Elizabeth
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2023-03-02 09:52:43
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Gyles Brandreth
- ISBN：0241637961
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Summary
A personal account of the life and character of Britain's longest-reigning monarch
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This intimate， personal biography of Queen Elizabeth II tells the story of her remarkable life， reign and times， from a perspective unlike any other。 Gyles Brandreth writes the Queen's tale candidly with grace and sensitivity from the view of someone who met her， talked with her and kept a record of those conversations。 Brandreth knew the Queen's husband well and knows the new King and Queen Consort。
Told with authority， a refreshing dose of humour and moving honesty from a totally unique viewpoint， Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait is the must-have biography of the longest-serving monarch in English history， of a woman who represented not only her people but stood as an emblem of fortitude and resilience worldwide throughout her long life。 Elizabeth II - what was she really like？ What made her the person she was？
By GYLES BRANDRETH:
'The writer who got closest to the human truth about our long-serving senior royals。'
Libby Purves， THE TIMES
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This intimate， personal biography of Queen Elizabeth II tells the story of her remarkable life， reign and times， from a perspective unlike any other。 Gyles Brandreth writes the Queen's tale candidly with grace and sensitivity from the view of someone who met her， talked with her and kept a record of those conversations。 Brandreth knew the Queen's husband well and knows the new King and Queen Consort。
Told with authority， a refreshing dose of humour and moving honesty from a totally unique viewpoint， Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait is the must-have biography of the longest-serving monarch in English history， of a woman who represented not only her people but stood as an emblem of fortitude and resilience worldwide throughout her long life。 Elizabeth II - what was she really like？ What made her the person she was？
By GYLES BRANDRETH:
'The writer who got closest to the human truth about our long-serving senior royals。'
Libby Purves， THE TIMES
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Reviews
Amelia
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A very flowery book about the Queen， who Brandreth obviously adored。Maybe a little rushed， because while the chapters had some form， we raced from the deep past （all the way back to pre-Victoria） through to 2022 and back again within a couple of sentences at times。Far too much talk of Harry and Megan （who he obviously doesn't like）， far too little mention of Prince William and Catherine。Brief moment of illumination that even the Queen / her team played into the competition of who could get what A very flowery book about the Queen， who Brandreth obviously adored。Maybe a little rushed， because while the chapters had some form， we raced from the deep past （all the way back to pre-Victoria） through to 2022 and back again within a couple of sentences at times。Far too much talk of Harry and Megan （who he obviously doesn't like）， far too little mention of Prince William and Catherine。Brief moment of illumination that even the Queen / her team played into the competition of who could get what imagery into the media。Brandreth obviously had the opportunity to speak to many people who intimately knew the Queen， and this is definitely a book that could not have been published before her death。 But how much was written before she died， and how much of the muddle （and maybe lack of editing - could it have been shorter？） was due to it being rushed out？ 。。。more
Lara Pearce-Tripp
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Throughly enjoyed this book， definitely going to have it in my collection！
Jas
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The book seems to focus pretty heavily on conversations with Phillip， instead of Elizabeth。 I also hate the slight digs at everyone who isn’t the queen， they just take away from the book and make me feel like I’m reading another tabloid article。
Vivienne
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Excellent book by Giles Brandeth who actually knew her and not just made up accounts of her long wonderful life
Valerie Campbell Ackroyd
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Gentle and sweetThis is a good book for Royalists and， dipped into here and there， for anyone who wonders what the Queen might have been like behind the scenes and what she actually did for the 70 years of her reign。Brandreth knew her well and admired her。 Old school himself， his book is peppered with quotations from people who knew her as well as occasionally her own words。 It’s very dense and detailed so I would only recommend it—for those who like to read a book cover to cover—to dedicated Ro Gentle and sweetThis is a good book for Royalists and， dipped into here and there， for anyone who wonders what the Queen might have been like behind the scenes and what she actually did for the 70 years of her reign。Brandreth knew her well and admired her。 Old school himself， his book is peppered with quotations from people who knew her as well as occasionally her own words。 It’s very dense and detailed so I would only recommend it—for those who like to read a book cover to cover—to dedicated Royalists like myself。I liked it better than the Katie Nicholl book I read last year; it’s more gentle， less tabloid-y。 Brandreth makes little mention of the modern Meghan & Harry controversy; he’s actually quite kind about them because he says that’s what the Queen was， kind。 She found the whole tabloid culture wearisome， as did Prince Philip。So， in the end， this is indeed a memorial book written by an old friend with all kinds of British historical information。 。。。more
Rod Griffin
