Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain's Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII

by Deborah Cadbury

In 1936, the British monarchy faced the greatest threats to its survival in the modern era -- the crisis of abdication and the menace of Nazism. The fate of the country rested in the hands of George V's sorely unequipped a stammering King George VI, terrified that the world might discover he was unfit to rule a dull-witted Prince Henry, who wanted only a quiet life in the army the too-glamorous Prince George, the Duke of Kent -- a reformed hedonist who found new purpose in the RAF and would become the first royal to die in a mysterious plane crash the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, deemed a Nazi-sympathizer and traitor to his own country -- a man who had given it all up for lovePrinces at War is a riveting portrait of these four very different men miscast by fate, one of whom had to save the monarchy at a moment when kings and princes from across Europe were washing up on England's shores as the old order was overturned. Scandal and conspiracy swirled around the palace and its courtiers, among them dangerous cousins from across Europe's royal families, gold-digging American socialite Wallis Simpson, and the King's Lord Steward, upon whose estate Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess parachuted (seemingly by coincidence) as London burned under the Luftwaffe's tireless raids. Deborah Cadbury draws on new research, personal accounts from the royal archives, and other never-before-revealed sources to create a dazzling sequel to The King's Speech and tell the true and thrilling drama of Great Britain at war and of a staggering transformation for its monarchy.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Royalty, World War II, War, Audiobook

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 10, 2015

About the author

Deborah Cadbury is an award-winning British author and BBC television producer specialising in fundamental issues of science and history, and their effects on modern society.
After graduating from Sussex University in Psychology and Linacre College, Oxford she joined the BBC as a documentary maker and has received numerous international awards, including an Emmy, for her work on the BBC's Horizon strand.

She is also the highly-acclaimed author of The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, The Feminisation of Nature, The Dinosaur Hunters, The Lost King of France and Space Race.

(Source: Wikipedia, HarperCollins)

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed other books by Deborah Cadbury, including, “The Lost King of France,” and “Queen Victoria’s Matchmaking,” so I was keen to read this. Subtitled, “The British Royal Family’s Private Battle in the Second World War,” this looks at the role of the four sons of King George V. With Edward VIII abdicating the throne to marry Mrs Simpson, an unwilling Price Albert (‘Bertie’ to his family and King George VI, in honour of his father) was thrust into the spotlight and onto the throne.

Oddly, Deborah Cadbury introduces the children of King George V – Prince Edward, Prince Albert, Prince Henry (later Duke of Gloucester), Princess Mary, Prince George (later Duke of Kent) and Prince John – then fails to mention either Princess Mary, or Prince John (who died at only thirteen) again, with no explanation. This is the story of four brothers; Edward, Albert, Henry and George, and of how they reacted to both the abdication of Prince Edward and to the war.

If you are sympathetic to the abdication, then this is not the book for you. Cadbury does not paint a flattering portrait of either Edward or Wallis Simpson. With questionable political leanings, and bad judgement, both are painted as selfish, self obsessed and full of self importance. While the Royal Family were threatened by the internal crisis of abdication and the external threat of the Third Reich, they closed ranks. It was a time to choose sides and both of Albert’s brothers choose to stand by him and rise to the task of surviving the dark days ahead.

It is clear, from this book, that the now Duke and Duchess of Windsor caused complications for a country at war. Even before war was announced, they were courting the regime that threatened Europe. Churchill tried to show the previous King loyalty, but when it was apparent that the former monarch was indiscreet to the point of treason, he threw himself behind Kind George VI and was rewarded with a deep, and lasting, friendship, after a difficult relationship at the beginning.

Although this is largely, a serious book, it has touches of humour. When Churchill first asked for his Cabinet to include Beaverbrook, the newspaperman was described as, “like the town tart who married the mayor!” There is also the reality of war for the visiting President and his first lady, as wartime Buckingham Palace revealed cold rooms, meagre portions of food, blown out windows and a water line drawn firmly in the bath.

As both Kent and Gloucester threw themselves into war work, the Duke of Windsor obsessed about how his wife was viewed, demanded a rise in status, and even worried that he would be kidnapped and exchanged for Rudolph Hess; who seemed to think he could fly into England and then be allowed his freedom. Undoubtedly, the Duke of Windsor, caused his brother much concern. Also, undoubtedly, Prince Albert, and his brothers, did rise to the problems they faced and, with personal loss and struggles, they rose to the challenge facing the country in the war. This is an interesting read and it was good to learn more about the Duke of Gloucester and Kent.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quarter of the way through the book, and the author has yet to say anything interesting or important. This is a potted history of Britain during the Second World War from a royal perspective, further marred by pedestrian prose, errors, and the author's partiality. This wasn't even the trashy fun I anticipated. Abandoned.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

King Edward VIII/the Duke of Windsor (the Abdicating King), his great "love affair" with Wallis Simpson, and Prince Albert/George VI's reluctant ascent to the throne were first introduced to the general public in The King's Speech. The film took some historical liberties, although the soul of the first part of the story was intact. If, of course, you leave out the fact that there were two more brothers witnessing this unprecedented break in the monarchy--the Princes Henry and George, who seemed no more suited for their sudden rise in status than Prince Albert had been.

