Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

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Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

by Sally Bedell Smith (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 7,870 ratings · 541 reviews

In this magisterial new biography, New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith brings to life one of the world’s most fascinating and enigmatic women: Queen Elizabeth II.

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 w...more In this magisterial new biography, New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith brings to life one of the world’s most fascinating and enigmatic women: Queen Elizabeth II.

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.

Compulsively readable and scrupulously researched, Elizabeth the Queen is a close-up view of a woman we’ve known only from a distance, illuminating the lively personality, sense of humor, and canny intelligence with which she meets the most demanding work and family obligations. It is also a fascinating window into life at the center of the last great monarchy.(less)

Hardcover, 688 pages

Published January 10th 2012 by Random House

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Jan 26, 2012 Lesa Parnham rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Royal Watchers

Shelves: 2012-books-read

Parts were fascinating, parts were boring (one Prime Minister after another), I have read enough about the royal family to have doubts about how much of this is true. Quite possibly the author didn't want to make the queen angry. What happened to the c/c bracelet that Charles had for Camilla right before he was married to Diana? It is a proven fact that Charles carried on a relationship with Camilla throughout the marriage, Smith skipped over the part where while being interviewed on tv said he...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Julia Reed rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a not so secret passion for monarchies, so when I read the excerpt of Elizabeth the Queen in Vanity Fair, I knew that it was time to indulge. Even less ardent monarchists than myself will find a lot to love in this well-researched, entertaining, and even somewhat loving chronicle of England's longest serving monarch. From her sheltered childhood and unexpectedly early ascent to the throne (when Elizabeth became The Queen she was literally in a treetop in Kenya), to the marriages and divor...more

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Mar 11, 2012 MichelleCH rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: group-reads, european-history, non-fiction, audiobook

Just awful, if an author is going to propose a biography of a well known figure, at least have the courage to acknowledge a bias or predisposition to a certain viewpoint. This so-called biography is laughable. Yes she had access to "never before seen documents", but shouldn't we have heard some of this before? Somehow the author knows what Princess Diana's children and Tony Blair were thinking and their thoughts always paint Diana in the worst light possible. Really! Very National Enquirer-like....more

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Jun 18, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Books about royalty, British royalty in particular, are my secret passion. Victoria's Daughters, Tina Brown's biography of Diana....I hung on every word. Nothing better than good gossipy history. So I picked up the hefty 537 page autobiography of QE II with some excitement. I enjoyed reading it, but was frankly...a little boring.
The author interviewed many people with numerous anecdotes, all of which portrayed the Queen as smart, admirably devoted and loving at all times, but there was no analys...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Michele rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book! Highly recommend it!

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Apr 19, 2013 Dianne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, my-favorites

Queen Elizabeth II is someone I've admired all my life. She was crowned in the second year of my life, so she has been my Queen for 60 years. I can't imagine having any other monarch, though I probably will have to get used to a change if I survive another decade. It's a change I don't look forward to.

There have been many, many books and television shows about Queen Elizabeth, including the popular movie, which I loved, "The Queen", with Helen Mirren in 2006. They all have their own slant (there...more Queen Elizabeth II is someone I've admired all my life. She was crowned in the second year of my life, so she has been my Queen for 60 years. I can't imagine having any other monarch, though I probably will have to get used to a change if I survive another decade. It's a change I don't look forward to.

There have been many, many books and television shows about Queen Elizabeth, including the popular movie, which I loved, "The Queen", with Helen Mirren in 2006. They all have their own slant (there won't be an official biography until after her death) and it can be difficult to sort out what is fact and what is just the bias of the authour, but I thought this one was quite balanced. It acknowledges her strengths, but doesn't hide her flaws or the mistakes she's made. It presents her as a strong and honourable, but not perfect, human being.

I did find it to be somewhat anti-Diana. Whenever it discusses Charles' marriage, the fault for all their problems is clearly laid at her feet. I realize she was not innocent, but they'll never convince me that Charles was just a victim of her emotional instability. In my view, he has things to answer for too.

