7/500
Our Queen by Robert Hardman
Published 2011
ISBN: 9780091936891
356 Pages
I'm a sucker for a new book about the Queen. Especially when I read excerpts featuring interviews with Prince William. My interest was piqued. Here was the chance to avoid the well-worn anecdotes and get to the truth from someone who actually knows her.
Turns out, those excerpts were the highlight of Our Queen. Not that it's a bad book. But it wasn't a promising start. The first 70 pages outlines her strong sense of duty and dedication, how good she is in her role, and how the monarchy must adapt in order to survive. Anyone who has read a biography of the Queen already knows this. But just in case you don't understand, Hardman writes about them in every possible variation within one chapter.
Now that we've duly noted the Queen's dedication, we're on to how innovative the royal household has become. Gone are the days of toiling away thanklessly amongst the splendor. Now employees can be comfortable too. Affordable lattes, access to the Buckingham Palace pool, brightly decorated canteens, email, makes you wonder why you're spending time reading about it when you could be applying for a job of your own instead.
Hardman covers a lot of territory. Amongst other things, we get to know about her relationships with her Prime Ministers and the public, her image, and most interestingly, an insight into Prince Philip. Who knew that behind his crusty exterior lies a sentimental man anonymously buying artwork for his wife?
Our Queen ends on a predictable note. In short, her shoes will be hard to fill. It's reassuring that as of 2011, that view hasn't changed since it was last written about in every other biography.
© Marilyn Braun 2012
Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Contact Form
Featured Post
If being royal is so extraordinary, why do the royals want to be ordinary?
Being royal is clearly not all it is cracked up to be. Gilt here and there. Liveried footmen abound. Church bells ring on your birthday. Red...
Search This Blog
Popular Posts
-
I've written several reviews for this blog but I don't believe I've ever written one about a magazine. Given the amount of inter...
-
I'm all for being a law abiding citizen. It works for me. But when recent news reports trumpeted Kate Middleton with a cell phone in her...
-
Today is a historic day for the monarchy in the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix announced that she would abdicate in favor of her son, Prince Wil...
-
When Princess Charlotte is christened on Sunday July 5th, she will traditionally be given five or six godparents/sponsors. Prince William ha...
-
Ah love.... There is nothing like a royal romance. The pattern is predictable: the media goes into hot-pursuit with intrusive coverage, th...
-
Y'know, I don't have a problem with artwork. As a matter of fact, I go to the museum at least a couple of times a year to make mysel...
-
Whenever any big royal event occurs, I always try to collect the newspapers reporting on them. With the 10th anniversary of the death of Dia...
-
Kate Middleton has recently fronted a website and brochure for a range of princess themed products sold by her parent's company, Party P...
Blog Archive
-
▼
2012
(53)
-
▼
January
(13)
- Royal Book Challenge: Gin O'Clock by The Queen (of...
- Robert Lacey on the Queen and Diana
- Royal Book Challenge: Eating Royally by Darren McG...
- Pippa Middleton, close your eyes and think of England
- Royal Book Challenge: Our Queen by Robert Hardman
- Royal Book Challenge: Finding Sarah by Sarah Ferguson
- Royal Book Challenge: My Decade With Diana by Maur...
- Royal Book Challenge: Moments - Reflections in wor...
- Catherine Cambridge, a 30th birthday reality check
- Royal Book Challenge: Photographs by HRH The Princ...
- Royal Book Challenge: Debrett's A Modern Royal Mar...
- Royal Book Challenge: Queens' Jewels by Vincent Me...
- A (Crazy) Royal New Year Resolution
-
▼
January
(13)
No comments:
Post a Comment