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This is an excellent biography of Queen Elizabeth written by someone who worked for the BBC， who is a writer but he also knew Prince Philip and Her Majesty as personal friends。 He spent a great deal of time with them over their lifetimes。 He presents many detailed personal and researched insights into their lives both personally and professionally that have never been heard before。 It is a documentary of her life of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth that she loved so much。 It al This is an excellent biography of Queen Elizabeth written by someone who worked for the BBC， who is a writer but he also knew Prince Philip and Her Majesty as personal friends。 He spent a great deal of time with them over their lifetimes。 He presents many detailed personal and researched insights into their lives both personally and professionally that have never been heard before。 It is a documentary of her life of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth that she loved so much。 It also testifies to the love that she had for her family and explains many of the family dynamics that the public was not always aware of。 Queen Elizabeth was a woman of deep faith， integrity and honor。 She was also a quiet person by nature who valued her privacy and that of her family。 Because of that， many times her actions， in family matters especially， were misunderstood by her country and the world。 Gyles Brandreth sheds new light on actions and circumstances that makes it easier to understand what it must have been like to have been in the spotlight of the world every day of her life。 However， she never lost her sense of humor， her love and compassion for others and the feeling that she was a servant leader。 She died one of the most modest， yet wisest， most loved and admired leaders in the world。 I would highly recommend this exceptionally well written book to anyone looking for an excellent biography on Queen Elizabeth。 。。。more
Harold Talbot-Tomlinson
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Some lovely & humorous snippets of the Queen and her family background but largely feels like a rehash of Brandreth’s previous material from his book on Prince Phillip。 Brandreth also cheapens the book with consistent and unnecessary digs at Harry & Meghan。 Worth reading if you’re a royal fan but it feels like a missed opportunity to properly examine the life of our late Queen。
Jackie Salamone-Bailey
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Fascinating portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II。 Gives a fresh perspective on this elusive， shy monarch from someone who actually knew her。 Prince Philip comes across as curmudgeonly， though。 Interesting book。
Ann Bates
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I learned and relearned a lot about our monarchy， and more importantly came away with such a feeling of love for Elizabeth 2nd。 May she rest in peace。Well done to the author who wrote with such humour and respect for all the royal family。
Krista
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"Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait" is a biography of the late queen from the perspective of someone who interacted with her and her family frequently。 What's good: The book's tone。 It feels as if you're sitting next to someone who is telling you stories from their own memories vs。 a research project。 The book feels very personal。 The stories told， of the author's encounters with the royal family， are especially interesting。What's iffier: I'm not entirely sure of some of the claims made--the autho "Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait" is a biography of the late queen from the perspective of someone who interacted with her and her family frequently。 What's good: The book's tone。 It feels as if you're sitting next to someone who is telling you stories from their own memories vs。 a research project。 The book feels very personal。 The stories told， of the author's encounters with the royal family， are especially interesting。What's iffier: I'm not entirely sure of some of the claims made--the author is clearly utilizing comments from the press but isn't able to say anything to verify said comments。 So， for example， whether the Queen said "thank goodness" to the news of someone's absence from her husband's funeral--the author reports it and interprets what the Queen might have meant， but there doesn't appear to have been any investigation if the report was accurate。 Likewise the author reports what he's head about the Queen's passing， and Philip's， and it's hard to tell if this is the product of research or just copy-pasting what was heard in Youtube commentators' videos。 。。。more
Ashley
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This is a very good book written by someone who knew HM well。 It's， as advertised， an intimate portrait of who she was。 An enjoyable read， I even laughed at moments。 This is a very good book written by someone who knew HM well。 It's， as advertised， an intimate portrait of who she was。 An enjoyable read， I even laughed at moments。 。。。more
Sue Foster
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Very well written book easy to read。 By an author who knew the Queen and Prince Philip over the decades。Well balanced and insightful。
Emma Dargue
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This was better than i thought。 Brandreth writes with affection and respect for the late queen。 He writes about her through the people she has met， her family and friends and even her horses and dogs who meant so much to her。 Moving and funny in this fairly chunky book， the length perhaps needed to incorporate Elizabeth the II's long reign。 Brilliant This was better than i thought。 Brandreth writes with affection and respect for the late queen。 He writes about her through the people she has met， her family and friends and even her horses and dogs who meant so much to her。 Moving and funny in this fairly chunky book， the length perhaps needed to incorporate Elizabeth the II's long reign。 Brilliant 。。。more