An aspect of the book I particularly loved was the history review. Beginning with King George VI's unexpected coronation in 1937 and continuing right up to William and Catherine's wedding in 2010, every major world event is looked at. How the Queen and her family were affected, how she responded and how she influenced the thinking and decisions of other world leaders makes for fascinating reading.

There is at least as much political information as personal here, which may not appeal to readers who are only interested in learning about her private life. To give a complete picture, the book has to be political because her life is, even as a non-partisan monarch, extremely political. It is in the face of national and international crises that her strength and character as a world leader, and as a human being, are revealed. A section of the preface says: "She also has the positive power of influence: 'the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn.' In public she influences through her example, by setting a high standard for service and citizenship, by rewarding achievement, and by diligently carrying out her duties. Tony Blair, the tenth of her twelve Prime Ministers called her 'a symbol of unity in a world of insecurity....simply the best of British'."

There are also lots of glimpses into her personal life: her relationships with her parents, her sister, her husband and children and friends. And it's not all duty and formality; there are a lot of funny moments that show the Queen's sense of humour and provide some comic relief in the midst of stories about war, terrorist attacks and family crises.

A very nice addition to the book are the two sections, 32 pages in all, of photographs. We see her changing a tire as a young woman in 1945, being crowned Queen in 1953, making an unannounced visit to an American supermarket in 1957, entertaining President and Mrs. Kennedy in 1961, on the dance floor in 1972, laughing with her family in 1982 and wiping away a tear at the decommissioning of her "floating home", the royal yacht Britannia, in 1997. I was reminded again of how beautiful she was in her younger years and what a stunning couple she and Prince Philip made.

I have to say this was a genuinely interesting book. At 537 pages, it still wasn't long enough. I know I'll read it again, and I sincerely hope there will be another book one day about the next ten years of Elizabeth II's reign. God save the Queen! (less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Gwen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Gwen by: browsing at the library

Shelves: biography-memoir

A highly readable account of Elizabeth II's life from birth to Golden Jubilee. As a reader not fully versed in British politics, the bits about the various prime ministers went over my head (I think I need to find "British Political History for Dummies" or something similar.), but what Smith was able to write about Elizabeth's personal life was fascinating.

From what I could ascertain (not doing any further research into Smith's background, philosophies, etc...my history graduate professors would...more

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Jun 28, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, history

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith is a respectful, detailed portait of the life and accomplishments of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

I had a grandfather who was born in England and lots of New England ancestors who came from England, so I have always been interested in English history and the monarchy. I have been to England 4 times, toured Buckingham Palace twice, and visited Windsor Castle, Edinburgh Castle, The Tower of London, Frogmore and Clarence House...more Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith is a respectful, detailed portait of the life and accomplishments of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

I had a grandfather who was born in England and lots of New England ancestors who came from England, so I have always been interested in English history and the monarchy. I have been to England 4 times, toured Buckingham Palace twice, and visited Windsor Castle, Edinburgh Castle, The Tower of London, Frogmore and Clarence House each once, so I'm definitely interested in the royals and in history.

The first half of the biography seems well researched, though a bit dense at times with so many people, places and events included. The second half seems to have more trivia, though it is interesting, and the section on Diana seems rather one sided against her. The book is very readable, and the very first part I read aloud to two long car trips. It did take me over 4 weeks to finish reading.

There are many interesting stories, quotes and anecdotes in this book.
I was unaware of the fact that during World War II, Queen Elizabeth II learned how to drive a two-ton truck, change wheels and spark plugs, bleed brakes, and strip down engines. Alhough I knew of Queen Elizabeth's horse racing interests, the many details in the book of her trips to Kentucky and her involvement with the "horse whisperer" were new to me. Particularly interesting are quotes from various ladies in waiting and some older cousins, revealing more of what the monarch is like in private and behind the scenes. Her intelligence, sense of humor, common sense approaches, willingness to innovate, and sense of duty are all revealed.

