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Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch Audiobook
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(3.00) - 7,514 listener ratings
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Perfect for fans of The Crown, this magisterial biography of Queen Elizabeth II is a close-up view of the woman we’ve known only from a distance—and a captivating window into the last great monarchy. From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace. In Elizabeth the Queen, we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes “heiress presumptive” when her uncle abdicates the throne. We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him, even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats. We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day. We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children. Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen’s daily routines—the “red boxes” of documents she reviews each day, the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers, her physically demanding tours abroad, and the constant scrutiny of the press—as well as her personal relationships: with Prince Philip, her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life; her children and their often-disastrous marriages; her grandchildren and friends. Praise for Elizabeth the Queen “An excellent, all-embracing new biography.”—The New York Times “[An] imposing, yet nimbly written, biography [that] dwarfs the field . . . a most satisfying and enjoyable read, one to be savored at length.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “Fascinating . . . After sixty years on the throne, the monarch of Britain is better known for her poker face than for sly wit or easy charm. Yet in biographer Sally Bedell Smith’s Elizabeth the Queen, Her Majesty sparkles with both.”—More “[A] smart and satisfying book.”—Los Angeles Times
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"This was a engaging book to read. It was a flattering biography that made any of the Queen's flaws understandable. For example, I was in my early teens when Charles married Diana and always felt more drawn to Diana's side of that royal story. This book showed me another side, one that is more favorable to Charles and his family. The compelling writing and plentiful photographs made the 555 pages of main text go quickly. Then there were 130 pages of source notes, bibliography, index, and acknowledgements - all of which show the research that went into the book. I enjoyed it very much!"
— Kelly (5 out of 5 stars)
Elizabeth the Queen Listener Reviews
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joan paul, 12/22/2014
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" This was a marvelous book. E II R is someone to be admired for so many reasons, not the least is which her solid commitment to reign for the best of the Commonwealth and be as a-political as possible. She's smart, stays informed on everything that might affect the many countries and cultures of the British Commonwealth, and weathers the storms her relatives create. My only challenge was I needed a dictionary at hand to look up some of her terminology. "
— Tracy, 2/16/2014 -
" A fairly fawning and superficial look at Elizabeth II. At least now I think I'll remember which one was Princess Margaret and Princess Anne. I disappointed to say I'm still not clear on the queen's actual constitutional role tho. Fortunately, it was an engaging read. "
— Kate, 2/12/2014 -
" An unauthorized biography of Queen Elizabeth. The 1st half was very interesting. But the 2nd half was boring, prime ministers, tours and scandals involving her children. "
— Mary, 2/8/2014 -
" Amazing life "
— Sara, 1/28/2014 -
" WONDERFUL! Lots of fresh details. "
— Kimberly, 1/24/2014 -
" Wow, a sweeping read of the 60 years that Elizabeth II has been serving her country and commonwealth on the throne! It's a very chronological read but I enjoyed it very much. Long live the Queen! "
— Pamela, 1/14/2014 -
" While the information presented was fascinating, this book could have been commissioned by the palace for all the bias it shows toward the queen and against Diana. Astonishing, since this author also wrote a Diana biography, but in this work paints her as mentally unstable and dead set on ruining the monarchy. There is also lots of excuse-making for certain behaviors of the queen, especially her absence from her older children's lives, that could reasonably be called into question. All of that aside, the information was truly fascinating for someone as fascinated as I am by the royal family. "
— Mikie, 1/13/2014 -
" Obviously written by someone who is pro monarchy but enjoyable nonetheless. It provides an interesting view of her world. "
— Ann, 1/13/2014 -
" Very detailed book. sometimes there was more information than maybe was completely necessary. The author clearly is E II R fan, which is fine. It was an interesting read. "
— Beth, 1/7/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this look into her life, her leadership and her legacy. It will be interesting as the time unfolds to see what the future holds for the monarch. "
— Melissa, 12/26/2013 -
" Nothing really new here, but a well written book. "
— I., 12/23/2013 -
" Very interesting biography as well as history of the British monarchy. Fun facts: the Queen does her own makeup, dislikes gossip, and has a very good sense of humor. "
— Amy, 12/13/2013 -
" An excellent biography. Engagingly written, not dry at all. Shows a more human side of a person that deliberately (and justifiably) keeps her emotions hidden. A definite must-read for Anglophiles like me. "
— Laura, 12/12/2013 -
" The British press' lack of freedom is really quite appalling. "
— Emily, 8/9/2013 -
" As a former Canadian I was anxious to find out how "normal" the House of Windsor is. Well, it's not, but there are enough touching moments to keep your interest throughout. It was a very easy read and I raise my gin and tonic and shout "God save the Queen" "
— Carol, 8/3/2013 -
" An amazing & intuitive horsewoman. I love that at 86 she still rides everyday if possible & has switched to Fell ponies. Atta girl! "
— Nina, 5/14/2013 -
" This book was slow but informative. I'm not sure how much of it was edited to make the queen and monarchy look good. "
— Lisa, 5/4/2013 -
" Moderately interesting, but one can never quite overcome the inkling that it is ll just made up. Like Barbapapa. "
— Trevor, 4/30/2013 -
" I find Elizabeth's youth and early years as queen to be fascinating. Once we get to the 60's however, I got bored so I left it unfinished. "
— Roxie, 4/20/2013 -
" I think the royal family is just fascinating. I don't know much about Queen Elizabeth so I'm looking forward to reading this. All the history and just living that life sounds so interesting. I'm really looking forward to reading this. Plus I'm excited because I won it on my b-day!!! :) "
— Shannon, 1/26/2013 -
" An interesting read, and certainly casts the Queen in a good light. Very pro-Queen and Prince Phillip and very anti-Diana. "
— Kelly, 11/12/2012 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have always admired the queen, but now my respect has ratcheted up a bunch of notches. She is smart, funny and has the constitution of a woman half her age. It's too bad she can't rule for another 60 years. "
— Sarah, 7/2/2012 -
" Absolutely fascinated by this look at the Queen's life... a bit hard-handed around the subject of Diana, but otherwise a great read. "
— Kristie, 4/25/2012 -
" I only read half of it, but made me think of the Queen as a friend. "
— Maria, 3/28/2012
About Sally Bedell Smith
Sally Bedell Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of several books about the British royals, as well as biographies of William S. Paley; Pamela Harriman; John and Jacqueline Kennedy; and Bill and Hillary Clinton. An on-air contributor for CNN since 2017, she was a contributing editor at Vanity Fair from 1996 to 2018.
About Rosalyn Landor
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.