Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith

from goodreads

3 stars

I don't know why, but I have always had a curious fascination with the Queen. I remember when I was a little girl wanting to go to a tea party at Buckingham Palace. My parents aren't the most staunch of monarchists, I don't think they really care, so I have no idea where this love of all things royal came from. When this new biography came out I knew I had to read it.

Synopsis

This is an in-depth biography of Queen Elizabeth II. It starts at her birth and goes until the present, which at the time of writing was the wedding of William and Catherine and an epilogue that includes the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

It goes behind the scenes of what it is to be the sovereign of the Commonwealth. You get to see the interactions of the Queen between different heads of state, her family, and the greater populous at large.

It shows a woman doing the balancing act of wife and working mother. You see her ability to understand and appreciate the traditions of the past, but also understand the need of change to current and future circumstances. It is truly a book the shows, love, devotions and fierce loyalty.

My Thoughts

This was a great read. Though there were some sections, which mostly dealt with horses and state visits, that were rather boring. There were great little tidbits of information that showed her has human or showed her great humour. I would share them with my husband and we would both get a great laugh. I think the author did a good job of giving us rich detail without it feeling like a long list of facts. She managed to weave a story out of different events which meant even the boring parts were readable.

Because the Queen does not give interviews, we don't get to know how the Queen truly feels. We get other people's ideas of how she thinks and feels but it would be nice to know what she thinks about different situations and family fiascos. (The Queen won't have an official biographer until after she is dead, it will be interesting what comes out then.)

The book over all gives a very positive view of the Monarch. Even if she makes some unwise decisions  the author spins it positively. I am not sure if that is because of the authors own lopsided, pro Queen views, or if the Queen is just that awesome at spinning what could be negatives into positives.

The author got somewhat repetitive. For example there was probably nine or ten times when the author quotes someone as saying how the Queen put them at ease. We get it. The Queen puts everyone at ease, we don't have to hear about it from Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, and other random people.

One thing I learned is how much of a diplomat the Queen actually is. I did not realize how much behind the scenes negotiating and talking she did with other world leaders to help deescalate situations. I sort of viewed her as a figure head and not so much as being part of the diplomatic corp. I am not sure why.

I liked the parts about her interactions with her family. She fiercely loves them and wants the best for them. I wish there was more about her family relationships, but it is understandable as that is ultimately personal and private.

On the whole I was left a little bit in awe of this woman. She became Queen at the age of 25, an age when most people are still discovering themselves and developing their own views on things. She had to learn as she went along and she is quite amazing considering the pressure she was and continues to be under.