Royal Biographies Volume 8

ROYAL BIOGRAPHIES VOLUME 8: Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry - 3 Books in 1 Featuring... *Princess Diana*Prince William*Prince Harry 3 Great Books in 1! Princess Diana On a small island in the grounds of Althorp House, an impressive stately home in rural Northamptonshire, lies the resting place of a true modern icon. Lady Diana Spencer. One time wife of the heir to the throne and mother to two sons, one of whom will most probably one day be king. Challenger to the established protocols of the monarchy, a woman determined to do it her way. Trend setter, humanitarian, darling of the public. A person who appeared to have everything but whose life would end in tragedy at just thirty-six years of age. The People's Princess...this is her story. Prince William Even before Prince William was born, the eyes of the world were already trained firmly in his direction. His mother, Diana, was a shy, stunning beauty who had captured the heart of the heir to the British throne. The fresh-faced aristocrat worked as a kindergarten assistant and was only 19 years old when they fell in love - or, in Prince Charles' infamous words after their engagement was announced, "Whatever 'in love' means." Her romance with Charles would propel her into an entirely different life from the quieter one she knew as Lady Diana Spencer. The shy English rose was suddenly cast in a role few people in the world are really equipped for - that of leading lady in a fairy tale everyone desperately wanted to end in happily ever after. Prince Harry As a central part of the slimmed down House of Windsor that his father, Prince Charles, has brought about, Harry is a man for today. Along with his brother and sister in law, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, and his new bride Meghan Markle, he is the face of a monarchy for the twenty-first century. A man who is determined to combine living his own life with public duty. Who is keen to develop his own relationships as privately as possible, while doing immeasurable amounts of good for the country - and world -as a whole. Harry is a man who fought bravely in Afghanistan, who never lost the affection of the public despite being embroiled in some controversial events. A man for whom the death of his mother, in the most unbelievable of circumstances, would shape his life.

A Sunday Times Book of the Year Queen Of Our Times is the definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth II by one of Britain’s leading royal authorities, Robert Hardman. This commemorative edition includes an epilogue reflecting upon Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, her passing and her funeral. 'Sensational' – Kirsty Young, The Platinum Pageant (BBC) With fascinating revelations from those who knew her best and special access to unseen royal papers granted by Elizabeth II herself, author and royal expert Robert Hardman explores the full, astonishing life of our longest reigning monarch in this authoritative yet intimate biography. The book also charts the way in which the Queen raised the future King Charles III as both son and heir. Elizabeth was not born to be queen, being third in line to the throne. Yet from her accession as a young mother of two in 1952 to the age of Covid-19, she proved an astute and quietly determined figure, leading her family and her people through more than seventy years of unprecedented social change. She faced constitutional crises, confronted threats against her life, unified the Commonwealth, saw fifteen British prime ministers come and go, charmed world leaders, and steered her family through a lifetime in the public eye. Her Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in June 2022 and her death mourned months later, both events a reminder of the huge impact she had made. Queen of Our Times is a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal, spanning abdication, war, romance, danger and tragedy. It is a compelling portrait of a leader whose legacy of steadfast service lives on.

Volume 8 of The Royal Historical Society Transactions contains essays based around the theme 'identities and empires'.

