This was fascinating! It's an extremely particular slice-of-life of a very extraordinary woman (circa 1976.) Those of us who rail against anything uniform must consider the plight of one who strives to be herself while corsetted by an entire nation's (even the world's) expectations. Granted, the jewels must certainly make a somewhat limited range of attire rather palatable. It's a bit unfortunate that Robb's fashion illustrations stand in for glossy photos, but a quick google search spans the gap. The photos that are included here are fabulous! Maybe they're not the sharpest, clearest, pre-paparazzi pics around, but they're certainly well chosen. Also included here are overlooked details of Queen Elizabeth II's active schedule, such as an itinerary of her visit to USA in July 1976, and the reminder that she often shakes 1500 hands on a day out. There's a remarkable woman!
I thought this book from 1977 would be dated and boring but was I wrong! The writing has plenty of personality, and the photos are great. There are several photos of The Queen and the Royal Family which I had never seen before. The photos of the (now framed) embroidery swatches showing the detail on about a dozen of The Queen's dresses from that time period, are stunning. Just lovely!