‘A fascinating account of her time.’ Sunday Express

‘A king and I tale’ The Daily Mail

‘An insightful and engrossing picture of life in Saudi Arabia.’
Saga Magazine

English Governess wanted for Prince and Princesses of Saudi Arabian Royal Family. Phyllis, desperately in need of a new start in life, answered the ad and soon found herself whisked off to the desert to look after the children of HRH Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz al Saud, the King’s brother.

Allowed out only when chaperoned, veiled and clad in black, this was indeed a very different life from her career in front of the camera. In this frank personal memoir, Phyllis describes her risky reactions to her secluded, alien lifestyle in a heavily guarded marble palace. Constantly faced with frustrating prohibitions and unexpected moral codes, both as a Governess and as a western woman, life was an unexpected challenge – one usually led in the interests of her royal charges.

With the unusual privilege of an insider’s view, Phyllis explores sympathetically her impressions of the country, of Islam, of Muslim beliefs and customs, and of Saudi dress, cuisine, and attitudes to family, women, marriage and divorce. Above all she gives a fascinating account of the secret life of what is effectively an all-female world, a world far away from her life on the sets of the Benny Hill show. A world where looking glamorous and sexy, and dancing without inhibition, is not just for men.