There's lots of information about the Queen's trips, her interactions with Prime Ministers, Presidents and heads of state. There are many details and context, but not much analysis, though the final chapter does discuss differences in style and temperment between the Queen and Prince Charles, the fact that Charles will not necessarily be chosen head of the Commonwealth, & the wedding and popularity of Prince William.

I was particularly struck by the criticisms of the tabloid press. I was not aware of all details involving the Ryan Parry story of his time working in Buckingham palace. The comments of Piers Morgan then editor of the Daily Mirror seem particularly obnoxious and my opinion of him is more negative as a result.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for public library collections. For Adults, royal watchers, monarchy, British history, world history, biography, and fans of Queen Elizabeth II and Sally Bedell Smith.(less)

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Mar 01, 2012 Everyday eBook rated it 5 of 5 stars

Elizabeth the Queen, by New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith, is an exquisite biography that illuminates the life of the world’s most famous monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, Bedell Smith shows in intimate detail the public and private lives of this fascinating woman, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace. He...more Elizabeth the Queen, by New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith, is an exquisite biography that illuminates the life of the world’s most famous monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, Bedell Smith shows in intimate detail the public and private lives of this fascinating woman, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace. Here, upon the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, Sally Bedell Smith shares some surprising facts about Her Majesty the Queen.

Twelve Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Queen Elizabeth II

1. As a teenager during World War II, Queen Elizabeth II learned how to drive a two-ton truck, change wheels and spark plugs, bleed brakes, and strip down engines.

2. When Paul McCartney was growing up, he thought Queen Elizabeth II was “a babe … beautiful and glamorous.”

3. Queen Elizabeth II doesn’t perspire, even in the hottest temperatures.

4. In the middle of the solemn ritual of her coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury sneaked the twenty-seven-year-old Queen sips from a hidden flask of brandy.

5. When Queen Elizabeth II first saw the Manhattan skyline from a ferryboat at age thirty-one, she exclaimed, “Wheeeeee!” and compared it to “a row of great jewels.”

6. When Queen Elizabeth II entertains friends privately, she serves them their food, clears the table, and stacks the plates, and after cookouts on her estate in Scotland, she puts on yellow rubber gloves to wash the dishes.

7. When Queen Elizabeth II saw her first supermarket while visiting the United States in 1957, she was most fascinated by the frozen chicken potpies.

8. When her ear, nose, and throat doctor made his first house call to Buckingham Palace and examined the Queen under the bedclothes, the young Queen said, “I’m as nervous as you are.”

Read the remaining four surprising facts about Elizabeth II here: http://bit.ly/zOAfZm (less)

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Feb 04, 2012 Dixie Swanson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found this book to be fairly similar to the previous biography. Elizabeth However, this is a most unusual woman. She deserves more than one biography! Incredibly wealthy, she's frugal. Trained for a rather boring job, she has done it without a misstep for going on sixty years. Once, when asked to define herself, she said she was a "working mother." Known among her friends as someone who has a quick wit and a ready laugh, she looks dour to the world. At eighty-five, she's still working full-tim...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is an interesting biography of Queen Elizabeth. Because we have seen so little of her personality in public I found it fascinating to learn about what she is really like. I think the first half of the book is much stronger than the second half. Her childhood and early years as a monarch are well covered and the author appears to have good sources who were within the inner circle. It seems that the author didn't have equally good sources for the most recent years. A lot of the modern da...more

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Dec 04, 2011 E rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Elizabeth The Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
by Sally Bedell Smith is an in depth look at the life of, perhaps, the most well-known woman in the world. This is a biography of both a woman and a Queen who has reigned for sixty years. From the first page it becomes obvious that this a well-researched work filled with anecdotes that provide an opportunity to understand how she has managed to be a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother and grandmother as well as a monarch.
The abdication of King E...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Shay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: shay-s-12x12-challenge-2012