Melissa
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Lovely to read a new and detailed biography of the Queen; it would’ve been even better if the author wasn’t an old， snobbish tosser， constantly sneering about members of the royal family of whom he does not approve。
Ellie Thomas
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An absolute joy to read， moving and mesmerising biography of her late majesty the queen。 Gyles has known and interviewd her late majesty and prince phillip for many many years and had used some recollections from their times together。 I like to read at least one biography a year and i'm glad i chose this one。 An absolute joy to read， moving and mesmerising biography of her late majesty the queen。 Gyles has known and interviewd her late majesty and prince phillip for many many years and had used some recollections from their times together。 I like to read at least one biography a year and i'm glad i chose this one。 。。。more
Anna-Karin
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This is a bit of a painful review for me as I am a huge fan of Brandreth and interested in the Royal Family。 I hugely enjoyed Philip， his previously published book about the Royals， and found this to be a rehashed version of Philip with some hastily thrown in trivia tidbits about The Queen。It seems to me that this book was a bit rushed。 Phrases are repeated so often throughout it that I would audibly sigh when encountering them again — “she was a woman of her class and generation， intelligent bu This is a bit of a painful review for me as I am a huge fan of Brandreth and interested in the Royal Family。 I hugely enjoyed Philip， his previously published book about the Royals， and found this to be a rehashed version of Philip with some hastily thrown in trivia tidbits about The Queen。It seems to me that this book was a bit rushed。 Phrases are repeated so often throughout it that I would audibly sigh when encountering them again — “she was a woman of her class and generation， intelligent but not intellectual， not politically correct…” etc。 Over and over。 And yes， that might be an astute observation of her majesty but to read it as many times as I did made me feel weary。 Nobody， other than the Queen’s family， knew her intimately。 Therefore， there are bound to be limitations when it comes to any books written about her。 What Brandreth does in this book is discuss how other people’s descriptions of the Queen and their experiences spent in her company tally with his own。 That is interesting， I only wish there was more of it。 But， as I say， she was immensely private - who could blame her - and so there isn’t a whole heap to go on。To Gyles’ merit， the comparisons of former members of the Royal family （David and Wallis， Meghan and Harry） provided new and interesting food for thought。 I particularly enjoyed reading about HM’s interest in the Commonwealth。 If you haven’t read Philip， then this book gives you a nice overview of the pair of them and how their relationship started， was cemented， and how it made both of them into the people they became。 If you have read Philip， expect quotes from him you’ve already read， the same anecdotes to be retold and to feel a bit disappointed。 This isn’t as good a read as Philip， at least in my own view。 。。。more
Silvia
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3。5 Stars
Sheila Joyner
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A quite wonderful book about our dearly beloved Queen。
Aline urqhuart
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A moving， magisterial and mesmerising biography of Her Late Majesty。 Drawing on a rich arsenal of anecdotes， a panoply of long-departed sources and recollections， Brandreth does justice to the character and zeal of a great woman and Queen。
Rhona Connor
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A good read at a gallop。I've read this book promptly because an awful lot of it I have read in the Philip a final portrait book。 So I merely read the bits I hadn't before。 That's the reason for the 4 stars and not 5。 He has known HMTQ over a long period of time。 Or perhaps spoke to her。 Her Majesty will always remain a bit of a mystery by not giving interviews it helps with the magic。 We will never forget her。 She never gave herself airs unlike other members of the family。 It was keep calm and c A good read at a gallop。I've read this book promptly because an awful lot of it I have read in the Philip a final portrait book。 So I merely read the bits I hadn't before。 That's the reason for the 4 stars and not 5。 He has known HMTQ over a long period of time。 Or perhaps spoke to her。 Her Majesty will always remain a bit of a mystery by not giving interviews it helps with the magic。 We will never forget her。 She never gave herself airs unlike other members of the family。 It was keep calm and carry on。 But through reading both books has helped me understand both Philip and Elizabeth a little better。 I also believe that Philip was right don't look at the camera。 It's not about you。 A lot of pages， shorter chapters but I've read quickly。Highly recommended。 。。。more
Susan Snodgrass
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I have long followed the royal family and enjoy good books about them。 This one is very well done and written by someone who actually knows the late queen and spent time with her and her husband。 It is very well written and so readable。 Not like a boring biography at all。 Totally held my attention。 If you enjoy reading about the royals， I can highly recommend this one。
Tag
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elizabeth cambage elizabeth olsen elizabeth elizabeth arden elizabeth holmes elizabeth debicki elizabeth hurley elizabeth elizabeth taylor elizabeth line
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Elizabeth
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Elizabeth&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Elizabeth&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0