The Queen Mother The Official Biography

The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, grandmother of Prince Charles, and the most beloved British monarch of the twentieth century.

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon—the ninth of the Earl of Strathmore’s ten children—was born on August 4, 1900, and, certainly, no one could have imagined that her long life (she died in 2002) would come to reflect a changing nation over the course of an entire century. Vividly detailed, written with unrestricted access to her personal papers, letters, and diaries, this candid royal biography by William Shawcross is also a singular history of Britain in the twentieth century.

“Fascinating . . . Anglophiles and lovers of the crown will relish every morsel.”—USA Today

“A totally absorbing and highly readable account of a remarkable life. . . . Shawcross’s book is genuinely revelatory.”—The Times (London)

“Remarkable.”—Los Angeles Times

“Lively and elegantly written. . . . A rich portrait.”—The Economist

“Splendid. . . . An entertaining page-turner. . . . This masterly biography reveals a character whose charm was matched by courage, optimism, a strong sense of duty and a liking for fun. . . . A wonderful book, authoritative, frank and entertaining. It sets new standards for royal biography. . . . Anyone who finds royal biographies dull and dutiful is in for a surprise.”—The Daily Telegraph (London)

“A portrait of a remarkable life lived in step with a century of sweeping change.”—Bloomberg News

“A colossal book about a colossal life, a spectacular journey across the entire 20th Century through the eyes of a thoughtful woman who took the hand of a shy royal understudy and was propelled through modern history.”—Daily Mail (London)

“A behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Royal Family. . . . Fascinating reading. . . . Shawcross has written a remarkable book.”—Tucson Citizen

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