Biography

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

  • Downloads：9681
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-09-10 00:21:52
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Sally Bedell Smith
  • ISBN：0812979796
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
  • Download

Summary

“An excellent， all-embracing new biography。”—The New York Times
 
From the moment of her ascension to the throne at age twenty-five， Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled admiration and 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 extraordinary detail the public and private lives of one of the world’s most fascinating and enigmatic women。 In Elizabeth the Queen， we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes “heiress presumptive” when her uncle abdicates the throne。 We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children。 And we gain insight into the Queen’s daily routines， 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。
 
Scrupulously researched and compulsively readable， Elizabeth the Queen is a close-up view of the lively， brilliant， and steadfast woman we’ve known only from a distance， and a captivating window into life at the center of the last great monarchy。
 
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
 
“[An] imposing， yet nimbly written， biography [that] dwarfs the field 。 。 。 a most satisfying and enjoyable read， one to be savored at length。”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

Download

Reviews

Nicholas Artrip ，

A certain bias and glossiness dominates this biography， which was nevertheless interesting。 I would have preferred more on her childhood years！ Though I certainly wish QEII no ill luck， I think a more honest and critical look will come once her reign has ended and we have the benefit of time and distance from the subject。

Trudy Dowling ，

Wonderful， detailed book。

Dusty Brown ，

I enjoy reading about the Royal Family

Literary Redhead ，

I learned so much from this fabulous bio of Queen Elizabeth。 A must-read for anyone interested in Britain's longest-reigning monarch。 I learned so much from this fabulous bio of Queen Elizabeth。 A must-read for anyone interested in Britain's longest-reigning monarch。 。。。more

Tisha ，

This is a very detailed look at Queen Elizabeth's entire life。 I learned so much about what the Queen actually does and how she fits into the government。 This is a very detailed look at Queen Elizabeth's entire life。 I learned so much about what the Queen actually does and how she fits into the government。 。。。more

Jamie ，

EXCEPTIONALLY well done and so well put together！ I absolutely loved my experience from start to finish and wanted even more！ Don't know why I have been so afraid to give this one a try for so long。 Think I am always intimidated of memoirs or biographies of great size， but then I always enjoy them！ And this one was no different。 Absolutely fascinating！ Learned so very much about lovely QEII。 EXCEPTIONALLY well done and so well put together！ I absolutely loved my experience from start to finish and wanted even more！ Don't know why I have been so afraid to give this one a try for so long。 Think I am always intimidated of memoirs or biographies of great size， but then I always enjoy them！ And this one was no different。 Absolutely fascinating！ Learned so very much about lovely QEII。 。。。more

Ann ，

Part of my Platinum Jubilee reading！

Catherine ，

4。5。 A great， comprehensive look at Queen Elizabeth II’s life and reign。

Lin Bishop ，

Well written and gives a wee peek into the life and history of Elizabeth II and her reign。 I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about our current Queen and the behind the scenes of her private life。 She has， at this point in time， lost her beloved Philip， celebrated her platinum jubilee， and approved Camilla to be called the Queen Consort when Charles takes the throne upon his mother’s death。 It’s a good read。

Hannah ，

This was a fantastic look into the Queen。 I couldn't put it down and was truly touched by her sacrifice and dedication to the Commonwealth。 This was a fantastic look into the Queen。 I couldn't put it down and was truly touched by her sacrifice and dedication to the Commonwealth。 。。。more

Joni Newman ，

A somewhat rosy view of the monarch-Smith seems hesitant to provide much critique of the Queen and the book is very much pro-monarchy in general。 （For instance， I think the chapters that touched on the relationship of Charles and Diana were much harsher on Diana than on Charles， when there is pretty solid evidence that they were both cagey and awful to/for each other。） I'd have liked a more balanced approach overall， but I have to admit that it's hard to be too harsh on the Queen herself。 She's A somewhat rosy view of the monarch-Smith seems hesitant to provide much critique of the Queen and the book is very much pro-monarchy in general。 （For instance， I think the chapters that touched on the relationship of Charles and Diana were much harsher on Diana than on Charles， when there is pretty solid evidence that they were both cagey and awful to/for each other。） I'd have liked a more balanced approach overall， but I have to admit that it's hard to be too harsh on the Queen herself。 She's a fascinating person， and even if the biography did seem a bit soft on her， perhaps she herself has earned all of that grace and benefit of the doubt。 Small quibbles aside， this is a very detailed and enjoyable read。 I'd recommend it。 。。。more

