![The Queen](/assets/artwork/1x1-42817eea7ade52607a760cbee00d1495.gif)
![The Queen](/assets/artwork/1x1-42817eea7ade52607a760cbee00d1495.gif)
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The Queen
Her Life
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4.1 • 40 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
#1 New York Times bestselling biographer Andrew Morton provides the definitive, most comprehensive account of Queen Elizabeth II's legendary reign.
Painfully shy, Elizabeth Windsor’s personality was well suited to her youthful ambition of living quietly in the country, raising a family, and caring for her dogs and horses. But when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated, she became heir to the throne—embarking on a journey that would test her as a woman and queen.
Ascending to the throne at only 25, this self-effacing monarch navigated endless setbacks, family conflict, and occasional triumphs throughout her 70 years as the Queen of England. As her mettle was tested, she endeavored to keep the monarchy relevant culturally, socially, and politically, often in the face of resistance from inside the institution itself. And yet the greatest challenges she faced were often inside her own family, forever under intense scrutiny; from rumors about her husband’s infidelity, her sister’s marital breakdown, Princess Diana’s tragic death, to the recent departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Now in The Queen, renowned biographer Andrew Morton takes an in-depth look at Britain’s longest reigning monarch, exploring the influence Queen Elizabeth had on both Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. From leading a nation struggling to restore itself after the devastation of the second World War to navigating the divisive political landscape of the present day, Queen Elizabeth was a reluctant but resolute queen. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as mother and grandmother to Great Britain, and one of the greatest sovereigns of the modern era.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Biographer Morton (Elizabeth & Margaret) reveals "the woman behind the mask" in this fluid if familiar biography of Queen Elizabeth II. He begins in 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, elevating Elizabeth's father to the throne and sending the 10-year-old princess to scratch out the name "Simpson" from her books. Also noted are the scandal caused by governess Marion "Crawfie" Crawford's 1950 memoir about her time with the royal family, and Elizabeth's reluctance to seriously consider other suitors after naval cadet Philip Mountbatten "caught the eye of the princess" aboard the royal yacht in 1939. Elizabeth's heightened role during WWII "emphasized and endorsed her stoical, reserved character," according to Morton, and led to sibling rivalry with her sister Margaret as she assumed more responsibilities. In a speech broadcast on her 21st birthday, Elizabeth vowed to the British public that she would devote her life "to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong"; less than five years later, she acceded to the throne after her father's death. Morton also delves into the "existential crisis" caused by the simultaneous implosions of Prince Charles and Prince Andrew's marriages, and recounts Prince Harry's demands that his fiancée Meghan Markle receive a special tiara fitting before their 2018 wedding. Incisive character sketches and a touch of gossip make this admiring biography go down smooth.
Customer Reviews
Like reading Netflix
Feels like I’m m reading the Netflix series, “The Crown”…this is more fact based and explicitly calls out conjecture that the tv series does not, but it feels like all the same “material”.