Today is the 95th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. I am sure this birthday will be difficult for her following the recent loss of her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. However, I am sure that you will all join me in wishing Her Majesty a happy birthday.
I wanted to take a look at some of the books that have been written about our monarch. There are almost too many to choose from but below are the top ten that caught my eye.
My Husband and I: The Inside Story of a Royal Marriage by Ingrid Seward
Throughout her record-breaking reign until Prince Philip's death on 9 April 2021, she relied on the formidable partnership she had made with her consort. Now, after more than 70 years of their marriage, acclaimed royal biographer Ingrid Seward sheds new light on their relationship and its impact on their family and on the nation.
In My Husband and I, we discover the challenges faced by Prince Philip as he had to learn to play second fiddle to the Queen in all their public engagements, but we also get a revealing insight into how their relationship operated behind closed doors. As the years went by, there were rumours of marital troubles, fierce debates over how to bring up their children, and they had to deal with family traumas - from scandalous divorces to shocking deaths - in the full glare of the public eye. But somehow, their relationship endured and provided a model of constancy to inspire all around them. This book is not only a vivid portrait of a hugely important marriage, it is a celebration of the power of love.
The Last Queen: Elizabeth the II's Seventy Year Battle to Save the House of Windsor by Clive Irving
Clive Irving’s stunning new narrative biography The Last Queen probes the question of the British monarchy’s longevity. In 2021, the Queen Elizabeth II finally appears to be at ease in the modern world, helped by the new generation of Windsors. But through Irving’s unique insight there emerges a more fragile institution, whose extraordinarily dutiful matriarch has managed to persevere with dignity, yet in doing so made a Faustian pact with the media.
The Last Queen is not a conventional biography—and the book is therefore not limited by the traditions of that genre. Instead, it follows Elizabeth and her family’s struggle to survive in the face of unprecedented changes in our attitudes towards the royal family, with the critical eye of an investigative reporter who is present and involved on a highly personal level.
This biography from a New York Times bestselling author follows Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret as they navigate life in the royal spotlight. They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll abdicated the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called 'Lillibet.' And bow to her wishes. Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system—and her fraught relationship with its expectations—was often a source of tension.. This book explores their relationship over the years.
As the Queen, she has endlessly traveled the globe, been introduced to every leading icon of the 20th century, including the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and JFK, attended thousands of receptions and state functions; while concurrently being a mother to four children under the constant glare of public scrutiny. These photographs cover every aspect of her reign: the early years, coming of age during World War II, becoming a wife, Queen and mother, the Royal Tours, the palaces, the crowds, the weddings, the Royal Family, the Silver Jubilee in 1977, and the later years. God save her indeed!
Photographers included: Cecil Beaton, Studio Lisa, Dorothy Wilding, Karsh, Lord Snowdon, Patrick Lichfield, as well as more contemporary work from the likes of Wolfgang Tillmans, Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, and many others.
From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace.
In Elizabeth the Queen, we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes “heiress presumptive” when her uncle abdicates the throne. We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him, even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats. We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day. We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children. Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen’s daily routines—the “red boxes” of documents she reviews each day, the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers, her physically demanding tours abroad, and the constant scrutiny of the press—as well as her personal relationships: with Prince Philip, her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life; her children and their often-disastrous marriages; her grandchildren and friends.
On today's world stage, there is one leader who stands apart from the rest. Queen Elizabeth II has seen more of the planet and its people than any other head of state and has engaged with the world like no other monarch in modern history.
The iconic monarch never ventured further than the Isle of Wight until the age of 20 but since then has now visited over 130 countries across the globe in the line of duty, acting as diplomat, hostess and dignitary as the world stage as changed beyond recognition. It is a story full of drama, intrigue, exotic and sometimes dangerous destinations, heroes, rogues, pomp and glamour, but at the heart of it all a woman who's won the hearts of the world.
The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II by Karen Dolby
The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II is a celebration of the Queen's reign through some of her wittiest, most sarcastic and humorous observations, revealing a fascinating side of her personality that often remains hidden from the public.
When thinking of the Queen, our perception is often one of dignity and authority. She is seen as a serious figure: the British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the head of the Commonwealth. But as anyone who has ever met her will tell you, in person she has wicked sense of humour.
Occasionally unintentional, like asking guitar legend Eric Clapton, 'Have you been playing a long time?,' sometimes sarcastic, and at other times downright silly, royal humour touches on every aspect of life, while always retaining a strong sense of dignity.
The Little Princesses: The Story of Her Childhood by Marion Crawford
A twenty-two year old teacher recruited to look after the Duke and Duchess of York's young daughters in 1931, Marion Crawford--affectionately known as "Crawfie" by her charges--spent sixteen years with the Royal family as the children's governess. From King Edward VIII's abdication of the throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson and King George VI's subsequent crowning, through World War II, and all the way to Elizabeth's courtship and marriage to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Crawfie's memoir offers an intimate and revelatory perspective of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood during one of the most momentous eras in British history.
Initially honoured as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for her loyal service to the crown, Crawfie was later demonised by the press and ostracised by the royal family for the rest of her life as a result of The Little Princesses' publication. When compared to the modern media's relentless obsession with the House of Windsor, touching account of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's youth presents a poignant reminder of how much life has changed for the British Royals.
Once, a very long time ago, there was a little Princess called Elizabeth who loved to play and have fun with her horses, dogs and little sister, Margaret. But when she was ten years old, her life changed forever.
From growing up during the Second World War and training as an army mechanic, to celebrating VE day with the people of Britain and marrying the man she loved, this is the amazing true story of a little girl who became Queen Elizabeth II.
With fantastically fun, charming and playful illustrations by Pauline Reeves, this picture book will amaze and entertain young readers.
No comments:
Post a Comment