About this Event
Join us for an exclusive day of talks on books, book collecting, history and preservation at Knowsley Hall.
Tickets include:
- Access to all talks and public areas at Knowsley Hall
- Lunch
- Coffee, tea, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks
- Wine reception with Lady Anne Glenconner
Confirmed Speakers:
Kermit Roosevelt III is the David Berger Professor for the Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Roosevelt works in a diverse range of fields, focusing on constitutional law and conflict of laws. He has published scholarly books in both fields. Conflict of Laws (Foundation Press, 2010) offers an accessible analytical overview of conflicts. The Nation that Never Was (Chicago, 2020) argues that the Fourteenth Amendment is at the heart of America’s contemporary constitutional identity. The Myth of Judicial Activism: Making Sense of Supreme Court Decisions (Yale, 2006) sets out standards by which citizens can determine whether the Supreme Court is abusing its authority to interpret the Constitution.
He has published articles in the Virginia Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, and the Columbia Law Review, among others. He is also the author of two novels, In the Shadow of the Law (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005) and Allegiance (Regan Arts, 2015). In 2014, he was selected by the American Law Institute as the Reporter for the Third Restatement of Conflict of Laws.
Professor Roosevelt will discuss Theodore Roosevelt’s book collection and new presidential library.
Hugo Vickers is well known as a biographer, lecturer and broadcaster, and is an acknowledged expert on the Royal Family. Hugo is called upon to commentate on important state occasions, and at times when the Royal Family are in the news. He has covered events from the first wedding of the Prince of Wales, many royal weddings, and the funerals of Diana, the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, the State Funeral and Committal of The Queen, and the Coronation of Charles III. The Financial Times has described him as "the most knowledgeable royal biographer on the planet."
Hugo has written many biographies of 20th century figures, including Cecil Beaton, Vivien Leigh, the Duchess of Windsor, Clarissa, Countess of Avon, Princess Andrew of Greece, and the Queen Mother. He analysed all sixty episodes of the Netflix series The Crown in his book The Crown Dissected, available as an e book. Hugo published his first novel, Pining in Paradise, a study of the super rich on holiday at the Cipriani Hotel in Venice, in 2024. His latest book, published in 2026, is a biography of Queen Elizabeth II.
He will speak about the history of Royal book collecting.
Lady Anne Glenconner was born in 1932, the eldest of three daughters. Being only 10 miles from Sandringham Estate, and having daughters of similar ages, the family had close links to the Royal Family. Anne was a Maid Of Honour and her mother was a Lady of The Bedchamber at the Coronation Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and Anne went on to become Lady in Waiting to her childhood friend, Princess Margaret, in 1971. As part of this role, she travelled the world with HRH escorting her on numerous tours.
Perhaps the most extraordinary accomplishment of Anne Glenconner is the publication of her book, Lady in Waiting: My Life in the Shadow of the Crown. Her memoir became a Sunday Times bestseller, and she is credited with providing a fascinating insight into the life and character of Princess Margaret, as well as offering a detailed glimpse into the lives of the aristocracy. Lady Glenconner’s latest book is Manners & Mischief: An A–Z of a Life Lived Well, published in late 2025, offers a collection of personal anecdotes, reflections, and lessons on topics ranging from love to royal tales, featuring stories from her life as a lady-in-waiting and her friendships with the Royal Family.
She will speak about Manners & Mischief with Hugo Vickers and guests will join her for a reception following the talk.
Caroline Stanley, Countess of Derby is a historian, curator and storyteller. She worked for the Royal Collection as an assistant curator and exhibitions assistant to the surveyor of the late Queen’s Pictures. Lady Derby has spent the past 30 years working on the restoration of Knowsley Hall, the ancestral seat of the Derby family. Her myriad experiences convinced her of the ability of education to change lives, which led to the 2023 launch of her podcast which focuses on the power of studying history and sharing stories. In 2025, she edited the North American travel journals of the 14th Earl of Derby, Edward Geoffrey Stanley, which was published as A North American Tour Journal 1824-1825. The Making of a Prime Minister.
Lady Derby will speak about how Knowsley’s Collections relate to America's 250th anniversary and show special items from the estate's collection.
Benjamin Crawford is the owner of Crawford Sterling Rare Books, based in Birmingham, Alabama. He advises collectors and institutions in the acquisition and stewardship of rare books and manuscripts of lasting historical and cultural value. Through their trusted international network, Crawford Sterling provides discreet private access to important works that seldom appear on the open market. He is currently presenting a distinguished collection of sacred texts, recently featured at the Palm Beach Show and the International Book Fair in Abu Dhabi. Offered as a unified holding, the collection is available to select clients who recognize both its cultural importance and its long-term value as an enduring asset.
He will speak about collecting early printed books.
About the Venue:
Knowsley Hall has been in the ownership of the Stanley family since 1385, and from that time the history of the family has been closely intertwined with the history of the country as a whole. Lord Thomas Stanley was created the 1st Earl of Derby (1435-1504) in 1485 after the Battle of Bosworth when Richard III lost the crown of England to Henry Tudor. The Earldom is a local title, coming from the Hundred of West Derby, an important administrative area until the 17th century which included Knowsley and the small port of Liverpool.
Edward Stanley, the 19th and present Earl of Derby was born in 1962. Edward inherited the title and estate in 1994 from his uncle and is married to the Honourable Caroline Emma Neville, daughter of the late Lord Braybrooke.
The Earl & Countess of Derby commissioned the restoration of Knowsley Hall, which took six years and is still ongoing today, with Lady Derby drawing on her expertise gained from eight years’ work in the Royal Collection.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Knowsley Hall, Knowsley Hall, Knowsley, United Kingdom
GBP 125.00