If you are hoping for a super gossipy, anti-Queen, pro-Diana book, this is not the book for you. Not that it doesn't have some juicy tidbits, such as this quote from Prince Philip about the Queen when they were first married, "During a visit to the Brabourns in Kent, John said to Philip, 'I never realized what lovely skin she [the Queen] has.' 'Yes,' Philip replied, 'she's like that all over.'" But this book is very sympathetic in tone to the Queen. Instead of overly gossipy stuff, the book is a...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this unauthorized biography we meet Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor
as a 13 year old who becomes smitten with her husband to be, Prince Phillip.Elizabeth's Father, Albert, becomes King George VI reluctanly when his brother Edward abdicated the throne to marry a divorcee. This alters "Lilibet's life, for she instantly became the heir presumptive. Phillip and Elizabeth are now married for 64 yrs and Elizabeth has ruled for 60 years. She is 85 years old and he is 90. Elizabeth is very easy to li...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Duckpondwithoutducks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-nonfiction-biosroyal

It is sometimes strange to read a biography of a living person, because the end of the book is not the end of the story. I really enjoyed reading this biography of Queen Elizabeth II. That may have something to do with the fact that I am a bit (or a lot) of an Anglophile. One fact that I knew already, but that I find really interesting, is that in September 2015, if she is still reigning then, Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning British monarch. Right now, Queen Victoria holds th...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Elizabeth the Queen:The Life of a Modern Monarch, by Sally Bedell Smith, Narrated by Rosalyn Landor, Produced by Random House Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

This is a very long but thoroughly engrossing biography of Queen Elizabeth II. We get basically a blow by blow of the queen through her 60 years thus far of rule-her relationships with the various prime ministers, with foreign officiaries, with her own relations. After Princess Dianna’s death she seems to have become more accessible to p...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Like many Americans, I've found the British monarchy somewhat mysterious and glamorous, and feel compelled to read updates about them in People magazine in the grocery store checkout. I remember where I was when I found out about Diana's death and remember watching her funeral, and I was definitely interested in the royal wedding last year. But this biography left me thankful to not be a Brit encumbered with this out-of-date institution. The queen herself comes across as fairly humble and extrem...more

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May 21, 2012 Katherine Coble rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-checkout

This is a good overview of her amazing life. It hits all the expected story beats--Margaret, Diana, 9/11--and gives the reader a good idea of the ironically regimented life of the British sovereign.

Unlike many other royal biographies this doesn't choke the casual reader to death on a raft of peerage arcana. It's possible to get a feel for the institution without having to sort through dry lists of people with a hundred different names and archaic titles.

The author is an American Anglophile, an...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Wanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

A very detailed biography that gives one the feeling that the author cobbled together multiple People magazine articles. The treatment of the queen is sycophantic and the historical contextualization is superficial. Prince Charles comes off as a misguided but lovable dweeb; while Diana is villified. Even Camilla comes off as wonderful. I am not saying that Diana did not have problems and was not a manipulative person, but everyone comes off as well meaning in this book but her. The author's trea...more

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May 06, 2013 Christie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-royal-era-challenge, 20th-century, big-books, books-with-pictures, england, history, ireland, royalty, scotland

First sentence: "They love her for her wisdom and her pride, her friendship and her quiet majesty; and soon the streets of Britain will be thronged with crowds rejoicing in her Jubilee."

I do not usually read biographies of people who are still alive because they are usually not that reliable. They are either the official biography type that just show the great parts of the person and sweep all the bad stuff under the rug. Or they are the unofficial biography type that take all the horrible stuf...more First sentence: "They love her for her wisdom and her pride, her friendship and her quiet majesty; and soon the streets of Britain will be thronged with crowds rejoicing in her Jubilee."

I do not usually read biographies of people who are still alive because they are usually not that reliable. They are either the official biography type that just show the great parts of the person and sweep all the bad stuff under the rug. Or they are the unofficial biography type that take all the horrible stuff the tabloids say about the person and try to make the biography into a shocking tell-all affair. This particular biography is definitely in the first category. I believe the only good, unbiased, and balanced biographies come after a person (and sometimes their immediate descendants) are gone.

