Queen Elizabeth II occupies a unique place in the British imagination. Elegant, self-contained, enigmatic: her respect for the role thrust upon her was evident even in childhood. For over seventy years, she shepherded her country through war, political upheaval and family tragedy, guarding her personal opinions and feelings and appearing implacable and yet resolutely empathetic. In this major new portrait, renowned biographer Hugo Vickers uses never-before-seen sources and personal recollections to illuminate her life as never before. From her childhood growing up in the shadow of the Blitz to her many years as the figurehead for our country: this is a royal history like no other, published to coincide with what would have been her centenary.

Autorentext

Hugo Vickers is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and an acknowledged expert on the British Royal Family. He has written biographies of the Queen Mother, Cecil Beaton, Vivien Leigh, Princess Andrew of Greece and the Duchess of Windsor. His book The Kiss won the
1996 Stern Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction. His recent bestsellers have included Malice in Wonderland and The Sphinx - the life of Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough. He collaborated with HRH The Duke of Kent on A Royal Life. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire.

Klappentext

Queen Elizabeth II occupies a unique place in the hearts of her people. She was elegant, self-contained, and enigmatic. After a supremely happy childhood, gravitas descended with the death of her beloved grandfather and after the Abdication she accepted her destiny. When she was 21 in 1947, she made a promise to serve and kept it for a remarkable 75 years. She was steadfast and conciliatory and presided calmly over decades of change, political upheaval and family tragedy. Tommy Lascelles described her as 'the most remarkable woman' he had ever met.

Hugo Vickers has been described by the Financial Times as 'the most knowledgeable royal biographer on the planet.' This major new biography is based on sixty years of close observation and research, and uses never-before-seen sources and personal recollections to illuminate her life as never before.