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Young Elizabeth
We can hardly imagine a Britain without Elizabeth II on the throne. It seems to be the job she was born for. And yet for much of her early life the young princess did not know the role that her future would hold. She was our accidental Queen.
Elizabeth's determination to share in the struggles of her people marked her out from a young age. Her father initially refused to let her volunteer as a nurse during the Blitz, but relented when she was 18 and allowed her to work as a mechanic and truck driver for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. It was her forward-thinking approach that ensured that her coronation was televised, against the advice of politicians at the time.
Kate Williams reveals how the 25-year-old young queen carved out a lasting role for herself amid the changes of the 20th century. Her monarchy would be a very different one to that of her parents and grandparents, and its continuing popularity in the 21st century owes much to the intelligence and elusive personality of this remarkable woman.
Elizabeth's determination to share in the struggles of her people marked her out from a young age. Her father initially refused to let her volunteer as a nurse during the Blitz, but relented when she was 18 and allowed her to work as a mechanic and truck driver for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. It was her forward-thinking approach that ensured that her coronation was televised, against the advice of politicians at the time.
Kate Williams reveals how the 25-year-old young queen carved out a lasting role for herself amid the changes of the 20th century. Her monarchy would be a very different one to that of her parents and grandparents, and its continuing popularity in the 21st century owes much to the intelligence and elusive personality of this remarkable woman.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
45 people are currently reading
1884 people want to read
About the author
Kate Williams
59 books583 followersHello! Thank you for visiting my page. It's a great privilege to be on here - and to say hi to readers. Thank you very much for all your support and interest in my books! My twitter account is @katewilliamsme and I have a facebook page for Kate Williams author, come and say hello! I'm always thrilled to hear from you and your thoughts about my work.
I grew up in a very modern house in a dormitory village in the Midlands- and as a consequence became completely obsessed by the past. When I was about six, we got a new washing machine - and I took the huge cardboard box, covered it in silver foil and told my little brother it was a time machine. I used to rumble it about and tell him 'Look! We're in Egypt in the time of the pyramids - but you can't get out!' So he had to listen to all the stories inside, my poor brother...
'One of Britain's best young historians', Independent.
'Historian Extraordinaire', The Today Programme, Radio 4
'Queen of historical fiction' and 'History at its best', Guardian
'Unforgettable', (the book, not me!), The Lady.
'Gripping, seductive', The Times
I'm still looking for that time machine - and still living in it, really as I am obsessed by history.
Thanks so much for coming with me in my time machine.....
My latest novel, Edge of the Fall, is about the DeWitt family in the 1920s as they try to make sense of their lives in the aftermath of the war. It's the Flapper Age - and everything is in flux. As Kirkus puts it, there is ' a beautiful socialite threatened by a stranger, a murder trial and a baby born out of wedlock' - 'strange disappearances, unexplained deaths, dramatic births and a juicy court case' Grazia
'Brilliant', Daily Mail
'Gripping from the first page', 'Thrilling' 'a must read', Grazia
'Imbued with a sharp awarenss of the devastating effects of war in any era, Williams' novel presents sympathetic characters who transcend history', Kirkus
My previous novel, The Storms of War, is the first in a trilogy about the de Witt family. The first explores their lives from 1914-1918, as the youngest girl, Celia, sees her perfect world crumble and change. I've wanted to write about the wars since I visited the trenches in France when I was ten on a school trip. I was fascinated by how small they were - and how men could ever live in such places. I really wanted to go into the lives of Germans - the Victorians couldn't get enough of them. Then - almost overnight - they were the enemy and people saw German spies everywhere and the newspapers demanded that all Germans in the country be imprisoned. At the beginning of the book, Rudolf and Verena have four children - and their lives will never be the same again.
'Quietly impressive...hard to put down....Gripping, thoughtful, heartbreaking and above all human', Kirkus (starred review)
'truly affecting...richly detailed, light of foot..tantalises with loose ends and disturbs with shocking shadows', Independent
'Fans of Dowton Abbey will love it, as do I', Alison Weir
'Vivid....fascinating,' Observer
My most recent history book was in 2013, Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon (UK) and 'Ambition and Desire: the Dangerous Life of Josephine Bonaparte' (US). It has been optioned by Ecosse Films (Nowhere Boy, Mrs Brown) and they are working on the script now.