T。O。 Clark ，

I have SO enjoyed reading your book about the Queen。 At year 2000 I was already worried that this bio would end in 2012。 Please say you are working on a sequel starting in 2013 to tell more trials and triumphs the Queen has survived。 I cannot imagine anyone better than you to write the final years of a remarkable and fascinating leader。 This is the best biography I've ever read about the greatest Monarch in British history。 I believe you have truly captured her personality and integrity 。Thank y I have SO enjoyed reading your book about the Queen。 At year 2000 I was already worried that this bio would end in 2012。 Please say you are working on a sequel starting in 2013 to tell more trials and triumphs the Queen has survived。 I cannot imagine anyone better than you to write the final years of a remarkable and fascinating leader。 This is the best biography I've ever read about the greatest Monarch in British history。 I believe you have truly captured her personality and integrity 。Thank you for a wonderful read！ Teresa O。 Clark 。。。more

Maaike Blok ，

A better title would be: ‘The Adoration of Queen Elizabeth’， written by ‘Fangirl Sally Bedell Smith’。 This book does not deserve to be called ‘a biography’。 It’s mere utter adoration of Elizabeth。 It’s superficial， it’s very subjective， it’s always in defense of the queen。 She probably wouldn’t even like it herself。 Even worse: it’s pure malicious against Lady Diana， who -needless to say， can not defend herself。 No， just no。

Ralphz ，

I was fairly OK with QE 2 before I read this excellent book。 Now I'm a big fan。 Whatta gal。 This seemingly evenhanded book is long look at the monarch， written 10 years ago when her 60th anniversary was coming up。 It starts with her unusual childhood， her role in WWII， and then her sudden ascension to the throne in her early 20s。 You see the challenges she faced as the world， and her world， changed around her。 She marries， has kids and oversees the dismantling of Empire and the beginning of the I was fairly OK with QE 2 before I read this excellent book。 Now I'm a big fan。 Whatta gal。 This seemingly evenhanded book is long look at the monarch， written 10 years ago when her 60th anniversary was coming up。 It starts with her unusual childhood， her role in WWII， and then her sudden ascension to the throne in her early 20s。 You see the challenges she faced as the world， and her world， changed around her。 She marries， has kids and oversees the dismantling of Empire and the beginning of the Commonwealth。 And she has a sly way of handling politics without becoming political。 Some of the biggest challenges were because of her own children's bad behavior， and their various spouses， especially Diana， who really was a mess。 As this book wraps up， all looks positive as the author figures the 60th would be the last big celebration for the Queen - but here she is at her 70th。 New challenges - the death of Prince Philip， the Harry and Meghan drama - make the future look cloudier。 But the Queen will certainly face the world with her stalwart， dignified， humorous personality。 。。。more

Lauren Gurnee ，

A good look into the inner workings of the monarchy， as well as the long reign of the Queen。 It sheds light on some of the scandals of the royal family and offers new perspective which was surprising

Tami ，

I enjoyed learning more about Queen Elizabeth II。 My perspective on who she is and what exactly her and all the other royal family do for the Commonwealth has totally changed。 I had no idea the influence and the good that she has done over the past several decades。 She is a remarkable faithful， knowledgeable leader who truly tries to understand the people she serves while still being a wife， mother， grandmother， daughter and sister。 I think my favorite line she shared is that "Grief is the price I enjoyed learning more about Queen Elizabeth II。 My perspective on who she is and what exactly her and all the other royal family do for the Commonwealth has totally changed。 I had no idea the influence and the good that she has done over the past several decades。 She is a remarkable faithful， knowledgeable leader who truly tries to understand the people she serves while still being a wife， mother， grandmother， daughter and sister。 I think my favorite line she shared is that "Grief is the price we pay for Love" She's human just like the rest of us。 。。。more

Keri ，

I’m not a regular royal “watcher” or “follower。” However， this was very readable and well written。 I learned a lot and enjoyed it！

