Author: Andrew Morton
Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Mar. 30, 2021
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Grand Central Publishing
Book Rating: 9/10
Perfect for fans of The Crown, this captivating biography from a New York Times bestselling author follows Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret as they navigate life in the royal spotlight.
They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called ‘Lillibet.’ And bow to her wishes.
Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister’s antics with a kind of stoical amusement, but Margaret’s struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system—and her fraught relationship with its expectations—was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover.
From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden war-time lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father’s death and Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton’s latest biography offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters—one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it—and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family, and the ways it adapted to the changing mores of the 20th century.
Review:
Sincere, intuitive, and captivating!
Elizabeth & Margaret is the candid, informative biography of Lilibet and Margaret. Two sisters whose lives were drastically changed when their father unexpectedly took the throne in 1936, their home suddenly became Buckingham Palace, and one became the heir apparent and would subsequently go on to become the longest-reigning British monarch of all time.
The writing is descriptive and vivid. The characters are special, unique, duty-bound, and intriguing. And the novel is a fascinating look into how two women with distinctive, individual personalities chose to live lives that were consistently under scrutiny and criticism.
I think in a time when royal fascination seems to be running high, Elizabeth & Margaret is an incredibly insightful look not only into the push-pull relationship between two sisters who seemed to genuinely admire each other but also the pressures, responsibilities, hardships, and luxuries they each individually experienced due to their respective positions and differing roles in the House of Windsor.
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Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
GIVEAWAY!
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Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for sponsoring the giveaway! All giveaway information can be found in the Instagram Giveaway Post. Good luck!