Dimensions
112 x 177 x 24mm
On 2 June 2002, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates fifty years on the throne. Yet despite the acres of newsprint, the scandals and speculation, still surprisingly little is known about the real character and motivation of this most private of public figures.
This major biography searches behind the propaganda - both pro- and anti-monarchist - to present a balanced, in-depth portrait of a remarkable woman and the institution to which she is dedicated. Written with full access to the Royal archives and drawing on personal photos from the Queen's private collection, it examines Elizabeth R's life in the context of her role as head of a nation which, like the monarchy itself, has undergone a half-century of extraordinary change.
More than forty sources interviewed for this book have never commented publicly before, and the authors have had unprecedented co-operation from friends and family, politicians and retired palace staff close to the Queen - from footmen and pages to the Queen's most senior advisers. With interviewees ranging from Nelson Mandela to Margaret Thatcher; Sir Trevor Macdonald to King Harald of Norway, this book offers a rare and fascinating insight into this enigmatic woman.
