Love things about the royals! This book is sooo good! Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for my copy!

I received this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

Well this biography was fairly surface level because access was restricted to unnamed royal advisors..but I did learn a lot of things I did not know. Particularly about QE2's later governance.

If you're a fan of the Netflix show The Crown, Morton's THE QUEEN is a must-read. It's a deeper dive into some of the big historical moments in the late Queen's life, as well as smaller details that you can only gleam from a pro like Morton. Overall, a really interesting and readable account of Queen Elizabeth II's life!

Review will be posted on 1/20/23

Andrew Morton, most notably known for his explosive biography written with Diana's cooperation, Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words, now focuses his latest biography on none other than Queen Elizabeth II and her remarkable 70 year reign. Morton starts with Elizabeth's childhood, her budding romance with Philip, her family dynamic, and her sooner than expected rise to the throne due to her father's illness. Morton gives us a glimpse of Elizabeth as a young woman and especially focuses on her relationship with her mother and sister, which I found fascinating. Her mother can be overbearing and extremely lavish, which I wasn't aware of know about. Often times, Elizabeth would try to avoid confrontation (now is a great time to take her dogs for a walk, yes?) than actually face her mother or other family members. I think this behavior definitely carried over into motherhood and beyond. As the years progress, Morton takes us through her marriage, her responsibilities as a new sovereign, and how she had initially had difficulty balancing it all. Morton continues highlighting Charles marriage to Diana, the subsequent unraveling of their marriage, Camilla's hold on Charles, and the behind the scenes events at the palace after Diana's untimely death. Lastly, Morton continues on to William, Harry, and the latest events in the Royal Family including Prince Andrew's debacle. All in all, it was a comprehensive, well researched biography that kept me flipping the pages. Although I have read a few biographies on the Queen, I felt Morton provided some insights that other biographies didn't. The Queen: Her Life shouldn't be missed by Royal family lovers!

It's hard to comment on every aspect of The Queen: Her Life as it was a long biography that spans almost ninety years, but a few things really stuck out for me. The portions focusing on Prince Philip were very well done and I always appreciate all he did for Queen Elizabeth. Playing a supporting role isn't always easy, but he did it very well and for many years. I also found the section focusing on Charles and his upbringing very telling. It definitely shed some light as to his behavior and actions later on in life as well as the current rocky relationship with Harry. The section focusing on Diana's death and how the Palace reacted was also very insightful. There were a lot of blunders that went on behind the scenes and it was interesting to see how the Queen went on to correct them or minimize the damage. I think ultimately all of the Queen's struggles humanizes her and makes her relatable as a mother, a wife, and admirably, a woman with extreme dedication to her country.

Despite her many successes over the years and her great working relationships with many a prime minister, her family had many difficulties over the years. Morton takes us through each scandal in The Queen: Her Life and how the Queen reacted. Readers can't help but feel for all the drama she had to endure through the years. Could you imagine dedicating your life to service and always trying to do the right thing, but your family around you are behaving like imbeciles half the time and constantly bringing all the drama to your doorstep. It had to be trying. Also, I read The Queen: Her Life before I listened to Prince Harry's Spare and it definitely gave me another perspective to some of the scenes he laid out in his memoir.

One thing is for sure, I have always respected, admired, and been a fan of Queen Elizabeth II and after reading The Queen: Her Life, it has given me even more of an appreciation of her 70 years of service. Fans of the Royal Family will definitely want to add this memorable biography to their collection.
So, are you a Royal watcher? Is The Queen: Her Life on your TBR list? Are you a fan of Morton's previous biographies? Let me know in the comments below.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Found it to be a fascinating and insightful read. I’ve read a couple of books about the Queen previously so I wondered if it would be rehashing the same stories I’d already read but it wasn’t and I didn’t find it repetitive at all! Highly recommend this one to anyone interested in the Royals.

I finished watching the first five seasons of THE CROWN and then picked up this new release by Andrew Morton. It was a great read right after watching the series.

THE QUEEN touches on so many stories explored in The Crown - it was nice to read the nonfiction version of events, although - due to the longevity of Queen Elizabeth's life - there are a lot of events to cover, so none really goes into a lot of depth. THE QUEEN gives a nice overview of everything, and there really is so much covered in this book.

Definitely recommend for fans of THE CROWN, and anyone who wants a peek into Queen Elizabeth. So much happened during her almost century on this earth, it is truly a fascinating life.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for sending me a copy of this book for review. It was such a pleasure to read!

An absolutely fascinating biography written by the master royal biographer. Not just a window into the life of the Queen, but it's like you're in the palace with her as she rules through changing times.