'I send you a thousand kisses, but send me none back because they set my soul on fire', wrote Napoleon to Josephine.
In 2012, my book about Elizabeth II, 'Young Elizabeth' was published, exploring the Princess's life before she became Queen - and how the abdication of Edward VIII changed her world. In 2011, I co-wrote The Ring and the Crown with Alison Weir, Tracy Borman and Sarah Gristwood about the history of royal weddings.
My previous novel,The Pleasures of Men, about Catherine Sorgeiul, a young woman in 1840 who terrifies herself with her obsession with a murderer, appeared in 2012. I began writing the book while living in Paris, one
I grew up in a very modern house in a dormitory village in the Midlands- and as a consequence became completely obsessed by the past. When I was about six, we got a new washing machine - and I took the huge cardboard box, covered it in silver foil and told my little brother it was a time machine. I used to rumble it about and tell him 'Look! We're in Egypt in the time of the pyramids - but you can't get out!' So he had to listen to all the stories inside, my poor brother...
'One of Britain's best young historians', Independent.
'Historian Extraordinaire', The Today Programme, Radio 4
'Queen of historical fiction' and 'History at its best', Guardian
'Unforgettable', (the book, not me!), The Lady.
'Gripping, seductive', The Times
I'm still looking for that time machine - and still living in it, really as I am obsessed by history.
Thanks so much for coming with me in my time machine.....
My latest novel, Edge of the Fall, is about the DeWitt family in the 1920s as they try to make sense of their lives in the aftermath of the war. It's the Flapper Age - and everything is in flux. As Kirkus puts it, there is ' a beautiful socialite threatened by a stranger, a murder trial and a baby born out of wedlock' - 'strange disappearances, unexplained deaths, dramatic births and a juicy court case' Grazia
'Brilliant', Daily Mail
'Gripping from the first page', 'Thrilling' 'a must read', Grazia
'Imbued with a sharp awarenss of the devastating effects of war in any era, Williams' novel presents sympathetic characters who transcend history', Kirkus
My previous novel, The Storms of War, is the first in a trilogy about the de Witt family. The first explores their lives from 1914-1918, as the youngest girl, Celia, sees her perfect world crumble and change. I've wanted to write about the wars since I visited the trenches in France when I was ten on a school trip. I was fascinated by how small they were - and how men could ever live in such places. I really wanted to go into the lives of Germans - the Victorians couldn't get enough of them. Then - almost overnight - they were the enemy and people saw German spies everywhere and the newspapers demanded that all Germans in the country be imprisoned. At the beginning of the book, Rudolf and Verena have four children - and their lives will never be the same again.
'Quietly impressive...hard to put down....Gripping, thoughtful, heartbreaking and above all human', Kirkus (starred review)
'truly affecting...richly detailed, light of foot..tantalises with loose ends and disturbs with shocking shadows', Independent
'Fans of Dowton Abbey will love it, as do I', Alison Weir
'Vivid....fascinating,' Observer
My most recent history book was in 2013, Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon (UK) and 'Ambition and Desire: the Dangerous Life of Josephine Bonaparte' (US). It has been optioned by Ecosse Films (Nowhere Boy, Mrs Brown) and they are working on the script now.
'I send you a thousand kisses, but send me none back because they set my soul on fire', wrote Napoleon to Josephine.
In 2012, my book about Elizabeth II, 'Young Elizabeth' was published, exploring the Princess's life before she became Queen - and how the abdication of Edward VIII changed her world. In 2011, I co-wrote The Ring and the Crown with Alison Weir, Tracy Borman and Sarah Gristwood about the history of royal weddings.