(I will pause here to note that, for all its historical side-steps and personages left on the cutting room floor, The King's Speech is a fantastic movie and one of my favorites. And, aside from the fact that Logue maintains that he never called the Prince/Duke of York/King "Bertie," it captures the relationship and that aspect of the King's life very well. Nothing's perfect.)

Just as King George VI tends to be overshadowed in studies of the war by his Prime Minsters, first Chamberlain and then Churchill, so do both the scandal of the Duke of Windsor and King George's later ascent to greatness overreach both the younger brothers. Prince Henry became the Duke of Gloucester and Prince George the Duke of Kent more out of the King's hope that it would do them good than the believe they merited the titles--and lo', they rose to the occasion! The book is a fascinating character study of three of the four royal brothers, and their equally (or even more) stalwart wives, taking on the scourge of war and doing all that could have been asked of them and more. The strength of character of 3/4 of the royal family is contrasted with the worthless, increasingly traitorous Duke of Windsor, bouncing about Europe with his social-climbing wife Wallis, consorting with the enemy and constantly pestering the king for a title for Wallis to make her the equal of the other brother's wives. An HRH (Her Royal Highness) for Wallis, or bust!

It was bust, as it turned out.

This is a side of the war that is rarely talked about, other than a glossing over (The king stammered! Wallis was a divorced American! Scandal! On to D-day.), but in reading it, I was throughly engrossed with a human story of strength and sacrifice that I had never really dug into. I'm thoroughly impressed with the writer, who kept a massive cast of characters straight to the reader with ease, and who treated all the subjects and their various flaws fairly. Well researched, beautifully written, this deserves a place of honor both on the serious historian and the pleasure reader's book shelf.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I didn't know a ton about the Duke of Gloucester or Duke of Kent going into this, but the sibling dynamic stuff was FASCINATING.

Cait, you should definitely read this one.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

King George V did his sons no service when he tried to train them to be tough. With his brutal tongue and by turning them over to harsh public schools, he crushed out any kingly qualities they had.

Cadbury doesn't mention the evidence described by Andrew Morton that the oldest son Edward VIII never wanted to be king. She goes along with the conventional view that he was forced to choose between the throne and "the woman he loved". Fortunately when Edward escaped the throne, George VI stepped forward, ready and terrified, to do his duty. PRINCES AT WAR shows him learning his job so well that he earns undying respect.

I hardly knew anything about the other brothers, so those sections were fascinating to me. The whole book is an interesting overview of the brothers' characters and how they responded during WWII when they were needed. I am going to give it as a gift to a sister I know will enjoy it.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that probably gave me a better perspective on pre WWII Europe than any other book I have read.

The author is definitely team York and Wallis is reviled frequently and the Duke of Windsor is basically shown to be P-whipped man child

He and Wallis gallivant about shopping and preening whilst the rest of the royal family get on with the business of saving Great Britain from the hun.

I shows how George VI used his remaining brothers to shore up the monarchy around the world

In hindsight it’s probably a shame that Elizabeth and Margaret were locked away at Windsor as had Elizabeth applied these lessons to her own sister and children there could have been better outcomes

It’s very interesting

[Michael Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

History of WWII had been written many times from different angles. This one is more of a popular history told from the angle of the British royalty. Duke of Windsor, who abdicated for his love of a divorced, independent Mrs. Simpson, is probably famous to a lot of people in a “romantic” way. His role in the war is rather minimal — at least that’s what I thought. After all, William Shirer only mentioned him 5-6 times in his “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich”, and twice of those in the footnote. Well it turns out, this was perhaps because the Duke’s role was not something the Brits are rather proud of. In “Princes at War”, he came across decidedly on the selfish side. He wanted desperately to get the “her royal highness” title for his wife and kept nagging the palace when a war is going on. Furthermore, might not peace with Hitler be a good thing? Perhaps in a different arrangement, the ex-king could be the head of the country again and the wife an actual queen? After the war, the Palace tried very hard to keep private the Nazi documents showing communication between the Duke and the Nazis. Windsor also came across as quite foolish. The wife later on essentially ditched him for a younger playboy.

The whole story is told fluidly (with a general dose of tabloid sensationalism). Perfect as an audiobook for a lazy Sunday afternoon with cake and tea — English tea.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to Come

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor George VI. 'All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way', Tolstoy once wrote - but the British royal family during WW2 was definitely uniquely unhappy. Unexpectedly becoming king when he felt constitutionally unsuited and incapable is one thing - that's happened before. Becoming king when his predecessor was still alive and had in fact given up the throne for an immensely unsuitable woman, causing a constitutional crisis on the way, and was subsequently gallivanting around the globe as a rogue agent causing upset and strife within and without the family, that's pretty unique in monarchistic terms. Enduring all of this in the midst of the most vicious and widespread conflict the world has ever known? Poor George VI.

