The Truth of the Palace Letters

Deceit, Ambush and Dismissal in 1975

NOT YET PUBLISHED

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Published 27-10-2022
ISBN 9780522877557
Pages 272
Subjects Australasian and Pacific history Politics and government
Imprint MUP

Discover the true meaning of the Palace Letters and their significance today.

In July 2020 the National Archives of Australia released the long-suppressed correspondence between Sir John Kerr and Queen Elizabeth II, written during Kerr's tumultuous tenure as Governor-General of Australia. The letters cover the constitutional crisis that culminated in Kerr's infamous dismissal of Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975. In The Truth of the Palace Letters Paul Kelly and Troy Bramston reveal their meaning and significance for understanding the dismissal. The analysis of these documents and their authors throws a revealing light on the connection between the Queen in Buckingham Palace and the Governor-General in Canberra. Coupled with newly discovered archival documents and interviews, Kelly and Bramston explain the implications of the letters for our Constitution, our democracy and the republic debate.

About The Author

Paul Kelly is editor-at-large and a former editor-in-chief of The Australian. He writes on Australian politics, policy, history and international relations, and has covered every prime minister from Gough Whitlam to Anthony Albanese. He has written or co-authored twelve books on our politics and history.

Kelly is a regular television commentator. He has been…

About The Author

Troy Bramston is a senior writer and columnist with The Australian. He is the author or editor of nine books, including Paul Keating: The Big-picture Leader (2016), which was shortlisted for both a Walkley Award and the National Biography Award; Robert Menzies: The Art of Politics (2019); and Rudd, Gillard and Beyond (2014). He co-authored…