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The Queen

By: Andrew Morton
Narrated by: Andrew Morton,Judy Bennett
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Summary

Perfect for fans of The Crown, legendary New York Times bestselling biographer Andrew Morton provides the definitive story of Queen Elizabeth II's life and legacy.

Painfully shy, Elizabeth Windsor’s personality was well suited to her youthful ambition of living quietly in the country, raising a family, and caring for her dogs and horses. But when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated, she became heir to the throne—embarking on a journey that would test her as a woman and as a queen.

Ascending to the throne at only 25, this self-effacing monarch navigated endless setbacks, family conflict, and occasional triumphs throughout her 70 years as the Queen of England. As her mettle was tested, she endeavored to keep the monarchy relevant culturally, socially, and politically, often in the face of resistance from inside the institution itself. And yet the greatest challenges she faced were often inside her own family, forever under intense scrutiny; from rumors about her husband’s infidelity, her sister’s marital breakdown, Princess Diana’s tragic death, to the recent departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Now in The Queen, renowned biographer Andrew Morton takes an in-depth look at Britain’s longest reigning monarch, exploring the influence Queen Elizabeth has had on both Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. From leading a nation struggling to restore itself after the devastation of the second World War to navigating the divisive political landscape of the present day, Queen Elizabeth has been a reluctant but resolute queen. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as mother and grandmother to Great Britain, and one of the greatest sovereigns of the modern era.

©2023 Andrew Morton (P)2023 Grand Central Publishing

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  • Laurie
  • 22-11-22

No Surprises

This is a very mechanical recounting of the Queen’s life, without any insights or new information. There is nothing here you haven’t read before unless you are new to the subject.

One point of irritation: Morton does appear to be instrumental in revealing the truth behind Princess Margaret’s decision to give up Peter Townsend. So why do his theories about her motives keep changing? Here he says it was religious. On a podcast he cites her alleged affair with Eddie Fisher and says she was “a lady of appetites.” His book Elizabeth and Margaret presents a more nuanced, third conclusion. It’s bewildering and if he doesn’t know then he should either refrain from presenting his theories or present all of them each time he discusses it.

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  • bigdjunta
  • 18-11-22

Does the job.

For its purpose, it does the job. There are times the book feels like it is headed toward paparazziville, but it always evades this. It rehashes a lot of old material but includes new material, too. I gave it a five because for what it was designed to do, it did it well. It's not like I was reviewing, "I Claudius."

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  • Misty
  • 29-05-23

Great listen!

I enjoyed the history and all the little facts that filled in the gap of stories we’ve heard over the years. It was also interesting to learn things I never knew about the Queen.

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  • Jody Lyn Brooke
  • 30-04-23

Wonderful

Absolutely love this book. The Queen was an amazing woman. Will read again. Wonderful book.

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  • Margaret I.
  • 10-04-23

Loved it! I love anything about the Queen and this fulfilled all I was hoping Fot

I highly recommend this wonderful book. Well written and a wonderful entertaining book-you will enjoy

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  • molly
  • 09-03-23

A must for Royal fans

I loved this. If you’re a fan of the royal family, you’ll enjoy this. The Queen was a wonderful monarch and I think this booked did her justice.

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  • Sara Jones
  • 11-02-23

Enjoyed it

Great book. Loved it! I miss Queen Elizabeth! The world is not the same without her!

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  • Jon Sanderson
  • 18-01-23

Beautiful Book

I listened to this book not long after Queen Elizabeth II’s death and it was a lovely tribute. I adore Andrew Morton and this book was a perfect tribute to a life of service.

While the book doesn’t contain “new” information, it was still well written and a pleasurable listen.

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  • Dana Elkins
  • 16-01-23

Great Book!

Loved this book. Felt like you knew the queen after reading and loved the personal stories

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  • K
  • 07-01-23

The Narration Was Good

In terms of contents, this book does not offer anything new. You would know 99% of the facts in the book before buying it. The narration, however, was fantastic. It really does bring its contents to live. I am giving this book 5 stars because the narration makes listening to it thorough entertaining and enjoyable, but don’t expect new revelations in it there is none.