If George VI comes out of this book as an unsung hero, Edward VIII or the Duke of Windsor as he is better known, is most definitely cast as the villain of the piece. Deborah Cadbury clearly has little sympathy, patience or liking for his behaviour, and whilst she hesitates as describing Windsor's antics as outright treasonous, he did little to support his brother or family during this most difficult of times, unlike his younger brothers the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent. The Duke of Windsor does not emerge from these pages with any credit to his name.

Most histories of WW2 focus on the military or political angle, so I found this narrative told from the Royal Family's point of view especially interesting, and Cadbury writes with real pathos and flair. Much as Churchill did, George VI served as a focal point for the nation, a source of unity and strength, a figurehead as much as a leader. He rose to the occasion magnificently, and it would not be far off the mark to say he gave his life for his country. Certainly the stresses of wartime prematurely aged him and contributed to his early death. Whilst Wallis Simpson may have been a trial and a tragedy for George VI, one almost has cause to thank her - reading this book one shudders to imagine what WW2 would have been like with the Duke of Windsor on the throne!

[Bfisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author provided a good sense of the bleak prospect Britain faced during the period after the fall of France, when the survival of the existing polity was very doubtful. The closest analogy I can think of is the counterfactual of a France under Louis XIV having conquered Europe and preparing to invade Britain to restore James II to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland. This book conveyed the fear in the mind of King and government of the possibility of Britain conquered by the Nazis, with a puppet Edward VIII restored to the throne.

The photographs of many of the documents discussed in the text was a nice touch.

One oddity - the text refers to Queen Elizabeth listening to a radio announcement of the Pearl Harbor attack at 9 AM on Dec.7, but the raid started shortly before 8 AM local time.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been aided by better editing (mostly to remove instances of repetition) and a bit prone to "it's possible" sorts of statements to ratchet up the scandal. But it can't be denied that it's an interesting read. Even taking Cadbury's assertions about the Windsors with a large grain of salt, one can't escape the conclusion that at best they were spoiled, incredibly self-centered and not very bright. The insights into Churchill and George VI were quite interesting, and I didn't know anything about the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester before, so I'm glad to have that gap filled. The book also brought home to me once again just how close Britain came to losing the war. Frightening.

[Jim McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of King George VI and his brothers the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII), the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent. Mostly dawn from the king's war diary, it concentrates on the king's rise to fill his role during WWII, and the increasing petiness of Windsor and his wife, Wallis Simpson. I hadn't known much about the two younger brothers nor the circumstances of Kent's tragic death, so I found the book most interesting.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wallis Simpson was the best thing to happen to Britain in the 20th century. Without her, that Nazi-loving, selfish deadweight Edward would still have been on the throne, and Britain would have conceded to Germany without a fight. George VI was the right man at the right time, aware of his responsibilities and sacrificing his health and happiness for his country. Edward was a putz.

Apparently there were two other brothers during that time too. Who knew?

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of the royal family during WWII; I was moved to tears by some of the accounts of the war and horrified by the Duke of Windsor's attitudes and actions. Definitely a great read for anyone interested in WWII or just somebody who read or saw The King's Speech. It shows how the man who didn't want to be king grew into his role as he obeyed the call of duty.

[Tony Siciliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Cadbury has written a scholarly, well-researched book that reads like a great novel. She describes how the four royal brothers' lives were intimately intertwined. She explains how the abdication of Edward VIII (whose real name was David) profoundly affected the life of brother Bertie, the shy, stuttering brother who ascended to the throne as George VI. The lives of the two other brothers, of whom I was not familiar, George, the Duke of Kent and Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, eventually went on to prove their value to the king as well as to their country during the war. Recently-released secret documents show the treachery of Edward and his equally wicked wife, Wallis, who conspired with Nazis and dreamed of returning to England as King and Queen after England surrendered to Germany. The couple were shallow, venal, susceptible to and manipulated by flattery, and dangerous to England's survival in the war. Even Churchill was captivated by the couple for many years. Time and events proved how fortunate England was to have had George VI. He overcame his shyness and speech impediment to become a source of enormous respect and inspiration for England and the rest of the empire. Fate conspired to bring George VI and Churchill together during this crucial time. They fought against insuperable odds to resist what many thought was an eventual German world domination. This was an immensely interesting book with many anecdotes, and an inspiration to anyone interested in English history or the history of the war.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 bk 128. The story of four brothers. These four men changed the face of British history. David with his slavish and selfish devotion to a woman, Albert with his desire for a quiet family life, Henry with his love of Army life, and George, the young playboy. Deborah Cadbury does a magnificent job of describing the forces at play in each of their lives as first, young royals, but really beginning with their middle age years. While she more than adequately discusses their roles during World War II, it is her deft hand at allowing us to see how each man viewed himself (as much as time and records tell us) and how he was viewed by his brothers. It was an excellent read.

