Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II
£18.20
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.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Macmillan, Main Market edition (17 Mar. 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 720 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1529063418 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1529063417 |
| Reading age | 18 years and up |
| Dimensions | 16.4 x 5 x 24.2 cm |
by John Hopper
This is a new biography of the Queen and her role published for the Platinum Jubilee earlier this year, taking her life and reign up until the beginning of 2022 (so some of the references to record-breaking and transition are now redundant). It is very comprehensive, covering her personal life, constitutional issues, domestic issues, politics, foreign policy, everything basically. It is very readable though, and never flags or bores at any point.
Huge amounts have of course been written and broadcast about her since her death just over a month ago and I think many of us are still processing her departure from the scene she has graced for over 70 years…and I am speaking as someone who most of my adult life have thought of myself as intellectually a republican, and never an instinctive monarchist. Maybe it takes an exceptionally long reign like hers to gain an appreciation of the impact of her soft power on world affairs and in providing a centre of national gravity over and above party politics, however hard this is to justify in democratic and meritocratic terms. The book inevitably talks a lot about the Queen’s undoubted sense of duty but the one thing that probably struck me most above everything else was the almost incredible breadth of her experience on the national and world stage, knowing every Prime Minister from Clement Atlee (before she was Queen) to Liz Truss, every US President bar one from Harry Truman to Joe Biden, and almost every major world leader over a period of well over half a century. This is surely a length and breadth of experience that will never be repeated anywhere in the world at this level. I think it is the loss of this that is most striking by its sudden (albeit expected at some point fairly soon) absence. In the words of the author, “unlike other public figures, there is a timelessness about the Queen, all the more so in her later years. She may have aged, like everyone else, but, even after seven decades, she has not dated”.
by Brown eyes
My friend loves history and she absolutely loved this book totally worth the money
by Andrew Fitzgerald
I bought this book before her Majesty passed away ,like many loved watched the Crown knowing full well of its inaccuracies this book puts things in to prospective . HRH worked hard all her life she was lucky enough to find a loving husband ,his sense of humour was not always appreciated by all I found it hilarious on most occasions. The book covers her trip to Kenya when she became Queen , she had a short course on how to be Queen ,unlike our new King Charles who had a good time to prepare. After the Abdication her life changed on her succession she was led by some of the old school tie mob, their attitude wasn’t always right and it took time for the Queen to sort out friend and foe. She and the Duke of Edinburgh were a team he had ideas on modernization the suits didn’t like it but like Prince Albert before him his idea’s were mainly supported by the Queen. The book covers many areas her relationship with heads of government up to the short tenured final one of her reign ,it goes over the long relationship with Winston Churchill who advised her on many subjects the Abdicated Edward who would pop up later as a Nazi supporter with promises of his crown replaced. He also advised her on the late Princess Margaret who had fallen in love with a Divorced man ,I don’t know what he would have thought about our king himself a divorcee marrying a divorcee and becoming queen . The book covers scandal of the Royal portrait collection administrator Blunt having been uncovered as a spy for the USSR this must have hurt her. It’s funny the spies for a communist state always seem to live in luxury. The Porfumo case is covered as well because of the tenuous links between the Duke and his Chiropractor ,all the furore of Snowdons divorce which now we know was doomed from the start,he was his best own spin doctor. The chapters covers all the state visits both here and abroad and holding them here ,not as shown on the Crown but Obama did seem to be a favourite. The Queens love of the commonwealth is apparent she calmed many a storm by simply getting them to talk all her meeting are given a mention , apart from the ones Edward Heath told her that they wouldn’t be much to discuss. He omitted that the commonwealth countries were worried if we joined the Common Market where would it leave them? The Queen put this right by inviting everyone to meet her to discuss their worries, there’s chapters each covering a time span of her reign her time with Wilson comes over as favourable and most others . Mrs Thatcher although I don’t think a favourite the Queen had to support her as head of her government no matter her personal views. The chapter on the rise and fall of the Wales’s is sad perhaps because it’s still in living memory but reading between the lines I really think they married for the wrong reasons, neither been squeaky clean the Queen was advised but could also see the problem. The fake Martin Bashir TV program is most probably the final nail in the coffin he made millions out of a very vulnerable young woman and should be ashamed. The chapter of the now Prince and Princess of Wales is bright and cheerful the next chapter in royal history,of course there is coverage of Harry and Megan’s marriage and the fall out . The Queen kept her feelings close to her chest ,l suspect the Duke had something to say ,they get a few paragraphs in their favour the Queen loved and respected his decision a pity he didn’t give her the same courtesy. The loss of the Duke of Edinburgh is covered like most people of that time a huge funeral was not allowed,which by all accounts he didn’t want. The Queen is undoubtedly the glue that held the nation together , King Charles has a hard act to follow and so does William .This book made me think and look a different way on the Queen I always respected her perhaps she didn’t always make the right decisions but we are all flawed and she will forever be my Queen. God Bless your Majesty.
by Amazon Customer
I liked the book & history about royal family very nice to read
by Ann johnson
I have read this book and how our queen took over the rein of our contry
Worth every penny and great read too
by William H. Milne
This is a most interesting book to read, at this time just after the passing of the Queen. I came to realise how much the Queen owed to her father, King George the Sixth. A s well as setting her a good example he also mentored her in the duties of a constitutional monarch.
In addition to getting a good view of the Queen’s personal life I also learned much about other members of the Royal Family. For example I had to revise my view of Prince Phillip. I had previously remembered some of his controversial statements. My view changed ,however when I learned some of the details of the good work done by his Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and also his hard efforts for his other Charities
I also was given a good insight to the hard work done by the Princess Royal. Previously I recalled some negative news of her abruptness. William H. Milne
by JANET ROSE
I wanted a special book to keep about the Queen, and this ticks all the boxes.
There is an interesting family tree at the beginning, going as far back as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. There are a few, not a huge amount, of photographs added. I would like to have seen more but what is there covers the Queen’s life from childhood to the last photograph taken on her last public engagement, meeting with the new PM Liz Truss.
The author is a well known writer and broadcaster, specializing in the monarchy and history. He has spoken to and interviewed many people who knew the Queen including the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge.
The book was initially written before the sad death of the Queen so has been updated with an Epilogue written afterwards.
A fabulous tome I will treasure.
I was so impressed I bought another copy for a gift.