Jay ，

A very detailed and interesting biography of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II。 This book covers not only the life of the queen but the entire Windsor family and the many events and trials they have faced throughout the Queen’s reign。 I found the book very objective and provided explanations of some actions of the Queen that may have been presented somewhat negatively in recent movie and mini series programs。 I have a new appreciation of the service that has been provided by the Queen and Windsor f A very detailed and interesting biography of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II。 This book covers not only the life of the queen but the entire Windsor family and the many events and trials they have faced throughout the Queen’s reign。 I found the book very objective and provided explanations of some actions of the Queen that may have been presented somewhat negatively in recent movie and mini series programs。 I have a new appreciation of the service that has been provided by the Queen and Windsor family not only to the United Kingdom but throughout the world。 。。。more

Jung ，

Britain has changed a lot in the last 70 years。 Go back to the early ’50s， and you’ll find a nation still repairing after the destruction of the Second World War。 A nation where rationing was still in place。 Back then， Britain was an industrial world power – and it still had an empire， albeit one that was being slowly dismantled。Fast forward to the twenty-first century， and the difference is huge。 Britain is a multicultural society。 It’s a world leader in culture， not heavy industry。 The British Britain has changed a lot in the last 70 years。 Go back to the early ’50s， and you’ll find a nation still repairing after the destruction of the Second World War。 A nation where rationing was still in place。 Back then， Britain was an industrial world power – and it still had an empire， albeit one that was being slowly dismantled。Fast forward to the twenty-first century， and the difference is huge。 Britain is a multicultural society。 It’s a world leader in culture， not heavy industry。 The British Empire no longer exists and Britons are no longer deferential to authority; politicians are mocked and laughed at。 In short， Britain now is almost completely different from Britain in 1952。 Well， apart from one key aspect: Queen Elizabeth II。For over 70 years， the Queen has had to balance on a knife-edge。 She must， on the one hand， be extraordinary –⁠ almost superhuman –⁠ existing as she does as a living symbol of British history and tradition。 Yet， on the other hand， she must be human –⁠ almost， but not quite， like one of her subjects。The Queen’s role is a unique one in modern society。 She reigns， but she doesn’t rule。 She can’t vote， appear as a witness in court， or change her faith。 But despite her lack of tangible power， she influences her people by example， living out the principles of unity， service， and dignity。---Chapter 1: Becoming QueenHundreds of thousands of spectators thronged together in the wind， rain， and cold one morning in 1953。 They stood cheek to cheek alongside some of London’s most famous landmarks –⁠ Trafalgar Square， Oxford Circus， Buckingham Palace –⁠ to see a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle。 The event was， of course， the coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth II。More than a year earlier， Elizabeth’s father， George VI， had died in his sleep。 At that very moment， Elizabeth became Queen。 In response， Prime Minister Winston Churchill had heralded the forthcoming era as “a new Elizabethan age。” Churchill’s message reinvigorated the public at a time when Britain was struggling with shortages， destruction leftover from World War II， and fears of communist expansion in the Cold War。And Churchill was a major presence during Elizabeth’s coronation preparations –⁠ even， perhaps， her most ardent cheerleader。 The British Bulldog had met Elizabeth when she was just two years old， declaring that he sensed from her “an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant。”Elizabeth has carried that air of authority with her throughout her reign， which began on that blustery day in 1953。 She was whisked to Westminster in the extravagant Gold State Coach wearing her great-great-grandmother’s diadem and white satin coronation gown。She was then led into the Abbey， where she approached and then stood by King Edward’s Chair， the one on which she’d sit to be crowned。 The archbishop began the “recognition，” which presented her to the 7，500 distinguished guests。 After that， she swore the coronation oath， in which she pledged to honor the laws of Great Britain and all its territories and realms。Next， it was time for the most spiritual part of the ceremony: the anointing。 Elizabeth’s robe， gloves， jewelry， and diadem were removed。 She was helped into a plain white shift with a pleated skirt。 This gave her the appearance of youth and vulnerability –⁠ and indeed， Elizabeth was just 25 years oldFrom the crowd， Elizabeth’s first child， the four-year-old Prince Charles， watched with wide eyes。 