Product Description

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes Lyon,the youngest daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, was born on 4 August 1900. It might reasonably have been expected that she would lead a life of ease and privilege but few could have imagined the profound effect she would have on Britain and its people. Her life spanned the whole of the twentieth century and this official biography tells not only her story but, through it, that of the country she loved so devotedly.

Drawing on her private correspondence and other unpublished material from the Royal Archives, William Shawcross vividly reveals the witty girl who endeared herself to soldiers convalescing at Glamis in the First World War; the assured young Duchess of York; the Queen, at last feeling able to look the East End in the face at the height of the Blitz; the Queen Mother, representing the nation at home and abroad throughout her widowhood. It is the definitive portrait of a remarkable woman.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-18
• Released on: 2009-09-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1000 pages

Review
'One of the most enticing books to be published in 2009... Good books, we hope, come to those who wait.' --The Sunday Telegraph

'The Queen Mother kept her private thoughts to herself...But all that will change with the publication next month of William Shawcross's official biography.'
--Mail on Sunday

'This splendid biography captures something of the warm glow that she brought to every event and encounter. It also reveals a deeper and more interesting character, forged by good sense, love of country, duty, humour and an instinct for what is right. This is a wonderful book, authoritative, frank and entertaining. It sets new standards for royal biography.'
--Daily Telegraph

'This is a superb biography. Another need never be written...a monumental masterwork of royal biography.' --Country Life

Review
'Long-awaited...the book will be the most comprehensive account of her life.'

Review
'It is certain to be one of the publishing events of the year.'

Customer Reviews

2, 5 kg of Queen Mum - a marvellous biography on an extraordinary personality
Queen Elisabeth, The Queen Mother or just Queen Mum was a household name all over the world. I suppose all of us who read this official biography have followed her life and have personal recollections of her. She war a fixture of royal life and events in her trademark clothes and pearls, always gracious and smiling, a real character and a real lady. Most of us will have formed an opinion about her.

Writing a biography on such a personality is not an easy task. Her first biographer Hugo Vickers had spent too much energy and pages on the Queen Mother's outfits and colour schemes of her dresses. He was all a bit to "loyal" and keeping with the myth, a bit to close to her and bit too admiring. Does William Shawcross fare better?

In my view yes indeed he does, very much so. He managed to get to the bottom of her personality, her basic functioning, and her basic personality: her great zest for life, her liking of people, her sense of duty and great loyalty and her positive approach to life in general, and her great sense of humour. But he is blind to her faults. There is a balance of this book - unless the official biography on Queen Mary he does not focus at length on her childhood and rushes through the "Queen Years". Of course, this is not my first biography of the Queen Mother and therefore not much came as a surprise to me, but there are new elements to discover. First, this is the first biography were one learns about the events and her views through herself - by her fantastic letters. Oh gosh how will future biographies been written? Based on text messages and emails...?? Secondly, the relationship with The King becomes clearer and more balanced. Popular view has it that she was the strong one and that he relied on her. Yes, that is true, but she relied very much on him too. It was a partnership in the true sense: Elizabeth & Bertie, Duke and Duchess and King and Queen together.

Shawcross is critised for having avoided the difficult issues - the abdication, her real political influence, her real political views. Well, I only agree partly. I think with regards to the abdication it is pretty clear where she stood and what she thought about it. Her attitude towards the Duchess of Windsor is as well crystal clear. That she was kind to the Duchess when she stayed in BP for the funeral of the Duke of Windsor is by far no indication of Shawcross glossing over the issue and white washing the Queen Mother. When it comes to her real political influence on running the monarchy with her husband and with her daughter indeed things are a bit more difficult. The Queen Mother was very discreet (or as she put it "very cagey") when it came to putting things into writing on political issues. Her letter exchange with Queen Mary on the abdication proves this quite clearly. The RF talked about it. Furthermore Princess Margret had scanned the writing and ordered many letters to be destroyed. She did what Princess Beatrice did with Queen Victoria's diaries. But I feel that Shawcross could have tried to find other means to find out. The same applies to the more recent ups and downs like the Charles-Diana-Camilla saga. So there is an area which can be explored further.

Before concluding a word on Shawcross style of writing: the whole book is written with a great flow and in very entertaining way. It is easy to read, without being superficial. It is massive (2,5 kg heavy), but never boring.

All in all, I think it is an excellent biography and properly the very best official biography I have ever read. Highly recommended.

Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother: The Peoples Queen
Having been presented to Her Majesty and realising how close she was to her subjects I was delighted when Her official biography was published giving me the opportunity to learn more of her private life.For many years I hsave heard anecdotes connected with her formative years, her background and snippets of how she approached the daunting task of becoming Queen and of facing life without her late husband. All this and more I have learned from her biography. Reading the biography was made particularly enjoyable as I am of the same generation, albeit a few years younger,and I am certain that this is history made easy. I am of the opinion that all generations will enjoy this book and gain much from it. As is so frequently written, more than just a good read.

An exceptional life revealed
The author reveals a great deal about the late Queen Mother much of which many will know little. The book reveals the steely and determined side of HM's character alongside the caring, loving, wife, mother and grandmother of her devoted family. Some have critised the book as being too deferential but I think it an accurate reflection of the much respected and loved matriarch.