My previous novel,The Pleasures of Men, about Catherine Sorgeiul, a young woman in 1840 who terrifies herself with her obsession with a murderer, appeared in 2012. I began writing the book while living in Paris, one
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
March 7, 2017
Honestly, I started out only reading this because I'm watching The Crown on Netflix. But once I got into it, I realized that Elizabeth is a rather amazing woman. Kate Williams writes in a scholarly manner without being pretentious. She also writes very respectfully despite the controversial trials that the royal family has faced. Williams ends the book by saying that Queen Elizabeth II is the twentieth century and before reading this book, my response would have been rather nonchalant. However, now that I've read this book, I have a greater understanding and appreciation for Queen Elizabeth II. I also have a greater understanding of the royal family in general. Seeing as I live in the US, I don't know much of the rich history behind the monarchy. Reading this has probably sparked a new research topic for a while. I hope everyone around me will be okay with me spouting off facts about the English Monarchy for a while.
January 8, 2016
This book was written for the Queen’s Jubilee in 2012. It is not an official biography and the Queen was not interviewed for the book. It just presents known information about the Queen.
The Queen was born in 1926 and was never expected to be Queen until the 1936 abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII. Edward’s younger brother and Elizabeth’s father became King. She then started her training to become the monarch. She drove ambulances during World War II. She became Queen in 1952. The book concludes with Elizabeth becoming Queen. The Queen is a suburb horsewoman as is Princess Anne who was the first Royal to compete in the Olympics in 1976. HRH Anne’s daughter Zara Phillips competed in the Olympics in 2012; all three women have won many medals in equestrian competitions.
The book is well written and researched. It provides an overview of the life of the Queen. Williams writes in a light easy to read manner with humor and gossip. There is no new information; Williams presents the official information but her easy to read style makes it enjoyable. Williams has written a biography of Queen Victoria. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Kate Williams narrated her own book.
The Queen was born in 1926 and was never expected to be Queen until the 1936 abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII. Edward’s younger brother and Elizabeth’s father became King. She then started her training to become the monarch. She drove ambulances during World War II. She became Queen in 1952. The book concludes with Elizabeth becoming Queen. The Queen is a suburb horsewoman as is Princess Anne who was the first Royal to compete in the Olympics in 1976. HRH Anne’s daughter Zara Phillips competed in the Olympics in 2012; all three women have won many medals in equestrian competitions.
The book is well written and researched. It provides an overview of the life of the Queen. Williams writes in a light easy to read manner with humor and gossip. There is no new information; Williams presents the official information but her easy to read style makes it enjoyable. Williams has written a biography of Queen Victoria. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Kate Williams narrated her own book.
December 14, 2016
I just finished watching "The Crown" on Netflix, and if this book wasn't the basis for the series, then it should have been. There isn't much difference between the two - and I enjoyed both.
November 23, 2015
This book left me frustrated and annoyed.
I like to think that I understand a lot of modern British history, especially as it concerns the monarchy. I'm usually the local source when my friends and coworkers are trying to figure out what is going on.
But with this book? While the information presented was factual and interesting, Kate Williams gamboled through the decades - talking about an incident in the 30s with Lord Mountbatten, and something that happened in the late 90s with Princess Diana all within two pages. There were few contextual clues that helped me to understand what exactly was going on.
While this book does present an interesting and sympathetic portrait of the Woman Who Shouldn't Have Been Queen (a dominant theme in the early part of the book), trying to follow it left me feeling a little like Old Mother Dismass!
I like to think that I understand a lot of modern British history, especially as it concerns the monarchy. I'm usually the local source when my friends and coworkers are trying to figure out what is going on.
But with this book? While the information presented was factual and interesting, Kate Williams gamboled through the decades - talking about an incident in the 30s with Lord Mountbatten, and something that happened in the late 90s with Princess Diana all within two pages. There were few contextual clues that helped me to understand what exactly was going on.
While this book does present an interesting and sympathetic portrait of the Woman Who Shouldn't Have Been Queen (a dominant theme in the early part of the book), trying to follow it left me feeling a little like Old Mother Dismass!
