When the world’s press published photographs of the Duchess of York in various compromising poses with her "financial adviser", John Bryan, her royal career was allegedly finished. But the affair with Bryan was only just beginning. 

          Bryan, a modestly well-off American who was said to have convinced people, the Duchess among them, that he was vastly wealthy, and the Duchess, who was claimed to want out of the royal family but hoped to take the prestige and bankability of the Windsors with her, embarked upon a period of high spending which apparently left Bryan bankrupt and the Duchess with a world-famous overdraft. As Bryan’s friend and business partner, Allan Starkie was drawn into this relationship and as such travelled the world with the Duchess, becoming as much her confidant as Bryan’s. It is from this perspective that the author gives his account of the love affair.