Anyway I picked up this book because it just won the goodreads choice award for Best History & Biography and because I needed a book for the modern era in my royal era challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I feel that it is probably the best biography that we will get about Elizabeth II until she is no more. The organization of the biography is logical and chronological, which is what I really like in a good bio. It does a good job of providing pertinent information without bogging the reader down in details. The photographs chosen to illustrate the biography did a great job of complimenting the text. I very much enjoyed the direct quotes from the text that accompanied each photo and caption. I wish more of the official portraits that were talked about in the book had been included, but they probably were not because of permissions issues or whatever. This was definitely a well put together book and I did not find myself skimming parts of it like I have done with other biographies.

My favorite parts of the book were learning more about Elizabeth II's daily life and learning more about royalty today (most of my British monarchy knowledge is confined to the 16th and 17th centuries). It was interesting to find out where some of the traditions stem from as well as how Elizabeth II has modernized the monarchical institution. The author did a great job of including the Queen's humor, which I think did well in showing her human side. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good biography of Elizabeth II and a look at the monarchy today and how it got that way. Very informative read.

Royal Era Challenge: AD 1918 to present(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bio-memoir, e-text, pop-history, libraryread-idm

After having read and thoroughly enjoyed Mrs. Queen Takes the Train I decided I wanted to know more about Her Royal Highness. Fellow GoodReader Jaime gave it 3 stars, and it was available thru the Indiana Digital Media consortium, so I borrowed their Kindle copy.

Being an American in my 40's - my main exposure to the royal family was through the media coverage of Prince Charles and Lady/Princess Diana; I hadn't realized until the Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations just how young Elizabeth...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Philae_02 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

First off, this biography is exceedingly thorough. Not only does Smith paint an exquisite picture of the reigning monarch, but she divulges the personal and private life of the Queen. From this biography, readers can glimpse at the elegant lady behind the diamond tiaras and fancy gatherings. We can get to “know” her as a person, and more than just a figurehead. I thought that it was funny to learn about the Queen’s love for not only her Welsh Corgis, but for horses as well.

One particular part th...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, read-non-fiction

This was a well-researched, birth-to-present account of the life of Queen Elizabeth II. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator had the pompous accent of the British upper classes, which was quite appropriate I think. The narrator didn't do variations in voice very well which was distracting in a book that relied so heavily on quotes.

I don't know much about the modern British monarchy, so I appreciated the glimpses into the Queen's daily life, as well as the detailed explanation of what he...more

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Feb 12, 2012 judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir

I found myself rolling my eyes when I opened this book and thinking "tell me something I don't know." I can't say the author told me a lot of things I didn't know but the context and flow were amazing. Although an official biography will be written when the Queen dies, I expect this is the one that non-academics will read. It is charming, well researched and moves right along through this amazing woman's 85 years. Probably there will be some anti-monarchists who will claim that Bedell Smith was...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Tamra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very informative and interesting, I was engrossed by this book, despite the author's obvious favoritism towards the Queen. Filled with facts and fascinating tidbits about world history events over the course of her reign, I also would have liked to learn a little more about the Queen's personal side, though I suppose that would be a difficult task given her notorious penchant for privacy. I was disappointed, though not surprised, to read of Elizabeth II's coolness and distantness when it came to...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Sally Bedell Smith's Elizabeth the Queen comes just as Elizabeth II celebrates her 60th year on the throne. Some reviewers have described the book as an authorized unauthorized biography, likely because Bedell Smith writes with sympathy and admiration for the Queen's dedication and the sacrifices that the Queen has made and makes on a daily basis.