April 1, 2017
For fans of the tv shows The Crown this fills in her childhood, marriage and up to the Coronation. Loved it
November 17, 2022
3.5 stars, this was a poignant read since we now know Queen Elizabeth’s end, a gracious departure from a remarkable life. We know what Kate Williams didn’t know when the book was published: the Queen did indeed celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. This book gave me a much better sense for the wider history of the monarchy and Britain in the 1920s and 1930s as well as Queen Elizabeth’s own childhood and young adult years. I love that she had a happy childhood despite the intense events happening in the wider world, including Edward VIII’s abdication. It was fun to read about her romance with Prince Philip as well knowing how famously devoted they were to the last. The tone of this was sometimes almost gossipy in a fun way. There are details about clothes and jewels and wedding presents and how much the wedding cake weighed, etc. This was a quick read even though it is packed with information. There were a couple places in this that could have used more attention to editing, but I still very much enjoyed reading it.
March 30, 2017
Great bio, although it ended abruptly and the last 10% was pure Margaret.
April 3, 2016
The story of the life of Queen Elizabeth II up to the time of her coronation shows that she has not changed much in her life. She was a dutiful child, a dutiful young woman and became a dutiful queen., This is not new information. What was new - at least in the way the author presented it - was how lackadaisical her parents were about her education, not really giving her any firm foundation in history or statecraft until the dowager Queen Mary took it into her own hands. Similarly, when the crisis of the relationship of Princes Margaret and Peter Townsend occurred right under the royal noses, everyone seemed to be too preoccupied with their own concerns to take notice of what was happening.. The whole family seemed to live in their own world, totally ignorant of what was going on outside the palace walls. Maybe the jolts of the 1990's were a good thing after all.
November 17, 2017
I read this book for the reason I suspect many others have - because I just binged The Crown on Netflix and wanted more backstory than the show gave. While I've read about the Queen's early years before, I haven't done so for some years, and this was a pleasant refresher. Williams gives the reader a smooth experience, drawing on a wide range of sources, and I enjoyed the book.
The ending is the least successful - abrupt and a bit slapdash, primarily concerned with a short and disorganized discussion of Margaret's love-life. I think it would probably have been more successful to end with the Coronation and a more polished and retrospective conclusion. But rounding off a book like this one seems like it'd be one of the most difficult elements to land, so that's understandable.
The ending is the least successful - abrupt and a bit slapdash, primarily concerned with a short and disorganized discussion of Margaret's love-life. I think it would probably have been more successful to end with the Coronation and a more polished and retrospective conclusion. But rounding off a book like this one seems like it'd be one of the most difficult elements to land, so that's understandable.
August 19, 2012
Although I love the Queen and the Royal Family and therefore found the content very interesting, it wasn't very well written and had far too many spelling mistakes for my liking.
Read
April 28, 2016Wonderful book! I could read it a few more times but I had to give it back to the library!
January 26, 2020
Written in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Young Elizabeth is a biography of the Queen from her birth in 1926 to her coronation in 1953. Williams analyzes Princess Elizabeth's education and family and examines the influence of the Abdication Crisis of 1936 and the Second World War on her eventual approach to her reign. There is a strong critique of governess Marion Crawford's memoirs, which is often taken at face value as a reliable source concerning the Queen's childhood. Crawford presented Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as isolated from other children but Williams discusses the birthday parties they attended and the girl guide troop at Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, the book ends abruptly and is not well copy edited. There are a number of small historical inaccuracies including a reference to Lord Mountbatten's sons being evacuated during the Second World War (he actually had two daughters, one of whom is quoted later in the book). As in the Crown on Netflix, there is a bit too much focus on Prince Philip and Princess Margaret rather than the Queen herself. I preferred William's book about the early life of Queen Victoria.
May 25, 2018
A fascinating look at the Queen's younger years, from her childhood through her coronation, and how her experiences shaped her reign and future role. The writing wasn't always strong for me (and there was more than one amusing typo), but the subject matter was factual and interesting, especially the WWII period and relationship between Elizabeth and Margaret. Great for anyone who loves The Crown and is craving more of the Queen's background and early life.
June 27, 2022
Very readable biography; however, I was concerned that Williams decided not to site her information, only listing references at the end of the book instead of throughout. Not to be a stickler, but that's just not how we play cricket. Siteing throughout tells me who said what and when. The urge to make biographers more like fiction authors is one I simply don't jive with.
April 26, 2020
An enjoyable and informative account of the early life of Queen Elizabeth II. Reading this made me realize just how little I knew about this period of the Queen’s life. I really wish I had read it before watching The Crown (or traveling to London, for that matter).