[Beth Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

World War II is on its way to England, a trying time for a man who did not plan on becoming king. This book is largely a history of WWII in England and as England saw it, with an emphasis on the royal family and the Duke of Windsor. Much of what I read I'd heard before, but there were some things I didn't know, particularly about the Duke, the abdicated king, and his role with Germany. The other royal brothers, Dukes of Kent and Gloucester, were also mentioned in their roles in the war. I found this book to be interesting and informative. I always appreciate a good book that teaches me something.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked out this book at Chapters after having seen Darkest Hour at the movies and I have to say I am glad I did! I liked how it traced all 4 of the brothers and told the events in a straightforward but interesting way. I wanted to learn more about George VI and now that I have he is definitely one of my favourite historical figures. Very admirable, brave, dignified. Churchill was pretty boss too!

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The longer you live, the more the little cracks are filled in with detail if you seek them.

This was a fun read for this WWII buff.

[Frank Theising · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being an avid reader on WWII history, I actually did not know all that much about the British royal family during the war. I of course knew a few titbits (Edward VIII’s abdication to marry an American divorcee and George VI’s speech impediment for example) but with one notable exception (the 2010 film The King’s Speech) I honestly have not given much thought to what the royal family actually did during WWII. As an American, the royal family falls all too easily into the background behind such figures as FDR, Churchill, Eisenhower, Montgomery, or any number of other Allied leaders in the European theater.

So I started this book with low expectations and ended delightfully surprised. The prolific nature with which Queen Victoria married off members of her family all over Europe, ensured there would be no shortage of royal drama when those relationships were tried, tested, or divided by the rise and conquest of Europe by the Nazis. The book follows the four brothers (King Edward VIII (later Duke of Windsor after his abdication), Albert Duke of York (later George VI), Henry Duke of Gloucester, and George Duke of Kent [referred throughout my notes as Windsor, King George, Gloucester, or Kent respectively].

When I started this book I had a few assumptions: 1) that Edward VIII’s abdication for love was romantic and his treatment unfair and 2) that the royal family did not play any meaningful role in the conduct of the war, and 3) that this would be a rather bland story. All would be proven wrong. The Duke of Windsor and his paramour Wallis Simpson both proved themselves to be shallow and selfish who conducted themselves detestably throughout the course of the war. By the end, the whole narrative of “abdicating for love” would prove untrue and even farcical. Given their own sympathies with, or at least misplaced faith in, the Nazis as good faith actors it is seems almost a miracle that he abdicated when he did or the world could have been a very different place. As for the other brothers, despite starting out as aimless playboys, each rose to their duty finding a sense of purpose in the war.

Really enjoyed this one. It seems there has never been a shortage of drama when it comes to the British royal family. 4 Stars.

What follows are my notes on the book:

In 1936, King Edward VIII was prepared to abdicate for his beloved Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American woman, much to the distress of his 40- year old brother Prince Albert, Duke of York who would become the new King. Albert would need the help of his brother, the Duke of Gloucester in the task that lay before him. Like his father, Gloucester had a keen interest in uniform and ceremony but not the other skills necessary to govern. The 4th and youngest brother, 33-year old Prince George Duke of Kent, was a hedonistic and flamboyant playboy who was much closer to his oldest brother than to Albert. Albert was incredibly insecure and suffered from a humiliating stammer, which led many to question whether or not he could replace his capable older brother. This defect was further exacerbated by the added stress of his brother’s abdication and the responsibility soon to fall on his shoulders. Albert had engaged the services of an unorthodox Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helped Albert to find his voice.

As Prince of Wales, Edward VIII had been idolized as the new face of the might British Empire, his face more photographed than any other celebrity of his era. He was the most eligible bachelor in the world and beloved across the empire. His sudden downfall seemed so mind-numbingly precipitous. He felt his sudden expulsion was pushed through with undignified speed by his Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. The Church of England did not permit the re-marriage of divorced people with living spouses and the King was the Supreme Head of the church. His decision to wed Simpson had created a Constitutional crisis. This was further compounded by rising international tensions. Edward VIII had disturbingly open pro-German views at a time when the Hitler’s ruthless ambitions were becoming plain to all. Many thought this the malign influence of the beguiling Mrs. Simpson (who was rumored to be having an affair with Hitler’s ambassador to Britain Joachim von Ribbentrop).

Edward VIII gave an impassioned abdication speech, pledging loyalty to the new monarch (his younger brother) and lamenting that he could not fulfill his duties without the support of the woman he loved. Albert assumed the throne as George VI. He again consulted Logue, knowing the countless public speeches that lay before him. Just 20 days into his reign, he faced his first challenge. In the face of growing anti-monarchy sentiment, his brother the Duke of Kent (recently married to Princess Marina of Greece) was reported to be seen in the company of the very much married Mrs. Allen (Paula Gellibrand). Was Mrs. Allen to be the next Mrs. Simpson? Kent had a history as a bad boy with many sexual indulgences, but in the wake of the Simpson affair, they could no longer be swept under the rug. While George VI had his share of affairs before marriage, after he married he set high standards for his conduct and this now clashed with his youngest brother who did not appear to be taking the crisis of the monarchy very seriously.