He sat between his grandmother， the Queen Mother， and his aunt， Elizabeth’s younger sister， Princess Margaret。 “Look， it’s Mummy！” he said to his grandmother， who looked on with an expression of sadness mixed with pride。 Meanwhile， Margaret held back tears。 She felt as if she was losing her big sister to this all-important duty， so soon after losing her father， too。Wearing the gold robes， Elizabeth was presented with her regalia， which included gold bracelets， a coronation ring， jeweled scepters， and an orb topped by precious jewels。 The archbishop blessed the solid gold crown， held it aloft， and then placed it on her head。 Cannons exploded in Hyde Park and the Tower of London， while shouts of “God Save the Queen！” rang out from the abbey。 Elizabeth II had officially become the United Kingdom’s new monarch。---Chapter 2: The Queen’s Prime MinistersThe nature of the Queen’s role is simultaneously one of change and constancy。 She remains on the throne regardless of who leads parliament。 As such， she’s had to develop relationships with all of the prime ministers who have held office since her reign began。The first and most significant of them all was， of course， Winston Churchill。 After Elizabeth’s coronation， her already close bond with Churchill grew even closer。 They connected over their shared experiences during World War II， and both loved breeding and racing horses。 These topics were commonly on the table during their weekly Tuesday evening meetings。Churchill yielded his premiership at the age of 80， in 1955， having steadily grown more feeble and prone to memory lapses over the years。 During his farewell dinner， he toasted the Queen as a “young， gleaming champion” of “the sacred causes and wise and kindly way of life。” Afterward， Elizabeth wrote in a letter to Churchill that no other prime minister would “ever， for me， be able to hold the place of my first Prime Minister。”After and including Churchill， Elizabeth’s prime ministers were a string of Conservatives: Anthony Eden， Harold Macmillan， and Alec Douglas-Home。 Labour –⁠ the UK’s leftwing party –⁠ didn’t win the premiership until Harold Wilson in 1964。The Queen is obliged to disregard the prime minister’s political leanings。 However， Wilson’s divergence from his predecessors’ views did create some humorous moments。 After Wilson implemented a policy called “Social Contract” for labor unions， one of the Queen’s men suggested that would be a good name for one of her young horses。 Despite Wilson’s apparent mismatch with the institution of the monarchy， he “would have died for her，” within three months of meeting the Queen， according to the Queen Mother。 While Churchill was something of a father figure to Elizabeth， her relationship with Wilson was more of a friendship。 He found， to his surprise， that he could relax around her， and that she was genuinely interested in hearing what he had to sayThatcher and Elizabeth had quite a bit in common。 For starters， they were born within six months of each other， which made it easier to relate。 Plus， they were both mothers and at the same time professional， hard-working women who’d found ways to thrive in male-dominated spheres。However， there were also points that kept them distant from one another。 Thatcher lacked the Queen’s sense of humor， and she tended to dominate conversations and lecture at people， which the Queen disliked。 Both women were reluctant to discuss their feelings， which meant they could never quite form a deeper， more personal bond。Thatcher was deeply deferential to the monarch。 According to diplomat Charles Powell， “No one could curtsy lower than Margaret Thatcher。” Even so， she found herself at odds with the Queen just three months after taking office。At that time， the white minority government of the British territory Rhodesia was under threat from majority Black guerrilla forces led by Marxist Robert Mugabe。 Worried about the potential threat the guerrilla forces posed， Thatcher tried to dissuade the Queen from attending a proposed peace conference thereBehind the scenes， she continued speaking to the African leaders privately in her bungalow。 She conveyed sympathy for them and displayed genuine knowledge of their problems。 This impressed the leaders and made them feel as if she truly did care。 In doing so， the Queen brought down the temperature of the situation and enabled Thatcher to better facilitate the Lusaka Accord， which called for a constitutional conference in London later that year。 The Queen’s presence had made it happen。---Chapter 3: Calm Amidst the StormThe Queen was sitting atop her nineteen-year-old black mare， Burmese， which had been a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police。 The year was 1981， the month June， and the Queen was enjoying her birthday parade in the sun。The celebration came just a few weeks away from her son Charles’ marriage to Lady Diana Spencer。 The pair had begun a fast-paced courtship a year earlier during a house party in Sussex。 The press and public alike had immediately fallen in love with the alluring， shy， charismatic Diana –⁠ but her relationship with Charles was fraught from the beginning。 