April 3, 2017
I'd say 3.5 stars on this one. It's not a page-turner, but I learned a lot about WWII.
August 3, 2022
I thought I had a fairly decent grasp on the royal family, but the first 50 pages of this were rather hard to follow. I actually paused and read the queen the queen mother and then came back to it. After that foundation I was able to follow the people and the story better.
October 23, 2022
Well written and an intriguing historical account.
December 12, 2015
This book starts with the birth and celebration of the young Princess Elizabeth. It discusses the stubbornness of David who enjoys the playboy life and refuses to give up the twice-divorced, Wallis Simpson, which finally results in him abdicating the throne. This leaves Bertie to take over in his place. Bertie has always been a very shy man with a stammer. This makes him terrified of any public speaking. His wife, Elizabeth, is very supportive of him and her vivacious nature makes her a very popular royal.
Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, have led a very private life which consists of the nursery and their governesses. While the public loves them, their parents don’t allow them to be seen very often. It isn’t until Elizabeth is a young teen before she is allowed to have her own suite of rooms. The King is very protective of his girls and he and Elizabeth insist that the girls dress alike even though they are not young children. They enjoy playing in the gardens. Their daily schedule is quite strict, but a huge criticism is that there are not enough hours spent on their education.
When World War II starts, things change that ends up with them experiencing rationing just as others do. The sisters do their part by making things for the soldiers. They even learn how to protect themselves when there is bombing.
We learn about Elizabeth meeting Prince Philip and all about his background. Theirs can be called love at first sight. For Elizabeth, there is no one else. After their marriage, Elizabeth soon gives birth to Prince Charles followed by Princess Anne. It is a number of years before she has their third child.
When Bertie dies, the Princess is on vacation with Philip in a remote part of Africa so it takes some hours before she learns that she is now the Queen of England. The preparation for her coronation is very detailed and it is with great bravery and dignity that she pledges herself to her people.
I have read many books about the royal family and Queen Elizabeth. This one looks at her life from a different angle and is very educational about the history of the family and the daily life of the Queen from the time she was a child until she attained the Throne of England. I never tire of learning more about the Royal Family and highly recommend this book.
Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, have led a very private life which consists of the nursery and their governesses. While the public loves them, their parents don’t allow them to be seen very often. It isn’t until Elizabeth is a young teen before she is allowed to have her own suite of rooms. The King is very protective of his girls and he and Elizabeth insist that the girls dress alike even though they are not young children. They enjoy playing in the gardens. Their daily schedule is quite strict, but a huge criticism is that there are not enough hours spent on their education.
When World War II starts, things change that ends up with them experiencing rationing just as others do. The sisters do their part by making things for the soldiers. They even learn how to protect themselves when there is bombing.
We learn about Elizabeth meeting Prince Philip and all about his background. Theirs can be called love at first sight. For Elizabeth, there is no one else. After their marriage, Elizabeth soon gives birth to Prince Charles followed by Princess Anne. It is a number of years before she has their third child.
When Bertie dies, the Princess is on vacation with Philip in a remote part of Africa so it takes some hours before she learns that she is now the Queen of England. The preparation for her coronation is very detailed and it is with great bravery and dignity that she pledges herself to her people.
I have read many books about the royal family and Queen Elizabeth. This one looks at her life from a different angle and is very educational about the history of the family and the daily life of the Queen from the time she was a child until she attained the Throne of England. I never tire of learning more about the Royal Family and highly recommend this book.
March 1, 2016
Young Elizabeth begins before the birth of the 'accidental' queen, with King George V's children, particularly his two eldest sons, who would be Edward VIII and George VI. The princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were raised as the children of a royal Duke, but they were never expected to be the children of the King.
Young Elizabeth paints a picture of family life at 145 Piccadilly in the years before the abdication. Elizabeth and Margaret were adored by the public, and the press often turned to them for some lighter news throughout their early lives, as those were years of political and social unrest. As princesses, they lived a somewhat sheltered life within Buckingham Palace, and spent the dreary wartime years entirely at Windsor Castle. They lived with their governess, Marion Crawford, whom they called 'Crawfie'.