The abdication had deeply affected the other brothers. Kent, very close to Edward and Gloucester was equally unsettled. In addition to managing his younger brothers, George VI also had to resolve the conflict surrounding the terms of Edward’s abdication. Money and position were the central issues. Edward (hereafter Windsor) demanded a title of Her Royal Highness (HRH) for Simpson, a mere duchess wasn’t sufficient for his pride. For her part, Simpson wanted to be put on the same level as her sisters-in-law. In her mind it was the least owed her for capturing the heart of the King of England. George VI vehemently refused, for once in his life standing up to his elder brother. Wallis, blamed by the British public for the current drama, felt the pain of her diminishing status as she was sidelined (exiled) to their villa in France. Windsor received a handsome annual income of 80K pounds (on top of the lump sum 1.1M pounds he departed with).

Despite his perceived humiliations, he retained a powerful ally back home, Winston Churchill. Windsor was wounded when George prohibited the family from attending his wedding. Wallis was already growing resentful of this sudden exile from the inner circle. Under the new strain, George once again turned to Lionel Logue for help as he prepared for his coronation ceremony and the broadcast to follow. Windsor and Wallis listened to the broadcast from their chateau in France, the realization that Wallis would never be queen sinking in. In fact, because no bishop would officiate the marriage her status as duchess was still in question. To deny Wallis a title of HRH, George relied on letters from Queen Victoria that stated only relations “in succession to the throne” were allotted such a title. Windsor’s abdication and removal from the line of succession provided the legal framework to deny Wallis her title. The Windsors’ fall from grace was painfully evident to all with the absence of the family at the wedding and the denial of her title. This blow from his younger brother stung Windsor deeply. Both Windsor and Wallis did not look loving or joyous at their wedding but hard and calculating. Wallis brooded over Windsor’s failure to stand up for her…she had gone from would-be Queen of England to the most hated woman in the world and now felt trapped and marooned.

In their mutual seething, the Windsors were approached by Charles Bedaux with a plan to restore their stature: a tour of Nazi Germany to include meetings with senior leadership. George was horrified his elder brother was stepping into the complicated geopolitical fray. Hitler and the Nazis were ecstatic and hosted the couple with all royal protocol they so desperately yearned for. The Windsors were then to tour America as the self-styled heads of the Peace Movement. They were shocked that the American public and press were actually quite skeptical, and in some cases hostile, forcing the Windsors to cancel their trip, much to their embarrassment.

King George’s Christmas Day broadcast hoping for peace was not to last. In March 1938, Hitler moved troops into and suddenly annexed Austria. Six weeks later he moved on the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia). This compelled the King to make his first overseas state visit to demonstrate his solidarity with France. In September, Chamberlain made his famous visit to Germany to avert a war everybody felt was imminent. Chamberlain returned a hero, having secured “peace with honour.” Less than 2 months later, Germany erupted with the Kristallnacht attacks on Jews in their country. The King (and his people) support appeasement. The King appointed his youngest brother, Duke of Kent, to serve as Governor-General of Australia, giving him both great responsibility while distancing him from the troubles in Europe.

George and Elizabeth became incredibly popular on their visit to the US. The Windors repeatedly attempted to upstage the new king with rival radio broadcasts with calls for peace that were not well received. Churchill’s anti-Nazi rhetoric kept him out in the wilderness of British politics and also made him a target. German intelligence intended to target him at an upcoming visit to the Windsors at La Croe. Churchill learned of the assassination plot around the same time news of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact. At a recent royal wedding, the Duke of Kent had spoken freely and his discussions were relayed to Hitler. An attack on Poland would bring the UK into the war, Hitler assumed this was a British bluff that could not be carried out in light of the non-aggression pact with the USSR. The British people were swept into feverish preparations for war. Three of the brothers banded together, but Windsor would not return unless invited to stay in the castle personally by his brother the King. George VI refused to meet those conditions.

On Sept 1, 1939, Hitler’s forces swept into Poland in the new Blitzkrieg style of war. The UK issued an ultimatum to withdraw from Poland or face war. Lionel Logue again helped the King deliver an emergency address to the nation…offering stirring words to homes and offices across the empire. The king was surprised to learn the man whose judgment was suspect for so long obtained a real position of executive power: First Lord of the Admiralty, a critical position with the German U-boat threat. Hitler was astonished that the UK and France had actually declared war. Gloucester proved a loyal ally to the king, touring the advanced positions to learn the true state of the men. The Duke of Kent’s plans to go to Australia were abandoned. His wife, Marina’s extended family with ties to Germany became enemies overnight. At the height of this crisis, the Duke of Windsor chose now to pressure the palace to return, but only on condition that he and his wife be recognized formally. He returned to England, but was not received at any palace and his lone meeting with George was trying for the new king. He faced a dilemma, he knew his older brother’s presence in England would inevitably result in him trying to upstage him, but if he returned to France, could he be trusted with military secrets given his nonchalance (or even sympathy) towards Germany? He insisted Windsor return to France.

