--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating…" description: "\"'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least because it shines a light on a very dark corner of Foreign Office dealings. Diplomatic spouse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg" --- # 'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least… ![“'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least because it shines a light on a very dark corner of Foreign Office dealings. Diplomatic spouses are the Aunt Sallys of the foreign service: responsible for nearly everything, recognised for almost nothing.” quote by Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg) > “'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least because it shines a light on a very dark corner of Foreign Office dealings. Diplomatic spouses are the Aunt Sallys of the foreign service: responsible for nearly everything, recognised for almost nothing.” [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Diplomatic spouses perform essential, unseen labor, yet receive little recognition. **In simple terms:** Spouses support diplomacy behind the scenes. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and value their contributions. Themes diplomacy gender recognition Mood reflective critical Type historical social When to use this quote - policy analysis - historical research - public talks Key Concepts social history gender studies Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions better honor these roles? - What stories remain untold? A Different Perspective Visibility often remains limited in official narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Foreign service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-service/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [The one cheering aspect of 'Daughters of Britannia' is the extraordinary tenacity and resilience of Hickman's women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/the-one-cheering-aspect-of-daughters-of-britannia-is-the/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [From Lady Carlisle's trip to Moscow in 1663 to Veronica Atkinson's tour of duty during the 1989 Romanian revolution, it is clear that very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/from-lady-carlisle-s-trip-to-moscow-in-1663-to-veronica-atkinson-s/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Moskin has brought together with care and lucidity an inside history of American diplomacy written through the eyes of the many diplomats who conceived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-r-pickering/moskin-has-brought-together-with-care-and-lucidity-an-inside-history/) Thomas R. Pickering > [A fascinating book and a great pleasure to read: Betool Khedairi is a talented new voice in fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaa-al-aswany/a-fascinating-book-and-a-great-pleasure-to-read-betool-khedairi-is-a/) [Alaa Al Aswany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaa-al-aswany/) > [He Stopped Loving Her Today" a fascinating book about the making of a record. Really, to be honest, it has some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclanahan/he-stopped-loving-her-today-a-fascinating-book-about-the-making-of-a/) [Scott McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclanahan/) > [In rich and captivating prose, Jessica DuLong kindly invites the rest of us on the journey of her lifetime: from a dot-com job to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/in-rich-and-captivating-prose-jessica-dulong-kindly-invites-the-rest/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [You cannot even begin to understand contemporary African politics if you have not read this fascinating book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-geldof/you-cannot-even-begin-to-understand-contemporary-african-politics-if/) [Bob Geldof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-geldof/) > [The full history of the interlocking participation of the Imperial German Government and international finance in the destruction of the Russian Empire is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-brasol/the-full-history-of-the-interlocking-participation-of-the-imperial/) Boris Brasol > [People are mistaken if they think the Foreign Office can get you out of jail. We can't, but we will work hard to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/people-are-mistaken-if-they-think-the-foreign-office-can-get-you-out/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [I am delighted that India will be my first official visit since taking up my appointment as a Foreign Office Minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alok-sharma/i-am-delighted-that-india-will-be-my-first-official-visit-since/) [Alok Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alok-sharma/) > [The Foreign Office works hard to remind people of local laws and customs as often they can be very different to British law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/the-foreign-office-works-hard-to-remind-people-of-local-laws-and/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [“A Foreign Office diplomat in London wrote in the margins of a Tehran report: “I tend to the view that Musaddiq still enjoys some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/a-foreign-office-diplomat-in-london-wrote-in-the-margins-of-a-tehran/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) > [During the early months of the war in 1914 there was a conflict of opinion between the War Office and the Foreign Office regarding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gibbs/during-the-early-months-of-the-war-in-1914-there-was-a-conflict-of/) [Philip Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gibbs/) > [We need to build on our diplomatic networks, and the unrivalled expertise of our Foreign Office, to project a positive image for Britain as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/we-need-to-build-on-our-diplomatic-networks-and-the-unrivalled/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [The Foreign Office is a very important arm of the British state and I think Britain has a fantastic diplomatic service. We are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/the-foreign-office-is-a-very-important-arm-of-the-british-state-and-i/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) ## More by Amanda Foreman > [When I read 'The Master', I felt that I had read a true classic. It's so rare nowadays that you have that feeling: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/when-i-read-the-master-i-felt-that-i-had-read-a-true-classic-it-s-so/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Over the years, the writers at DC Comics softened Wonder Woman's powers in ways that would have infuriated Marston. During the 1960s, she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/over-the-years-the-writers-at-dc-comics-softened-wonder-woman-s/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [“trying his best to discourage