The last third of the book was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth's marriage, George VI's health struggles during his last few years and, finally, the coronation. There was some interesting history and behind the scenes looks. For instance, how there was such a lack of coachmen because of the war and carriages falling out of use, that gentry was asked to take part if they could drive a coach. Marion Crawford reportedly read P. G. Wodehouse novels while Princess Elizabeth had her history lesson with Eton's headmaster, and Queen Elizabeth (later the queen mother) was said to have been trying to get an eyelash out of the King's eye when Buckingham Palace was first bombed.
It contained more information on Edward's VIII's relationships with Wallis Simpson and other women than I was interested in knowing. (That took up about a quarter of the book's beginning.) Also, Princess Margaret's relationship with one of her father's equerries. For all the time which was spent on Group Captain Townsend and Princess Margaret, I wish a little more information on her actual marriage had been added. It made the end a sight depressing. All in all I thought the two histories were off topic and shouldn't have taken up so much of the book.
Otherwise, it was an interesting read and I would recommend it (reservedly) to someone who was interested in an all-encompassing read about Queen Elizabeth II.
Young Elizabeth paints a picture of family life at 145 Piccadilly in the years before the abdication. Elizabeth and Margaret were adored by the public, and the press often turned to them for some lighter news throughout their early lives, as those were years of political and social unrest. As princesses, they lived a somewhat sheltered life within Buckingham Palace, and spent the dreary wartime years entirely at Windsor Castle. They lived with their governess, Marion Crawford, whom they called 'Crawfie'.
The last third of the book was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth's marriage, George VI's health struggles during his last few years and, finally, the coronation. There was some interesting history and behind the scenes looks. For instance, how there was such a lack of coachmen because of the war and carriages falling out of use, that gentry was asked to take part if they could drive a coach. Marion Crawford reportedly read P. G. Wodehouse novels while Princess Elizabeth had her history lesson with Eton's headmaster, and Queen Elizabeth (later the queen mother) was said to have been trying to get an eyelash out of the King's eye when Buckingham Palace was first bombed.
It contained more information on Edward's VIII's relationships with Wallis Simpson and other women than I was interested in knowing. (That took up about a quarter of the book's beginning.) Also, Princess Margaret's relationship with one of her father's equerries. For all the time which was spent on Group Captain Townsend and Princess Margaret, I wish a little more information on her actual marriage had been added. It made the end a sight depressing. All in all I thought the two histories were off topic and shouldn't have taken up so much of the book.
Otherwise, it was an interesting read and I would recommend it (reservedly) to someone who was interested in an all-encompassing read about Queen Elizabeth II.
May 2, 2018
Basically this is “The Crown” series 1 but much more detailed. I loved it. Her Majesty is such an amazing woman in so many ways.
July 3, 2016
Royalists and republicans will both find things to enjoy in this look at the life of young Princess Elizabeth, mostly because the princesses are adorable and the rest of the Windsors seem thoroughly inbred and defective. I'm skeptical enough to think Williams has an affection for Elizabeth and Margaret that rose-tinted their portrayals, but it does make the book a pleasant read. There's also no question that Elizabeth turned out to be a great queen, so her parents must have done *something* right.
July 2, 2016
Not an official biography so it contains facts that anyone could have gleaned and although Ms. Williams did a good job of making the case that here is a queen who should not have been I felt that the editing of the book was not what it could have been either - in some places it was a little confusing. But it was interesting to read about life for the young princesses before they took up residence in the Palace and yes, we do love our Queen!
March 5, 2017
I read this as a supplement to having watched The Crown. This book filled in many of the gaps for me and enhanced my knowledge of WW2 from the British perspective. The queen that has reigned for the past 60 years was definitely molded by the experiences she had as a young teenager. She witnessed and weathered much of the destruction of her country and her empire. The fear and rationing she underwent steeled her for the tough decisions that would be needed to be a fair and faithful queen.
December 16, 2016
I listened to this after watching the Netflix show The Crown. Thankfully the show did a great job illustrating the part of her life upon becoming the queen but this book went more in depth with her childhood years.
