Hugo Vickers has begun work on a biography of the late Queen Elizabeth II with a view to publishing in 2026, the centenary of her birth, the Daily Mail’s Eden column reported Thursday, saying the decision could put him out of the running to be named the monarch’s official biographer.
The column, which cited a retired courtier, said the 73-year-old historian — known for his commentary on state occasions and his books on the royal family — has “bolted ahead of the pack” by deciding to "crack on immediately" with the project. The Eden column added that Mr. Vickers declined to comment when contacted.
Vickers, whose literary career began in 1977 with We Want The Queen and includes works such as The Private World Of The Duke And Duchess Of Windsor and Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, served as historical adviser on the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech. The Eden column also noted his recent book dissecting the Netflix series The Crown: Truth & Fiction.
The report said the apparent haste may damage his prospects for an officially commissioned biography. The column recalled that Vickers was passed over for the official biography of the Queen Mother, a role that went to William Shawcross. According to the piece, Shawcross — a friend of Queen Camilla — received a reported advance and was later awarded the Royal Victorian Order; he was knighted in 2023.
The Eden column added that Vickers moved quickly in a previous instance, publishing his Elizabeth, The Queen Mother in 2005 well before Shawcross’s officially commissioned volume appeared.
The same column rounded up a number of other cultural and entertainment items. It reported that actress Anna Friel, 49, who attended this year’s National Television Awards, credited therapist Nichola Joss’s buccal facial massage for her refreshed appearance and posted that she felt “lifted” after the treatment.
The column also reported on Davina McCall’s recovery after brain surgery, saying her boyfriend, celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas, who styled her into a beehive for the National Television Awards, has seen her hair regrow following the removal of a benign 14mm tumour. The piece said Douglas has been styling McCall’s hair for 24 years and has a repertoire of looks he knows will work for her.
Financial filings for AG Carrick, the company that runs the King’s commercial activities at Highgrove, were highlighted by the column. It said AG Carrick reported a £5.7 million turnover for the year to March, an increase on the prior year, with income deriving from organic and lifestyle product sales, copyrights, garden tours and restaurant receipts. The column added that profits are donated to The King’s Foundation, and cited figures showing the foundation generated £13.3 million in income and saw assets rise from about £132 million to £141 million.
Finally, the Eden column quoted classicist Dame Mary Beard on her relationship with the ancient world, saying she told the Mail that while she does not "love" the Romans she finds them “fantastically interesting” beyond simplistic claims that they are a direct inheritance.
The Eden column is a regular gossip and society feature in the Daily Mail. It did not report any official comment from Buckingham Palace or from Mr. Vickers about the reported biography plans.