Diana’s difficult childhood had left her with deep scars that resulted in emotional instability， a tendency to lie， and obsessive behaviors。But just before 11:00 a。m。， as the Queen turned right toward the parade ground， the unthinkable happened。 Six gunshots rang out from within the crowd。 The horse cantered forward， having been startled –⁠ but the Queen remained firmly in charge。 She calmly and instinctively settled Burmese by pulling on both of the reins， as guards and members of the crowd tackled the gunman。 The shots， fortunately， had been blanks。This wouldn’t be the first time the Queen would need to calm a startled horse in the midst of an important event。 Almost exactly a year later， in June 1982， Ronald and Nancy Reagan had come to Windsor Castle to visit the Queen and Prince Philip as personal guests –⁠ the first American presidential couple to stay overnight at Windsor Castle。 The highlight of the trip was a horseback ride that President Reagan and the Queen were scheduled to take together， which would serve as an excellent photo opportunity for the American leader。Just a month later， Elizabeth once again showed her pluck in the face of danger。 At 7:15 a。m。， she heard the slam of a door。 It couldn’t be Philip –⁠ he’d already left that morning for an engagement elsewhere –⁠ and her staff were never so careless。 When she sat up in her bed， she was faced with the sight of a barefooted man wearing a T-shirt and jeans。 He was opening her curtains， and he held a shard of glass in his hand。 Blood dripped from his thumb as he walked over to sit at the foot of her bed。“Get out of here at once！” the Queen shouted。 But the intruder –⁠ Michael Fagan， who had， in fact， already managed to sneak into the Palace once before –⁠ began venting to the Queen about his personal problems。 To keep him calm， the Queen listened patiently and commented sympathetically， all while trying to summon help using the emergency button in her room。 Despite the shock of the situation， her demeanor remained preternaturally calm。---Chapter 4: Annus HorribilisThe Queen arrived in Washington on Tuesday， May 14， 1991， in the thick of the Gulf War。 She spent three days in Washington attending 18 engagements， then visited six cities in Florida and Texas before making her way back to London。 Despite the hectic schedule， the Queen would remember the time as one of peace compared to what she’d soon deal with upon her return。By this time， Prince Charles and Princess Diana were near their tenth wedding anniversary –⁠ and the preexisting fractures in their marriage had worsened。 Charles had reignited his affair with his former girlfriend， Camilla， while Diana had done the same with her former riding instructor， James Hewitt。The tabloids were already ablaze， but the drama was poised to become a conflagration。 Andrew Morton， a writer for the Sun tabloid， had begun writing a book exposing the royal drama –⁠ with Princess Diana as his secret collaborator。At Christmastime， Andrew and Fergie told the Queen that they were considering a separation。 After Fergie was photographed in Morocco with Wyatt less than a month later， Andrew brought in his lawyers， and the separation was officially announced in March of 1992。The worst， however， was still to come。 June 1992 would mark the Queen’s 40th year on the throne。 Under ordinary circumstances， the month would be marked by celebrations and tributes to that significant milestone。But before any of that could get underway， the Sunday Times published its first excerpt from Andrew Morton’s book， titled Diana: Her True Story。 The day the book was officially released， Charles and Diana met with the Queen and Prince Philip。 Charles said little， but Diana was in tears， continuing to reiterate that she hadn’t helped the book’s author。 The subject of divorce was brought up， but Elizabeth and Philip advised the couple to stay together and learn to compromise。The next day， Diana and Charles were requested to return， but Diana failed to show up。 Instead， she packed up her things and left Windsor Castle entirely。 This prompted Prince Philip to write her a letter offering marriage advice –⁠ the first of a long series of exchanges between the two。 Diana seemed to genuinely appreciate Philip’s advice， yet he failed to change her mind。The saga of Fergie and Andrew was also far from over。 On August 20， Fergie was photographed lounging topless in the French Riviera with her two children and her “financial advisor，” John Bryan。 Other photos depicted Bryan kissing Fergie’s toes and embracing her in front of one of the children。 The display was humiliating for the whole royal family， and for Fergie most of all。 She apologized to the furious Queen， and she was barred from returning to the family’s Scottish estate in Balmoral for 16 years。Four days after the story about Fergie broke， Diana was back in the news again。 The Sun published an article headlined “MY LIFE IS TORTURE，” which quoted from a surreptitiously recorded telephone conversation between Diana and a friend named James Gilbey。 