March 4, 2016
Such a slow boring read- I and trying - yawn..... Too dry in it's history telling - put down for now
February 11, 2024
I used my audible trial to listen to this audiobook.
I have read Williams' book on Mary, Queen of Scots and enjoyed her writing. So, I thought that I would give this one a go. The writing in this book did not disappoint. Williams is a great historian who focuses on the sources and integrates the evidence into a clear and easy-to-follow narrative.
The thing that I found most interesting about this book is the way Williams discusses the relationship between Elizabeth and her parents. Although this is not explicitly stated in the text it is clear that Williams views the way that Elizabeth, and to a certain extent Margaret, were infantilized by their parents throughout their childhoods stunted them and made it difficult for them to deal with problems that life presented them.
I have read in other biographies that Queen Elizabeth and King George VI did not entirely focus on the classical areas of education for their daughters, but in many ways, it felt like Williams was arguing this was intentionally done so that Elizabeth (and Margaret) would remain dependent on her parents. It was an interesting argument, and I feel a new take on trying, to understand the relationship between Elizabeth and her parents. It also better explained to me why George VI was so hesitant to let Elizabeth form a romantic relationship with Phillip or let them announce their engagement. Furthermore, it highlighted why many felt that Elizabeth was not entirely prepared to take the throne at the age of 25. It was not a secret that she would be Queen as her father ascended to the throne when she was 10. That is nearly 15 years she had to prepare, but if her parents wanted to exert power over her it makes more sense why she was not afforded the education typical of an heir to the throne.
This was a very interesting read and if you enjoy books about the royal family you will enjoy this one too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, War, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
I have read Williams' book on Mary, Queen of Scots and enjoyed her writing. So, I thought that I would give this one a go. The writing in this book did not disappoint. Williams is a great historian who focuses on the sources and integrates the evidence into a clear and easy-to-follow narrative.
The thing that I found most interesting about this book is the way Williams discusses the relationship between Elizabeth and her parents. Although this is not explicitly stated in the text it is clear that Williams views the way that Elizabeth, and to a certain extent Margaret, were infantilized by their parents throughout their childhoods stunted them and made it difficult for them to deal with problems that life presented them.
I have read in other biographies that Queen Elizabeth and King George VI did not entirely focus on the classical areas of education for their daughters, but in many ways, it felt like Williams was arguing this was intentionally done so that Elizabeth (and Margaret) would remain dependent on her parents. It was an interesting argument, and I feel a new take on trying, to understand the relationship between Elizabeth and her parents. It also better explained to me why George VI was so hesitant to let Elizabeth form a romantic relationship with Phillip or let them announce their engagement. Furthermore, it highlighted why many felt that Elizabeth was not entirely prepared to take the throne at the age of 25. It was not a secret that she would be Queen as her father ascended to the throne when she was 10. That is nearly 15 years she had to prepare, but if her parents wanted to exert power over her it makes more sense why she was not afforded the education typical of an heir to the throne.
This was a very interesting read and if you enjoy books about the royal family you will enjoy this one too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, War, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
September 19, 2018
The first few chapters are extraordinarily confusing while the author is trying to explain Queen Elizabeth's family tree, and it takes a while to get the author's writing style. Once you get into though, the story moves easily enough.
I found the book, especially the war time portion, extremely interesting and I quite enjoyed it! I do have a few criticisms though:
For one, although he is given his credit as a war hero, the author doesn't seem to like Prince Philip. Especially when describing his relationship with Elizabeth, she portrays him as little more than a gold-digger. Then near the end of the book, he all but disappears.
The last two chapters seem to forget all about Elizabeth and instead focus on Margaret and Peter Townsend. I wouldn't have minded had this been a book about Elizabeth and Margaret's relationship, but since this is a book about Elizabeth, it seemed like there was too much attention given to the affair.
Also, the last chapter, with what little it does focus on Elizabeth, it tends to bounce around, skipping at least 50 years of time since it seems no biography is complete without at least a mention of Princess Diana. Once again, I wouldn't have minded had this been a biography that focused on the Queen's whole life. But it wasn't. It was telling the story of YOUNG Elizabeth, and no matter how the author tried to tie Diana in to the "theme" of the rest of the book, it just felt awkward and out of place, like she felt she had to include it. Considering Diana hadn't even been born by the time Elizabeth was crowned, there would have been nothing wrong with leaving her out entirely, and I wish the author had done so.