I really enjoyed reading this biography about Queen Elizabeth II, especially in light of her recent passing. After reading this, it reaffirmed my understanding that this queen was a truly special, once in a lifetime leader, and her presence will be greatly missed by the United Kingdom and the world. It proceeds chronologically, and while it can be slow at times, it is very thorough and interesting.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy!

I am not a daily royal watcher but…I do have a small collection of royal wedding mugs. Ok, I do so love the royal family!!

This book was a joy to read. The inside details of the queen's life were so interesting to read, and really put the background into her royal life. If the royal family is something that piques YOUR interest, you are sure to enjoy The Queen!!

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing.

Elizabeth Windsor was well suited to living quietly in the country, but when her uncle abdicated, she became heir to the throne. From the age of twenty-five, her mettle was tested as she endeavored to keep the monarchy relevant culturally, socially, and politically. And the greatest challenges she faced were inside her own family.

I have always had a bit of fascination for the Royal family and a lot of sympathy. Being always under a microscope and every action criticized must make for a difficult existence. So I was interested to know what life was like for the late Queen Elizabeth.

I appreciated the nuanced view the author gave. Queen Elizabeth was not presented as perfect. She made mistakes, as we all do, but did try her best in every situation. It was interesting to see how the influence of her parents molded her into the stoic queen the world saw.

The book is well written with a good pace. It was easy to read and I believe those who have an interest in Queen Elizabeth II will also enjoy reading this.

I have been intrigued by the royal family since I studied abroad in England 12 years ago. I loved this biography about Queen Elizebeth’s life and really enjoyed learning more about her and her family. In her 70 years on the throne she dealt with many challenges, both personally and professionally, and it was interesting to get more information about some of the moments that have gone down in history. She was an incredible leader and I very much enjoyed this biography!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the advance copy.

This is a wonderful biography of Queen Elizabeth. Andrew Morton does an excellent job of weaving personal stories with historical events. I especially enjoyed the sections on World War II which contained a lot of information I knew nothing about. As a fan of all things royal, I highly recommend it. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Especially enjoyable to read and reflect on her reign after her passing in 2022. While not groundbreaking in terms of introducing new information, it's an excellent biography and well-written. Recommended for any fellow Anglophiles or those who follow the British monarchy and royal family.

Andrew Morton's insight to Queen Elizabeth II's life and her reign of over 70 years is wonderful.. The span of history this book encompasses is extraordinary and well detailed. It was interesting seeing how she grew up and the early years of her reign. When I got the the more recent years I think I enjoyed the book a bit more because I was alive for that so I could connect times with my life. Overall this book is a great read on QEII and her history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this title.

I'm well-versed in The Crown, and viewers will recognize many major milestones in Queen Elizabeth II's life here. This followers her beginnings up to (almost) her end. The first half of the book was more interesting to me. I felt it provided more insight into how she approached her role and life. The second half of the book felt more hastily-written, and focused more on the effects that other members of the royal family had on the public's image of them. I was a bit put off by a sentence near the end that talked about Meghan Markle's 'mental illness.' Having post-partum depression and having low feelings during a difficult time means you have a mental illness? It's clear who Morton favors in this book. (Although he has written a book on Meghan? I'll have to give that a read.)

A comprehensive review of the queen and her life. I knew a good amount of the stuff from The Crown, but Morton goes more in-depth while still being easy to read and enjoyable.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent even-handed biography of the late Quen Elizabeth by a long-time reporter on the Royal Family.

Finally - my 100th book of the year earns five stars! I smugly thought I knew everything from The Crown, and this biography shares many of the same anecdotes and societal memories that the series recreates, but having watched the show actually enhanced my reading/listening experience. I could imagine the various residences, members of the family, and historical moments that the author outlines. Brava to the narrator, Judy Bennett, and may the Queen's memory be a blessing. I am very much looking forward to Spare.

I am fascinated by the Royals. I am fascinated by the Institution. I am fascinated by the good and bad of it all! Once again, Andrew Morton, hits a royal biography homerun. As someone who just can’t get enough of the House of Windsor, I was convinced there was little I didn’t know. But Morton provides his reader with so much content, I was pleasantly surprised. How this shy and reserved child became the longest reigning British monarch, is still hard to believe. She must have been a master of compartmentalization to achieve any kind of work/life balance! I loved learning more about Prince Phillip’s background, the closeness between Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and the Queen Mother, and Queen Elizabeth II’s devotion to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And the little tidbit about the pockets was delightful. If you are a Royal watcher, a fan of the Crown, or a fan of Andrew Morton this is a must read. Historical fiction fans, do not shy away from this! It is a very easy read that reads like HF…except it really happened! Thank you @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting and insightful view into the lives of the royal family. Much of the story was already something I knew but putting it all together makes it all more understandable. The Queen's quiet reserve and respect is something I've admired and fear has been lost since her passing.