On 17 Sep, the USSR invaded Poland. As Poland was being crushed, the UK wondered if they would fare any better against the German war machine. Ironically, as a major general with the British military mission, the Duke of Windsor was able to gain access to the French front lines despite their overly secretive nature. Sadly, though the ex-king had correctly identified the weaknesses of the Maginot Line and the French defenses, his stunts and self-aggrandizement meant his correct and valuable observations were not captured or heeded. Windsor appealed to his erstwhile ally Churchill but for once received no backing. He retreated to Paris where Wallis simply fueled his sense of grievance.

Britain and France settled into the confusing “phoney war” period. Chamberlain’s leadership was questioned and Britain feared Hitler would attack at any moment. Meanwhile Windsor, who feared the Soviets were a bigger threat than the Nazis, began to argue for a negotiated peace with Germany. His impropriety and even potential to share Allied secrets with the enemy ensured his further political and social isolation. While Gloucester threw himself into his work, touring French preparations, Kent lamented the meaningless tasks assigned to him in his position in the admiralty, going so far as to ask Churchill directly for something important to do. In March 1940, Finland surrendered to the USSR, sending another shockwave thru the royal palace, as another small democracy had failed to be protected against aggression.

Easter 1940 appeared calm and without crisis. But shortly thereafter the radio broke the news that Germany had invaded and captured neutral Denmark and Norway. Once again it felt as if Britain had been outwitted. Though the King supported Chamberlain, it was clear he was failing and unpopular. Shortly thereafter Germany invaded the low countries. In the immediate aftermath, Chamberlain tendered his resignation, sparking great debate on who should be the next prime minister. The King suggested Halifax, and was upset to learn that the only member interested and who could gain the required support was the outsider Winston Churchill. Could the king trust a man who still supported his brother? The King asked Churchill to form a government. Churchill, finally granted the power to act, felt relieved. The king experienced no such relief.

The war across the Channel unfolded with a dizzying speed. On 13 May, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (who remained wary of the British after the Boer War) called in the middle of the night pleading for British military support. Her daughter and son-in-law fled, taking refuge in Buckingham Palace later that day. On 14 May, the Nazi’s exploited the gap in the Ardennes bursting into France with a speed and fury inconceivable to the Allies. Churchill was shocked by the total French collapse at the front. Gloucester drove into Belgium but was caught up in the retreat and strafed by enemy aircraft. Windsor left his post and headed for southwest France to ride out the war in luxury. His host Fruity Metcalfe, was incensed that Windsor had packed up and abandoned him without any means of escape after all he had done, including taking them in when the Royal family shut them out.

Churchill was often late for his meetings with the king and so busy he usually had only minutes to spend with him. Churchill flew to Paris. The French were already burning their State archives as though they were totally defeated already. While Churchill was pressing for a counter-attack, he did order the Admiralty to assemble a fleet of small vessels in the event the army had to be evacuated from Dunkirk.

The Parliament passed a new Emergency Powers Act that allowed the internment without trial of any British citizen with pro-German sympathies. Ironically, the person most in danger of violating this act was Windsor. The King at the point of despair over the fate of the Army in France, practiced his Empire Day speech planned for 24 May with Logue. On 20 May, the Germans were a mere 50 miles from Dunkirk and Churchill had no choice but to order the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Lord Halifax pressed his case that they should open negotiations with Hitler. The French were on the verge of collapse, the British Army might be captured en masse, and the Americans remained aloof. The next day, Belgium’s surrender strengthened Halifax’s case. The evacuation of a quarter million men from Dunkirk would require a miracle and the king fretted only a fraction would escape. The RAF pilots were flying 4 or 5 sorties a day to keep the Luftwaffe at bay.

With an armada of small craft, the British pulled off the impossible, evacuating 335K men. Churchill’s rousing speech to Parliament deeply affected the king. Poland, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium (and shortly France) all surrendered. Britain stood alone. The USSR annexed the Baltic States and Italy declared war on the UK. The king was under no illusions what came next, invasion of Britain. Windsor’s disappearance fueled wild speculation. He telegraphed Churchill to let him know of his safe arrival in Barcelona.

As Ribbentrop basked in the glory of occupying Paris, he knew Hitler wanted the British issue resolved so he could pursue his interests in the east. The pro-German, pro-peace ex-King might be a valuable trump card and a pliable collaborator. While technically neutral, Spain harbored many Nazi sympathizers and was the perfect milieu to establish contact. Windsor’s (and Wallis’) public statements, indiscretions, and grievances were aired liberally and gave Ribbentrop an opening.

