This book could not have been written without visits to The Public Record Office at Kew, Lambeth Palace Library, the British Library, the London Library, and the Marylebone Public Library. Grateful thanks to the staff at all these institutions. Hilary Lowinger at Private Eye magazine was very helpful, as was Ian Hislop. Thanks, also, to Harry Boyle and A. D. Harvey and Jonathan Cecil for allowing me to pick their brains. Sue Freestone and Gillon Aitken were begetters of the book, and among its more helpful midwives, I must acknowledge and thank Caroline Gascoigne, James Nightingale–as ever, a tower of strength, and a great picture researcher too–Emma Mitchell and Richard Collins. Before anyone saw the finished product it had been typed and retyped by Amy Boyle–a very special thanks to her. Douglas Matthews provided the index.