them,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/trying-his-best-to-discourage-them/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [When I was in my twenties, I strongly identified with Jane Austen's 'Emma' - her human failings mixed with a desire to do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-i-strongly-identified-with-jane-austen-s/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Almost the first thing Obama did in the White House was to return the bust of Winston Churchill to the British embassy. That suggests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/almost-the-first-thing-obama-did-in-the-white-house-was-to-return-the/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [As a working mother, wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law, I have to make constant moral choices. Every choice I make results in someone else suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/as-a-working-mother-wife-daughter-and-daughter-in-law-i-have-to-make/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [For centuries, divorce in the West was a male tool of control - a legislative chastity belt designed to ensure that a wife had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/for-centuries-divorce-in-the-west-was-a-male-tool-of-control-a/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [The creators of Wonder Woman had no interest in proving an actual link to the past. In some parts of the academic world, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/the-creators-of-wonder-woman-had-no-interest-in-proving-an-actual/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Teach her story to future generations, and at least the moral debt owed to Jean McConville can be repaid. Jean McConville. Jean McConville. Jean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/teach-her-story-to-future-generations-and-at-least-the-moral-debt/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Today, we are fortunate that the historical novel has reached such extraordinary heights of technical mastery. The ability of society to connect with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/today-we-are-fortunate-that-the-historical-novel-has-reached-such/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [In 1861, Bachofen published his radical thesis that the Amazons were not a myth but a fact. In his view, humanity started out under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/in-1861-bachofen-published-his-radical-thesis-that-the-amazons-were/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [It isn't enough for a book to be transporting or entertaining; it must also come from a place of knowledge and an understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/it-isn-t-enough-for-a-book-to-be-transporting-or-entertaining-it-must/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [When women do take on traditionally male subjects, certain male colleagues can seem affronted that a woman has dared to trespass on their subject.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/when-women-do-take-on-traditionally-male-subjects-certain-male/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [A small foot in China, no different from a tiny waist in Victorian England, represented the height of female refinement. For families with marriageable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/a-small-foot-in-china-no-different-from-a-tiny-waist-in-victorian/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [The photograph of the Queen sitting stiffly across the table from Glasgow resident Susan McCarron is so natural and expressive that it looks utterly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/the-photograph-of-the-queen-sitting-stiffly-across-the-table-from/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) [Explore all 69 Amanda Foreman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) ## More Analysis quotes > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) Frank H. T. Rhodes > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) Edward Greenspon > [As long as the human race is able to concern itself with more than mere survival, soccer will have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/as-long-as-the-human-race-is-able-to-concern-itself-with-more-than/) [Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/) > [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“You will do one of two things as soon as you’ve exhausted what you can determine mathematically in the case: (1) Refine your hypothesis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/you-will-do-one-of-two-things-as-soon-as-you-ve-exhausted-what-you/) [Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/) > [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/) Jeremy Shearmur > [Class is entirely intangible, and the way it affects things isn't subject to scientific analysis, and it's not supposed to be real but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/class-is-entirely-intangible-and-the-way-it-affects-things-isn-t/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-ve-always-made-my-decisions-based-on-two-factors-intellectual/) [Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/) > [Analysis of opponents is something I like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/analysis-of-opponents-is-something-i-like-doing/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [We are well aware that he spent many hours recently tape recording various messages... we need to do a little more analysis of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-hoon/we-are-well-aware-that-he-spent-many-hours-recently-tape-recording/) [Geoff Hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-hoon/) [Browse all 1,547 Analysis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least because it shines a light on a very dark corner of Foreign Office dealings. Diplomatic spouses are the Aunt Sallys of the foreign service: responsible for nearly everything, recognised for almost nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amanda Foreman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating-book-not-least-because-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Analysis" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating-book-not-least-because-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/amanda-foreman-9894_analysis_daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating_2736742.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating book, not least because it shines a light on a very dark corner of…” — Amanda Foreman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amanda Foreman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'Daughters of Britannia' is a fascinating...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating-book-not-least-because-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/daughters-of-britannia-is-a-fascinating-book-not-least-because-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```