There have always been people for and against the monarchy. Here is a quote from the book that I found put the situation quite well: “Left Wing radicals couldn’t understand why ordinary workers view the monarchy as a source of patriotic pride rather than as a class thing." Hardman takes the story right up to today and the Platinum Jubilee. The later parts of the book, which are dependent on interviews, will be invaluable to historians. By the second decade of the 21st century, the Queen had become the focal point of a revival of monarchy, driven by the two princes William and Harry. As ever, however, the danger came from within, in this case the war between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. The Queen acted with characteristic decisiveness over the Sussexes, insisting that they must choose to be either “in or out”. The book also charts the way in which the Queen raised the future King Charles III as both son and heir.

For the Jubilee, I also watched a few documentaries about Queen Elizabeth. My favorite was, The Unseen Queen, 2022. Robert Hardman, one of Britain’s most acclaimed royal biographers, now wraps up the full story of one of the undisputed greats in a thousand years of monarchy. Hardman distills Elizabeth’s complex life into a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal. It is a portrait of a world leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the throne at age twenty-five. Robert has written this book in the best possible way without showing any bias, including all the controversies that the Queen had to face. Diana's funeral and controversies related to Prince Andrew and Prince Harry-Meghan Markle are all discussed in detail here. 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. Many of the biographies of Queen Elizabeth and other royals have been written in a way that makes the author appear to have an axe to grind. In other words, they can be catty and written in manner that makes the royal look bad. However, this book is so refreshing in that I didn’t find that to be the case here. This book was written in a positive manner and included so many things that I have never learned before. Yes, there are some difficult times and some good times too.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. She invited the US ambassador, Will Farish, to attend as her guest of honour. The gesture was not only profoundly comforting for expatriate Americans stranded in the UK, but resonated powerfully across the United States. So, too, did the Queen's message to the American people. To this day, her conclusion – 'Grief is the price we pay for love' – remains one of her most widely quoted statements." The definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by a renowned royal biographer in an updated Commemorative Edition following Her Majesty's passing, 1926-2022. Rich in new material, wit, and original thought. With intimate and unrivalled access to those who really know the story, Queen of Our Times not only gives us the real Elizabeth II, but it also reminds us, often movingly, that we are living through one of history’s greatest reigns.” Shy but with a steely self-confidence; inscrutable despite ten decades in the public eye; unflappable; devout; indulgent; outwardly reserved, inwardly passionate; unsentimental; inquisitive; young at heart.

Elizabeth II. wurde nicht als Thronfolgerin geboren. Doch seit ihrer Krönung 1952 hat sie sich als kluge und entschlossene Persönlichkeit erwiesen und ihr Volk souverän durch teils massive Veränderungen geführt. Sie sah sich mit Verfassungskrisen konfrontiert, erhielt Morddrohungen, sah 14 Premierminister kommen und gehen, bezauberte Staatsoberhäupter aus aller Welt, wurde von den Medien gefeiert und kritisiert und lebte ein Leben in der Öffentlichkeit. Most biographies of Elizabeth II follow the “Crown in Crisis” narrative, which frames the Queen as lurching from one disaster to another, and portrays her reign as one of managed decline. The TV series The Crown is an outstanding example of this story of catastrophes – and Hardman is having none of it. He maintains that, for most of the so-called crises of her reign, the Queen remained firmly in control. Elizabeth was dutiful, reserved, reluctant to be the centre of attention, reticent with emotions and opinions.” 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.Robert Hardman, one of Britain’s most acclaimed royal biographers, now wraps up the full story of one of the undisputed greats in a thousand years of monarchy. Hardman distills Elizabeth's complex life into a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal. It is a portrait of a world leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the Throne at age twenty-five.