During the conversation， Gilbey infamously referred to Diana as “Squidgy，” and Diana made a series of disparaging and bitter remarks about the royal family。 Everything came to a crescendo on Friday， November 20， the 45th wedding anniversary of the Queen and Philip。 Elizabeth was beginning an appointment late in the morning when she received a phone call from Prince Andrew。 Part of Windsor Castle was ablaze。 The fire destroyed or damaged nine staterooms and over 100 others。 To the Queen， the fire symbolized a divine punishment for her family’s behavior。 The cost of the repairs was estimated to be between £20 million and £40 million。A few days after the fire， the Queen appeared at the Guildhall in the City of London for a luncheon honoring her 40 years on the throne。 Her voice was raspy from smoke inhalation， and she was suffering from a severe cold and a 101-degree fever。 In her speech， she admitted that 1992 was “not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure。” She continued: “In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents， it has turned out to be an ‘Annus Horribilis。’ ” The term was all too accurate。---Chapter 5: Diamond JubileeIt was another bitterly cold day， with snow coating every surface in sight。 The Queen was in Norfolk， England， receiving an address from a local mayor。 Exactly 60 years earlier， her father， George VI， had died， passing the crown to his eldest daughter。 That made 2012 Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee， and the mayor’s address marked the start of the festivities honoring her long years of service。 After hearing him speak， Elizabeth dropped in at a nearby school， where the children gave a performance and celebrated her with three cheers。The following week， the Queen gave an address of her own at Lambeth Palace， her first major speech in the jubilee year。 The location was significant: the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury。 This gave the ceremony a strong religious flavor， matched by the primary guests –⁠ nine leaders from the most common faiths in Britain。 As such， her address underlined her faith。 Specifically， she emphasized the Church of England’s role in fostering tolerance and cooperation in an increasingly diverse United Kingdom。After Elizabeth’s address， the bulk of the jubilee festivities began in March。 Her children and grandchildren were sent around the world as her representatives， appearing at events and taking tours。 They were also asked to accompany her on visits to ten regions of the United Kingdom over the course of five months。 By involving her descendants so deeply in the celebrations， the Queen signaled the increasing role they would play in her royal affairs in the years to come。The first major event brought the Queen together with Camilla， Charles’ consort， and Catherine， wife of Prince William。 They met together for tea at the famous Piccadilly department store， Fortnum & Mason， which was meant to show a lighthearted， chummy side to the three women。At this point， support for the monarchy was nearly at an all-time high。 Thanks to the positive polls， the Queen’s planners felt confident enough to roll out regional tours in the traditionally anti-monarchist North of England， specifically in Leicester。 The northern city was the most multicultural in Britain and thus presented an opportunity to celebrate the increasing multiculturalism of the nation。 Performances held there included Bollywood dancers， Sikh drummers， a Zimbabwean women’s choir， Chinese umbrella dancers， and a traditional Anglican church service。On March 20， the Queen addressed both houses of Parliament in the 900-year-old Westminster Hall。 It was only the sixth time in her reign that she had done so。 In her speech， she invoked Britain’s past: “the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience， ingenuity and tolerance which created it。” And she pledged to “rededicate myself to the service of our great country。” She acknowledged her husband， Philip’s， strength and dedication to her， as well as her children’s commitment to representing her overseas。 Upon finishing the speech， the audience stood and clapped for a minute and a half。 It was⁠ an acknowledgment of the Queen’s poise， diplomacy， and commitment to the nation she had for so long stood as a symbol。---In February 2022， Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee， the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne。 She is the first British monarch to have reigned for this long， having surpassed Queen Victoria’s record in September 2015。 After she passes away， her son， Prince Charles， will take the throne， and after him her grandson， Prince William。Even as she ages into her nineties， the Queen remains high in spirits and mental fortitude， continuing to host engagements， attend meetings， and carry out her royal duties， though her children have also taken on increasing responsibility。 Though she can’t escape the drama that often swirls around her close relatives， the Queen， in true British fashion， always manages to keep a stiff upper lip。 。。。more