I hadn't read any of biographies of the royal family and have had a mild fascination with Princess Diana (like most of the world). I'd enjoyed the movi...more Sally Bedell Smith's Elizabeth the Queen comes just as Elizabeth II celebrates her 60th year on the throne. Some reviewers have described the book as an authorized unauthorized biography, likely because Bedell Smith writes with sympathy and admiration for the Queen's dedication and the sacrifices that the Queen has made and makes on a daily basis.

I hadn't read any of biographies of the royal family and have had a mild fascination with Princess Diana (like most of the world). I'd enjoyed the movie The Queen with Helen Mirren. I'd requested Elizabeth the Queen through the Amazon Vine program with a general curiosity of the second longest reigning monarch and was delightfully surprised to learn the details of her life as queen. The book begins with ten-year old Elizabeth and her sister discuss the abdication by King Edward VIII and their father's ascension to the throne. Elizabeth suddenly becomes next in line to the throne and she is prepared accordingly. Drastic changes are made to her education, training, and treatment - she, her family, and those around her take care to prepare her for her role. In contrast, her father Prince Albert ("Bertie") had not been raised as the heir and his sudden ascension when King Edward VIII abdicated to be with Wallace Simpson had not only created a constitutional crisis but had imposed an incredible burden for which he -- at least from Hollywood's depictions -- had not felt well prepared. But as Prince Albert took on the role of George VI, history (and again, the movies) reveal that he met unexpected and unparalleled challenges with great grace, dedication and success -- he steered England through World War II and the challenges afterward. The royal family made sure that Elizabeth was prepared, insofar as one can be, for her future role as monarch. "I have a feeling that in the end probably that training is the answer to a great many things. You can do a lot if you are properly trained, and I hope I have been." said the Queen on the eve of her 40th year. But as the book reveals, preparation is not so much intellectual education but also a deeper devotion to, understanding of, and commitment to the responsibilities, obligations, and limitations of her position as queen. Her role as constitutional monarch - and the restrictions that are imposed on her - and her larger role as diplomat, role model, and queen that brings together the Commonwealth nations and her subjects the world over.

I was fascinated by the conversations, anecdotes, and details that Sally Bedell Smith revealed. Having only known Queen Elizabeth as the older monarch, mother of the rather old Prince Charles and presumably an unsympathetic mother-in-law to the lively Princess Diana, it was lovely to read about her early years, of her own youth, glowing beauty, the personal and diplomatic triumphs of the young queen. Sally Bedell Smith gives us a fuller story of Queen Elizabeth II with careful research and meticulous details. We learn of her love affair and marriage to Prince Philip as well as the ways in which she has sought to give him greater importance. The relationship between Elizabeth II and Prince Philip is similar in some ways to that of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Prince Consort - except that Prince Albert was given a greater role in governmental affairs. However, Bedell Smith recounts the romance in much the same way: the fabulously wealthy heir presumptive is attracted to a handsome, well educated, young man of similarly royal birth. Prince Philip is a descendant of Queen Victoria and a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth which Prince Albert was first cousin to Queen Victoria. Both queens sought to give their husbands primacy in their family life and to give them a larger role and importance in public life. Sally Bedell Smith devotes considerable time on Prince Philip, his background, his interests, his adjustment to his role as Prince, his treatment of their children, his wisecracking ways that are supposedly done to provide comic relief and ease tension. Bedell Smith makes Prince Philip out to be a sympathetic character. I'll admit though that while she makes him a more sympathetic character, there are things that stick out in her description of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth that make one curious as to what other people would say about incidents and these royal personages. For instance, Bedell Smith writes "Always vigilant about his own weight, he helped his wife return to trim form by encouraging her to give up potatoes, wine and sweets."

Most of the anecdotes are enlightening and I came away with great respect and affection for Queen Elizabeth II. Her dedication to her work -- she dedicates hours each day to official correspondence and briefings, taking time out only on Easter and Christmas, her strict adherence to her role under the constitution, and the physical demands of her position are all revelations and evoke my greatest admiration. I very much enjoyed reading Elizabeth the Queen and highly recommend it for those with an interest in modern history. Queen Elizabeth II is much more than a royal figure, she is one of the most important leaders of the last century. (less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographical, 20th-century

Aptly described as "compulsively readable", I could hardly bear to put this biography down once I started reading it.