The history was very interesting and I did devour the book. The criticisms I have are more from a story-telling point of view than anything. I would still recommend this book for anyone interested in Queen Elizabeth.
I found the book, especially the war time portion, extremely interesting and I quite enjoyed it! I do have a few criticisms though:
For one, although he is given his credit as a war hero, the author doesn't seem to like Prince Philip. Especially when describing his relationship with Elizabeth, she portrays him as little more than a gold-digger. Then near the end of the book, he all but disappears.
The last two chapters seem to forget all about Elizabeth and instead focus on Margaret and Peter Townsend. I wouldn't have minded had this been a book about Elizabeth and Margaret's relationship, but since this is a book about Elizabeth, it seemed like there was too much attention given to the affair.
Also, the last chapter, with what little it does focus on Elizabeth, it tends to bounce around, skipping at least 50 years of time since it seems no biography is complete without at least a mention of Princess Diana. Once again, I wouldn't have minded had this been a biography that focused on the Queen's whole life. But it wasn't. It was telling the story of YOUNG Elizabeth, and no matter how the author tried to tie Diana in to the "theme" of the rest of the book, it just felt awkward and out of place, like she felt she had to include it. Considering Diana hadn't even been born by the time Elizabeth was crowned, there would have been nothing wrong with leaving her out entirely, and I wish the author had done so.
The history was very interesting and I did devour the book. The criticisms I have are more from a story-telling point of view than anything. I would still recommend this book for anyone interested in Queen Elizabeth.
November 27, 2021
I listened to this book while we were driving back from FL over Thanksgiving. I liked it. I’m not into reading nonfiction books, but I think I can listen to them. Most of what was covered in the book I already knew about. These are the things that I didn’t know/thought were interesting: 1) even though King George V was really mean to his kids, I didn’t know that he was such a doting and forgiving grandfather, 2) I was surprised at how much King George VI looked up to and idolized is brother, 3) the royals are so brutal towards the people that are closest to them (ladies in waiting and nannies didn’t get paid much and so much was expected from them for little in return), 4) I knew that Princess Elizabeth didn’t have a good formal education, but I didn’t know that the Queen Mother and King really didn’t see the need for Elizabeth to be more educated, 5) this book was published in 2015, and I would love to hear what the author has to say about Harry and Meghan! 6) I thought it was interesting how the author referred to different personality “issues” that worked for Queen Elizabeth at the beginning of her rein, but that would not bode well for her later in her rein, 7) I was impressed how well The Crown seems to follow the “true” story of the queen’s early years.
November 28, 2022
Before reading this biography of Queen Elizabeth II, I had very little knowledge of the English monarchy and how it operates. After finishing this biography, I am now very much interested and will very likely be looking for more books to read on the subject, so I am open to any suggestions if you have them!
This well-written book is a detailed biography of the young princess, lovingly called “Lilibet” because she couldn’t pronounce her name properly as a child. At the age of eleven, Princess Elizabeth found that she was heir to the throne, due to her uncle (the king) abdicating the throne. Kate Williams gives us a greater understanding of the Queen’s childhood and young adult years, as well as the English monarchy and the English empire in general in the early to mid-twentieth century. I felt it was highly informative and a very intriguing read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I listened to this one on audiobook, which was read by the author, and Kate Williams’s lovely British accent made it a very pleasurable experience!
This well-written book is a detailed biography of the young princess, lovingly called “Lilibet” because she couldn’t pronounce her name properly as a child. At the age of eleven, Princess Elizabeth found that she was heir to the throne, due to her uncle (the king) abdicating the throne. Kate Williams gives us a greater understanding of the Queen’s childhood and young adult years, as well as the English monarchy and the English empire in general in the early to mid-twentieth century. I felt it was highly informative and a very intriguing read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I listened to this one on audiobook, which was read by the author, and Kate Williams’s lovely British accent made it a very pleasurable experience!
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