A while back, I tried reading a mystery by Benjamin Black, a pen name for the writer John Banville. It made me interested enough to try another book by him.
During the Blitz, the British government decides to send the two princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, away for safe-keeping. Ireland is selected, presumably because it is neutral. Garda Detective Strafford, who is assigned to security, thinks the choice of Ireland is crazy, because there are still many people in the newly independent Ireland who hate the British, but the British involved don’t seem to know that. Celia Nashe, the MI5 agent assigned, just wants to break through the old boys club and get a decent mission.
So, Celia and the princesses are sent, otherwise unaccompanied, to join the household of the Duke of Edenmore with only Strafford for company, surrounded by a hidden detachment of incompetent Irish army men. Clonmillis Hall proves to be a castle—ramshackle, comfortless, cold, and poorly run.
No, this isn’t Cold Comfort Farm but a pretty good thriller, as the local IRA agent finds out who the girls are and notifies his contacts in Belfast. But first we see the discomfort of Nashe and Strafford, the homesickness and boredom of the girls.
Nothing much about this semi-literary thriller is predictable. The girls are lightly characterized—Elizabeth as reserved and priggish, Margaret as sly and mischievous, but still with sympathy. Although the novel changes point of view, it sticks mostly with Strafford. An interesting, engrossing read.
What? Me Read? 
I’m afraid the premise of this just seems so utterly unbelievable to me I don’t think I could take it seriously. I can’t imagine a country in the world that would be less safe for the British royal family, especially back then. Except maybe Germany, but I’m not even sure they’d have been less safe there… 😉
Well, actually, there’s a statement to the effect that according to Black, the princesses were briefly kept in Ireland.
Definitely not true. They remained in Windsor and London throughout the Blitz. They could have been sent to Canada, which was both safe and pro-Royal, but the King (and Churchill) decided the morale of the nation required them to stay here. During WW2 it wasn’t even certain that Ireland wouldn’t side with Germany.
I have no idea. He says it is. In the book, they were only there a few weeks.
Oops! Did I send that twice? It acted like it didn’t go. You could consider if speculative fiction if you don’t think it could have happened.
No, just once! 🙂
he’s a great writer and his mysteries are well written and with good plots. I have now read most of them but not that one 😊
I have only read one other, but I have one in my pile.
Exactly! They were 14 and 12 when the Blitz started (1940), and no they weren’t sent away to Ireland. I believe they might have been in Scotland for a little while, but if so, it was short lived. They both actually volunteered to do things like drive ambulances later on. And you’re right about Ireland not supporting the Allies, at least the Republic stayed mostly neutral, but leaned to be more sympathetic to Hitler than the Allies. Yes, some people from the Republic who were sympathetic to the Allies did go to England and join up, but the British were very wary of them. Now, Northern Ireland was part of the UK, so sending them there might have made some sense, but not much. No, I can’t read this book.
Ah, well, I seem to remember thinking that the statement that Black knew it to be true sounded a little odd, like maybe wink-wink, but I can’t really remember why.
Yes, well… I don’t mind when someone nudges history a little bit for a story if it at least sounds plausible, but when it is this obviously wrong, it just feels like it should be called “alternative fiction,” not “historical fiction.” But I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to this stuff, especially when I can immediately tell that something is off. Still, I know lots of people wouldn’t care, and that means there’s a market for a book like this. I’m just not their target audience!
Well, everything about it is factual except that one thing.
Yes, but it is the main premise of the book – that they were sent to stay in Ireland, which wasn’t very friendly towards the British at that time. Also makes the idea of Irish soldiers guarding them very improbable. Plus, from the picture, they look younger than they actually were at the time. But again, many people don’t really care about these things, so as long as it is well written, it will have an audience.
It does seem unbelievable, and not so safe. I have not read any of Banville’s Black books, but might have to try them. I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion in the comments.