The King discussed how to rearm the BEF when they left thousands of weapons and tanks behind in their evacuation. The RAF lost 60 pilots at Dunkirk and were down to 700 fighters. A Luftwaffe victory in the air would mean the inevitable defeat of the Royal Navy. The diaries of the former playboy, the Duke of Kent, were no longer filled with social engagements but his work improving the conditions of the aircrews and his hazardous travels. Fearing that the French fleet would fall into German hands, the British War Cabinet made the fateful decision to fire upon the French vessels.

Comically, while the Germans were trying to make contact thru the Spanish, the Windsors were trying to establish contact with the Nazis. Their principal concern being the protection of their two homes and property in France from looting or destruction. Ribbentrop was all too happy to oblige. The royal family was eager to extract the Windsors from Spain, but their demands for royal recognition poisoned the discussions. A harsh telegram from Churchill (once Windsor’s closest supporter) left him visibly shaken. It was followed by a second telegram, this time withdrawing the request that they return home and instead offered the post of governor of the Bahamas (a backwater where he could do no harm). Windsor at once recognized it as political banishment. He reluctantly accepted.

My notes continued in the comments below

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

This interesting and well-researched book gives great insight the lives of these four brothers and what it was like to be English before and during World War Two. This was a fascinating and intriguing read.

[The Audiobookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Princes at War. I don't often hear nonfiction titles, so it surprised me to become so enraptured by the picture Cadbury was painting before me. She truly is a phenomenally talented author to have been able to make this history come so alive in my mind. I have heard other titles on the subject, but none captured my interest the way Princes at War did.

Princes at War takes us step-by-step through the abdication crisis and World War II. I know that World War II is of particularly great interest to many historians and history enthusiasts, but it has never been my jam. I much prefer the Edwardian and Victorian eras. This was the first audiobook I've heard that so heavily dealt with the subject of the second world war. Of course, I'm familiar with the major events from school, but what made Princes at War so intriguing was that the events were told from a royal perspective. As an avid royal history enthusiast, I ate it up and asked for more.

I began listening under the impression that the book would focus on The Duke of Windsor and George VI. That's where most authors tend to focus, given the drama surrounding the abdication crisis. But I was delighted upon realizing that Deborah Cadbury had devoted significant chunks of her book to the other two brothers, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent. Last year, I heard another audiobook centering on The Duke and Duchess of Kent, but I have yet to find one that provides so much information on Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. He must seem a bit of a bore to biographers since he was not involved in the abdication crisis and did not die a tragically young death. It was enlightening to learn how much George VI leaned on The Duke of Gloucester, with the latter often serving as regent during Princess Elizabeth's minority, and of the effect that had on their relationship.

Having already read titles focusing on George V and Queen Mary, The Duke and Duchess of Kent, and The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princes at War filled in a lot of the gaps where The Duke of Gloucester was concerned. It also provided a more inflammatory view of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor's activities during that time. I have found that works centering around that particular couple tend to be bipolar, either romanticized or scandalized, with very little overlap. Princes at War didn't pull any punches. There were hard-hitting allegations of treason on the part of The Duke of Windsor and Wallis was basically called a Nazi spy. I've never read anything so direct with its implications. Like I said, most material on the matter either falls into the "greatest love story ever told" category or the "gold-digging Nazi spy" category. This was the definitely latter, so if you're one of those who likes to romanticize the Windsor's relationship, you'll definitely want to stay away from Princes at War.

For me, the directness of such claims was hard to swallow at first, but Princes at War frequently sites official military intelligence and letters of the time as sources, so it seems pretty legit. It's looking more and more likely that some sort of revisionary cover up happened, so I'm planning on hearing 17 Carnations soon to compare accounts. The only other Wallis Simpson biography I've heard downplays the whole ordeal, which piques my interest further.

I was expecting Princes at War to be a rehashing of a story I've heard 1000 times, but it ended up giving me a lot more new information than I expected. Not only was there new information given, but it left me with new questions I'm eager to have answered.

Narration review: Veida Dehmlow did a fine job of narrating princes at war. Her performance was engaging enough to easily hold my attention, while still lending an air of seriousness and respectability to the work. She offered a few accents here and there, which seemed appropriate considering the multitude of countries and characters involved. But I did notice that she never attempted an American accent. It would have been especially appropriate, given the dominating presence of Wallis Simpson in the narrative, but it may have been that Dehmlow did not feel comfortable attempting such an accent, in which case I applaud her judgment. ♣︎

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really recommend this book, however, I admit that a key reason for my recommendation is the fact that I agreed with the author's characterization of two of the people at the center of the story - the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I have always been extremely skeptical of anyone who tries to paint their story as a fairy tale love story. There is nothing fairy tale-ish or loving about a conniving woman who tricks a gullible fool into believing she is worth loving and worth sacrificing the role he worked his whole life to attain. I think the most positive thing to say about the Duchess of Windsor was even though it was never her intent, her actions spared Britain of having Edward as king during the World War II. The fact that they went through the war with George instead of Edward as king had to contribute to their ultimate victory. So I was happy to know that the author's research seemed to support my opinion. At the same time however, she kept the book from veering into a mean and spiteful gossip session.

