horse; the dress and costume; the principles of coronation; the royal funeral and royal wedding; and the presentation of the monarch in relation to his or her state functions. The author's experience as a long standing royal commentator and correspondent makes him the perfect guide through the labyrinth of costume and ritual, both in England and around the world.