Bianca ，

A fascinating peek into the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II。 I learned so many things about the British monarch & her family that I didn't know that made them more down to earth than they appear。 A fascinating peek into the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II。 I learned so many things about the British monarch & her family that I didn't know that made them more down to earth than they appear。 。。。more

Henry ，

- The function of the British Queen has a lot to do with the history of the British Empire and the Commonwealth: she is the official （and unofficial） head of the Commonwealth empire。 The royal family's duty is to facilitate behind the scenes- Audiences: Churchill was a great cheerleader of the young queen。 However oddly enough， the queen didn't get along with Thatcher。 Unlike the Queen's style of wanting to stay behind the scene， Thatcher loved to lecture- Just like every other families， the roy - The function of the British Queen has a lot to do with the history of the British Empire and the Commonwealth: she is the official （and unofficial） head of the Commonwealth empire。 The royal family's duty is to facilitate behind the scenes- Audiences: Churchill was a great cheerleader of the young queen。 However oddly enough， the queen didn't get along with Thatcher。 Unlike the Queen's style of wanting to stay behind the scene， Thatcher loved to lecture- Just like every other families， the royal family has its own share of trouble。 However， being in spotlight， the royal family has their woes much more nakedly displayed 。。。more

Dawn ，

Taking the throne at age 25 in 1952， the author gives a fairly full history from the time “Lilbeth” was little to just before her Diamond Jubilee。 I liked this book at first， despite reading full titles， names， and relations over and over and over again as if the reader has the memory of a goldfish。 There’s also the not so subtle jabs at anyone who embarrassed the royal family in any way。 The last third of the book not only gets tedious， but repetitive and starts going off course into Prince Ch Taking the throne at age 25 in 1952， the author gives a fairly full history from the time “Lilbeth” was little to just before her Diamond Jubilee。 I liked this book at first， despite reading full titles， names， and relations over and over and over again as if the reader has the memory of a goldfish。 There’s also the not so subtle jabs at anyone who embarrassed the royal family in any way。 The last third of the book not only gets tedious， but repetitive and starts going off course into Prince Charles’ life， which is documented throughout the book。 。。。more

Kiel ，

Author makes no effort to hide their sycophantic adoration of Queen Elizabeth II or their vilification of Princess Diana。 In between some events are recalled （not necessarily in chronological order）， however opinions seem to be much more prevalent than facts。Also， the author acts like Charles cheating on Diana is all in her head and due to her own insecurities and obvious frailty， despite Charles’s “repeated denials that had talked to his former lover much less seen her。”😒 I think we all know ho Author makes no effort to hide their sycophantic adoration of Queen Elizabeth II or their vilification of Princess Diana。 In between some events are recalled （not necessarily in chronological order）， however opinions seem to be much more prevalent than facts。Also， the author acts like Charles cheating on Diana is all in her head and due to her own insecurities and obvious frailty， despite Charles’s “repeated denials that had talked to his former lover much less seen her。”😒 I think we all know how true and factual that is。 。。。more

X ，

There are some interesting bits and pieces in there but ultimately this is a very one-dimensional look at the royals。 It feels like a very sanitised account and the author barely criticises them at all （unless your name is Diana， of course）。 Is it really worth defending Prince Philip's "gaffes" and Prince Charles' lobbying of politicians rather than just admitting the royals were out of line？ （also I have to point out that it's total nonsense that the countryside was united against the fox hunti There are some interesting bits and pieces in there but ultimately this is a very one-dimensional look at the royals。 It feels like a very sanitised account and the author barely criticises them at all （unless your name is Diana， of course）。 Is it really worth defending Prince Philip's "gaffes" and Prince Charles' lobbying of politicians rather than just admitting the royals were out of line？ （also I have to point out that it's total nonsense that the countryside was united against the fox hunting ban as the author implies！ I grew up there and certainly don't know anyone that supports this， polling data also confirms this）Which brings me onto my other main criticism of this book， the author's very obvious biases。 It is very clear that the author supports the Conservative party， praising Tory politicians while pouring scorn on Labour ones （her simpering treatment of David Cameron has aged quite poorly）。 It is also very obvious that the author is American， American exceptionalism bleeds through the pages of this highly US-centric book。 We are regaled with endless stories about the Queen meeting this President or how this ambassador had an American mother， personally I couldn't care less。 Meanwhile the Queen's visits to Russia and China， which actually sound a lot more interesting and historically significant， get about a page of coverage each。 I would recommend waiting until after the Queen dies to seek out a more balanced coverage of her reign。 。。。more