I enjoyed reading of the development of the relationship between George and Churchill. I also thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Edward and George's brothers. I knew very little about the two and I felt that the way they blossomed into mature men during the war, similarly to George, redeemed the royal family at a time it needed redeeming.

As to whether the Windsors were German spies or naive dupes the Germans were able to manipulate - I vote for the latter. They came across as too shallow, self absorbed and unintelligent to be useful intelligence gatherers.

I thought the narration was a little weak. She was too breathless and excitable in places. Other than that though this was an entertaining and insightful book.

[Flewts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the relationships between the four sons of King George V of England, and focuses on the time frame of 1936 - 1952. The eldest is "David," who became Edward VIII and gave up his throne for "the woman I love" and became the Duke of Windsor. The next oldest, Albert, aka Bertie, became George VI upon his brother's abdication. The other two brothers are the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

As a history major, I found the information in this book fascinating. I'm not sure how interested the average person would be. The part that I particularly found intriguing was the behavior of the Duke of Windsor, particularly after he gave up the throne. Most people know that he was kind of pro-German, and think that he and Wallis lived quiet lives. Actually, they were very pro-German, and they visited Nazi Germany shortly after they were married.

In fact, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor gave Hitler reason to believe that there was a strong peace movement in England, and that the country was divided. Even after England declared war--Hitler was apparently astonished at the news--the Germans believed that a large faction in England wanted peace and would welcome the Duke of Windsor being returned to the throne by the Germans via a peace settlement. If the behavior of the Duke and Duchess wasn't outright treason (and there is some debate about that), it was at best self-centered and in incredibly bad taste.

If you are interested in British history and in WWII, this book will add some fascinating background information to your understanding of the British royal family during this crucial period in our history.

[Mardia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Technically a thorough look at the British Royal family during WWII, but I simply couldn't get over the over the top airbrushing of the royal family and British colonialism. The refusal by the author to go into any sort of real depth regarding the anti-Semitism of the time period (something that surely the royals reflected, the Duke of Windsor in particular) is jarring and does a disservice to the narrative. Given that Edward VIII was such a supporter of Hitler, it's a huge gap in the narrative to not show what that meant in a larger context, and how anti-Semitism wasn't just a problem in Germany, but a massive, widespread issue throughout most of the world. If you're going to slam the Duke of Windsor for betraying his brother, then surely his anti-Semitic views are worthy of more scrutiny than just one or two brief mentions. I was also grossed out by the rose-colored, sentimental view of the British empire. Essentially, this book is a decent primer to the issues of the Royal family during the time period, but I found it lacking.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, of the Cadbury candy family, did extensive research in the personal diaries of King George VI to flesh out the story of how he reluctantly became king, and the stories of his three brothers, the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII), the Duke of Glucester, and the Duke of Kent during WWII. It was fascinating to learn more about how the British monarchy was transferred to the father of Queen Elizabeth II when her uncle abdicated because of the woman he loved and what happened to the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson once they married. The other two brothers were unknown to me and I would have liked more of their stories as well as more about Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret during the war, although the book title did focus on the four princes.

[M.J. Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, engaging, well paced and offering wonderful insight into the life and times of King George VI and his brothers. The darkest days of WWII were hauntingly portrayed while the selfishness and short-sightedness of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor was well supported by documents and argument. The author's perspective on the on the interconnectedness of the downfall of Windsor and the early death of George VI was fascinating. The work left me with a profound sense of admiration for the character of George VI. I couldn't put it down.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read about the four sons of George V in the run up to and during World War II. Clearly very well researched, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Nice illustrations.
Edward VIII clearly did the country a favour to abdicate when he did, selfish to the end. Bertie came into his own during the war but paid a heavy price due to his health and early death. Interesting to read about the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester as I knew less about them. Overall, a very good book and would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.

[Adam Balshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars [History]
(W: 3.25 / U: 3 / T: 3 / P: 3.5)
Exact rating: 3.19
#43 in genre, out of 80

A history of the British royal family between 1936 and 1952.
The plot is the best element: the action almost never stops.
Background information is just enough, not too dense.
One can feel the winds of the times through Cadbury's details. I am an INTJ, but even I gratefully breathed in the sensory details, the moods and colors, the joy and despair of the people involved in this epic time.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 royal brothers (former Edward VIII later the Duke of Windsor, George VI, George Duke of York and Henry Duke of Gloucester)before and during WWII. While it is nice to learn more about the two younger princes, the real meat of the book is the appalling (even treasonous) behaviour of the Duke of Windsor, always rumoured but confirmed by recently released documents. Nice selection of photos.