I read a biography about Her Majesty years ago, when I was practically a kid, so when I heard that a new, up-to-date one had been released, I was so excited. I will definitely say that this biography was much more detailed and in-depth than what I recalled of that previous book. I learned so much about Her Majesty -- her devotion to the Commonwealth, her close relationships with m...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let's face it, I'm in favor of a constitutional monarchy and I love the inside scoop so this was right up my alley. It's an extremely readable book without being simplistic. It covers the life of the Queen from the beginning until now, and it's really interesting seeing her whole life laid out. I loved the portrayals of her relationships with her Prime Ministers; very interesting. I loved all the current event details; it brought back memories of current events I had gone through as a child. It'...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir-real-life, favorites

As a child who grew up in one of the British commonwealth nations I have always found the pomp and circumstance of the monarchy fascinating. I enjoyed this book and really enjoyed learning more about the inner workings of the royal family.

There were times when I found the people in the book difficult to follow - all the different Dukes & Earls, etc could be quite confusing. Also, the politics of the many prime ministers was sometimes very distracting.

The book was decidedly pro-queen. It fel...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction-biography, nonfiction-history

I can report only a modest, muted endorsement for "Elizabeth the Queen." At 537 pages, it is probably 100 pages too long because of the author's penchant for obscure, irrelevant detail. Moreover, the first ten or eleven of its twenty-one chapters are anodyne, even borderline insipid. It could also have benefited from better editing, as successive paragraphs are often jarring. Still, as the first biography (of probably four, eventually) of Elizabeth II that I am reading, it gave me a much better...more

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The History Book ...: GLOSSARY FOR ELIZABETH THE QUEEN (SPOILER THREAD)	163	91	Jun 13, 2013 07:48pm
Book Sliders: Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith {June 2013}	1	1	Jun 08, 2013 04:05pm
Fiction Lover's B...: * Elizabeth the Queen, by Sally Bedell Smith	1	1	Mar 20, 2013 02:17pm
The History Book ...: * BRITISH MONARCHY/ROYAL HOUSES - INTRODUCTION	45	149	Mar 05, 2013 08:15am
The Book Addicts!: Q4 2012 Non Fiction Read - Elizabeth the Queen	15	36	Oct 29, 2012 02:53pm
The History Book ...: 11. ELIZABETH THE QUEEN ~ March 19 - March 25 ~~ CHAPTER 21 (499-537) ~ No Spoilers Please	31	32	Mar 30, 2012 08:04am
The History Book ...: Q&A with SALLY	116	78	Mar 26, 2012 03:53pm

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About Sally Bedell Smith

Author of six biographies: Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch (Random House 2102); For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years (Random House 2007); Grace and Power: The Private World of the Kennedy White House (Random House 2004); Diana In Search of Herself: Portrait of a Troubled Princess (Random House 2004); Reflected Glory: The Life of Pamela Churchill H...more

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Books by Sally Bedell Smith

Grace and Power: The Private World of the Kennedy White House

Diana in Search of Herself: Portrait of a Troubled Princess

For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton in the White House

Reflected Glory: The Life of Pamela Churchill Harriman

In All His Glory: The Life and Times of William S. Paley and the Birth of Modern Broadcasting

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“Thatcher once said that if she were a visitor from Mars required to create a constitutional system, "I would set up ... a hereditary monarchy, wonderfully trained, in duty and in leadership which understands example, which is always there, which is above politics, for which the whole nation has an affection and which is a symbol of patriotism.” — 5 people liked it

“Like the princess, Philip didn't believe in public displays of affection, which made it easy to mask his feelings. But he revealed them privately in a touching letter to Queen Elizabeth in which he wondered if he deserved "all the good things which have happened to me," especially "to have fallen in love completely and unreservedly.” — 3 people liked it

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Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

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