Nancy ，

Sycophant， fatuous， partisan and neither insightful nor incisive。 Just one privileged incident after another， and at length。

Laura ，

Fascinating biography of the Queen current through 2012。 I learned so much about her and the monarchy in general。 Dispelled some media myths along the way and greatly increased my appreciation for the contributions she has made for the commonwealth and foreign relations。 Felt like it was a well-balanced account that acknowledged both weaknesses and strengths of the whole royal family but provided some insights from insiders that gave more context to what I had heard in media over the past 5 deca Fascinating biography of the Queen current through 2012。 I learned so much about her and the monarchy in general。 Dispelled some media myths along the way and greatly increased my appreciation for the contributions she has made for the commonwealth and foreign relations。 Felt like it was a well-balanced account that acknowledged both weaknesses and strengths of the whole royal family but provided some insights from insiders that gave more context to what I had heard in media over the past 5 decades （she's been reigning longer than I've been alive）。 。。。more

Nathalie （A Little Bit Shelf-ish） ，

DNFed at 15%

Gail Sacharski ，

Queen Elizabeth （the older version） reminds me of my mom &， since we have ancestry in English royalty lines， I often wonder if there's a connection somewhere。 In any case， she is one of my heroes & favorite people。 This book is a detailed & fascinating history from the abdication of Edward VIII， making her father， George VI， king through her childhood & the war years to his death & her accession in 1952 （my birth year）; from her early ruling years & births of her children through the changing ti Queen Elizabeth （the older version） reminds me of my mom &， since we have ancestry in English royalty lines， I often wonder if there's a connection somewhere。 In any case， she is one of my heroes & favorite people。 This book is a detailed & fascinating history from the abdication of Edward VIII， making her father， George VI， king through her childhood & the war years to his death & her accession in 1952 （my birth year）; from her early ruling years & births of her children through the changing times & difficulties with her children's marriages; through the loss of her only sister & her mother within six weeks of each other to modernising the role of the monarchy & ending with the celebration of her 60th year on the throne & William & Kate's wedding。 Through it all， she has been a stable influence， consistent， devoted to her country & its people， dedicated to duty & doing the right thing & she is much to be admired。 And behind all that is a feisty， horse-loving， Corgi mama with a dry sense of humor， straight-shooting & to the point， country woman at heart who loves tracking & hunting in her Scottish retreat where she bakes drop scones & washes dishes & stays calm & carries on。 She is one of the most amazing women， smart & quick to learn， generous， empathetic with a sharp eye & a sharp wit。 I love her & I loved this book which gives the behind the scenes story of a remarkable woman。 One of the most memorable books I read in grade school was called Lilibet about Elizabeth's life & this book met my expectations。 。。。more

Joanne ，

2。5 stars

April Aiken ，

Intricately insightful into the life of Queen Elizabeth II， and yet it seems to droll on sometimes。 I often found myself wondering what year events happened because the author didn’t make note of that， but otherwise it was written fairly linear throughout her life。 I enjoyed much of the “behind the scenes” thoughts and events of the Queen and her family。 As an avid fan of all things Royal and Princess Diana， I found the accounts of Diana more sad than I had remembered being portrayed in the medi Intricately insightful into the life of Queen Elizabeth II， and yet it seems to droll on sometimes。 I often found myself wondering what year events happened because the author didn’t make note of that， but otherwise it was written fairly linear throughout her life。 I enjoyed much of the “behind the scenes” thoughts and events of the Queen and her family。 As an avid fan of all things Royal and Princess Diana， I found the accounts of Diana more sad than I had remembered being portrayed in the media， but again， isn’t that what the media intends to do…pit sides against each other？ I enjoyed the book and its accounts， but in some ways， am thankful I’m done because it was so long。 The one thing to remember is the book finishes in 2012 and sadly insinuates her reign and lifetime will likely end soon。 And yet， here I sit in 2022， and she still reigns proudly， although minus her dutiful husband and a now-married grandson who has escaped to the US。 Overall， a good read with lots of back-stories， and it does a fantastic job of showing just how majestic and committed the Queen is to her country， her role， and her family。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0