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Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story.
A celebration of the life of Queen Elizabeth II on the centenary of her birth, by the bestselling author of The Making of a King and Queen of Our Times.
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.
As a child, her idyllic life on the royal fringe was transformed first by the scandalous love life of her wayward uncle and then by war. Despite multiple attacks on the family home, she watched and learned from her father has he led his nation through much suffering to victory, falling in love along the way.
At the age of just twenty-five—a young wife and mother of two—she suddenly found herself head of state of much of the Earth, with the greatest statesman of the age as her senior adviser.
Her coronation was a moment of national rejuvenation, though swiftly followed by the first of many challenges and crises – personal, political, and global - which would test her over seven decades. The highs and lows of ordinary family life, for her, would be mercilessly scrutinised and magnified through the lens of the world’s media. Unlike Shakespeare’s monarchs, the dramatists would set to work in her own lifetime.
Yet she also managed to remain an endlessly fascinating mystery to the end, revered and mourned worldwide.
No one has written more authoritatively on the life of Elizabeth II than Robert Hardman, the only biographer to have interviewed the entire Royal Family. On the centenary of her birth, amid all the commemorating and celebrating, it is time to bring the whole extraordinary story of her life to a new audience in a fresh, accessible, concise portrait—one which will enthrall those who have now come to realize that Elizabeth II was not merely the most famous woman in the world, captured on banknotes, coins, and The Crown. She was one of history’s all-time greats, and this finely-written and original narrative reveals why.
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.
As a child, her idyllic life on the royal fringe was transformed first by the scandalous love life of her wayward uncle and then by war. Despite multiple attacks on the family home, she watched and learned from her father has he led his nation through much suffering to victory, falling in love along the way.
At the age of just twenty-five—a young wife and mother of two—she suddenly found herself head of state of much of the Earth, with the greatest statesman of the age as her senior adviser.
Her coronation was a moment of national rejuvenation, though swiftly followed by the first of many challenges and crises – personal, political, and global - which would test her over seven decades. The highs and lows of ordinary family life, for her, would be mercilessly scrutinised and magnified through the lens of the world’s media. Unlike Shakespeare’s monarchs, the dramatists would set to work in her own lifetime.
Yet she also managed to remain an endlessly fascinating mystery to the end, revered and mourned worldwide.
No one has written more authoritatively on the life of Elizabeth II than Robert Hardman, the only biographer to have interviewed the entire Royal Family. On the centenary of her birth, amid all the commemorating and celebrating, it is time to bring the whole extraordinary story of her life to a new audience in a fresh, accessible, concise portrait—one which will enthrall those who have now come to realize that Elizabeth II was not merely the most famous woman in the world, captured on banknotes, coins, and The Crown. She was one of history’s all-time greats, and this finely-written and original narrative reveals why.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 21, 2026
179 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Robert Hardman
23 books55 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Robert Hardman has covered aspects of royal life for more than twenty years and is the writer of both the film and the book Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work as well as Her Majesty: The Court of Elizabeth II, also available from Pegasus Books. He writes for the Daily Mail in London.
Robert Hardman has covered aspects of royal life for more than twenty years and is the writer of both the film and the book Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work as well as Her Majesty: The Court of Elizabeth II, also available from Pegasus Books. He writes for the Daily Mail in London.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 22, 2026
An insightful biography of the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II with a strong focus on her later reign and the transition to the reign of King Charles III. Hardman includes interviews with a wide variety of prominent figures who knew the Queen including former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former American President George W. Bush. Although Hardman has written about Queen Elizabeth II many times before, there is fresh material in this book as more sources have spoken on the record since Queen Elizabeth II's passing. An excellent read for what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The shift of focus at the end towards Trump's views on the Royal Family was.... a choice.... Yes, he had only nice things to say about the Royals (both QEII and Charles III). Diplomacy? Perhaps. We can acknowledge and applaud King Charles' actions towards removing Andrew's titles and royal connections when he was discovered to be so involved with Epstein. And yet. Here's Trump, an incredibly divisive, (and certainly all over the Files) person. Not the best way to end a book chronicling the historic reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Audiobook received via Libro.FM. Narrated by the author.
Audiobook received via Libro.FM. Narrated by the author.
April 29, 2026
There are a lot of things to admire about Elizabeth II, that being said, the author is so extremely biased that at times you think you’re reading a book trying to convince someone that you really, really should like her. I would suggest reading something a lot more balanced
April 17, 2026
Like a long, accurate episode of the Crown, full of details without too much sycophancy. Far less dense than I expected.
May 4, 2026
Revelatory about the last years of the monarch's life.
May 7, 2026
Wonderful.
April 18, 2026
A touching memoir
I really loved this touching memoir. Sympathetic to our last Queen, it is a must read for any loyalist.
Highly recommended from a New Zealand fan.
I really loved this touching memoir. Sympathetic to our last Queen, it is a must read for any loyalist.
Highly recommended from a New Zealand fan.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews