Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II was not born to reign. Like that other great Queen in modern history, Victoria, the Throne came to her by indirect means. Yet she would become one of the most beloved monarchs in history, surpassing almost every entry in the royal record book. She has also remained something of a mystery – and this intimate portrait will reveal the real woman behind the crown.

No one has written more authoritatively on the life of Elizabeth II than Robert Hardman, the only best-selling biographer to have interviewed the entire Royal Family. Spanning nearly nine decades of her life, he shares the nuances of Elizabeth II's personal story, and how in representing the throne she also led a full life of her own behind the public eye.

On the centenary of her birth, Essential Elizabeth brings the extraordinary story of Elizabeth II's life to a new audience in a fresh, accessible, concise portrait – one which will enthral those who have come to realise that she was not merely the most famous woman in the world, but was one of history’s all-time greats.