A Biography of Elizabeth II She is the fifth longest reigning monarch in British history, and one of the most famous people in the world. Yet, despite a life lived at the center of the international stage, Elizabeth II remains an enigma. What kind of person is she? What does she stand for? How has she adapted to her role—if at all? How does she cope with problems that threaten the survival of the monarchy itself? Now, in the most authoritative and probing biography of Queen Elizabeth to date, one of Britain's most distinguished biographers and political historians reveals the sometimes surprising answers. In The Queen, Ben Pimlott creates a richly detailed, compelling portrayal of Elizabeth II—the individual, the institution, and the icon. Written with the cooperation of Buckingham Palace, this distinguished biography is enriched by unprecedented access to government and palace archives, as well as interviews with dozens of persons close to the queen, including Princess Margaret; the archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Runcie; Lord Charteris, the queen's longtime private secretary; and Hardy Amies, the royal dressmaker, and by access to the private diaries of Jock Colville, who served as private secretary to both the queen and Winston Churchill. The result is a penetrating examination that goes far beyond the typical royal biography. With the same sharp historical focus he brought to his acclaimed portrait of Harold Wilson, Pimlott reveals how Elizabeth's image has been manufactured and manipulated from her earliest childhood to suit the need of government. He explores the social, political, and psychological influences that shaped the queen's personality and the ideas she represents. Pimlott brings an illuminating perspective to the queen's relationship with her prime ministers, and he offers an intriguing view of the phenomenon of the monarchy itself—and of its future. Beginning in 1926, the year of Elizabeth's birth—and Britain's infamous General Strike—and continuing all the way into the era of Di and Fergie, this masterfully written account of the very public life of a very private woman is a fascinating, at times provocative, and vastly entertaining book. It is candid, respectful, intelligent, and certain to win admiration for both the author and his royal subject. "There will not be a better royal biography for many years."— The Daily Telegraph (London). "[Pimlott] has succeeded triumphantly. . . . He has written a book that can be enjoyed and admired by people who would never have imagined reading any previous royal biography." —The Independent (London). "An important and stimulating book." —Antonia Fraser author of Mary, Queen of Scots in The Guardian (London).

ROYAL BIOGRAPHIES VOLUME 6: The Queen and Prince Philip - 2 Books in 1 Featuring... *The Queen*Prince Philip 2 Great Books in 1! The Queen At some point, when they reach their mid-sixties, most people will accept the ravages of later middle age and gracefully, often gratefully, ease themselves into retirement. Not so the Queen. At 91 years, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II continues to work hard at her numerous duties for the nation and Commonwealth. Having held the throne for 65 years, she continues to demonstrate her commitment to fulfilling her various roles - Head of State, figurehead of many charities, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, upholder of the faith for the Church of Scotland. She may now undertake far fewer trips abroad, but her activities within the United Kingdom remain considerable.During her reign, there have been highs and lows, but through the divorces, disasters and, sadly, deaths, as well as the joys and jubilees, the Queen has stood firm. With the support of her husband, Prince Phillip, children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren she has remained an overwhelmingly popular monarch. How has she achieved this? What enabled her to overcome the tribulations of the '80s and '90s? And why does she remain loved and respected in the hearts of so many? Prince Philip Fill in the blanks: 'Behind every great man is __________.' Most people familiar with the English language would be able to slip in some semblance of the rest: A Great Woman. These three words complete the saying 'Behind every great man is a great woman, ' the same way a woman usually completes the picture of how a man of extraordinary achievement can reach such great heights. Usually, this influential figure is that of a mother or wife, and our history is filled to the brim with examples Civil Rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had his wife, Coretta; and Anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela had his Winnie. In American politics, the FLOTUS was the POTUS' tailwind, notably in the case of unforgettable couples like the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Bushes and the Obamas. In the arts, legendary filmmaker Hitchcock had indispensable Alma Reville. In sports, Jackie Robinson gave credit to his wife Rachel, while NBA superstar Kevin Durant famously called his mother "You the real MVP." Across all fields and over a large stretch of time, women have been powering the achievements of their husbands, sons and other affiliations. Indeed, behind every great man is a great woman. But what of the converse - What or who is behind a great woman?

Harold Nicolson called her 'the greatest Queen since Cleopatra', while Cecil Beaton called her 'a marshmallow made on a welding machine'. Stephen Tennant said: 'She looked everything that she was not: gentle, gullible, tenderness mingled with dispassionate serenity, cool, well-bred, remote. Behind this veil she schemed and vacillated, hard as nails.' Who was she? The Queen Mother's story has not yet been properly told. This was partly due to her long life, and the difficulty that always exists when a biography of a living person is attempted, partly because she was a queen - and the real person gets hidden behind the perceived image - and partly because she is hard to pin down. From her privileged aristocratic childhood, to the abdication and the problems with Diana - this book questions how she faced her challenges and crises, assess her role, how powerful she was, and how she coped. This is a candid, personal portrait of one of Britain's most loved national treasures. Hugo Vickers, an acknowledged expert on the House of Windsor, has spent seventeen years researching this book, and observed the Queen Mother in public and private over a period of forty years.

"The royal encyclopedia is a unique reference book about the modern British monarchy"--Jacket.