Thank you to Libro FM for providing me with an audio version of Andrew Morton’s latest biography, The Queen: Her Life.

Andrew Morton is the preeminent royal biographer and his latest book, The Queen: Her Life, is a deep-dive into Queen Elizabeth II. Originally published in the UK for the queen’s platinum jubilee, Morton’s book was released in the United States just a few months after her death. 2022 was certainly a big year of changes for the royal family and this biography was released at a time when public interest is running high.

Admittedly, as an American, my recent interest in the royal family has a few layers. The biggest having to due with marrying an English husband and having the opportunity to visit the various palaces on our trips to visit family. In fact, we were at Buckingham Palace just a few days before the Queen passed. Another aspect of fascination and likely many people would agree, is Peter Morgan’s The Crown. While the show is historical fiction, emphasis on fiction, it has a way of capturing the imagination and wondering how much is reality. Another layer is simply being American and the allure of a culture so different from our own. We only have Disney castles here! This is all to say that I have been building my collection of Royal biographies and I was eager to read The Queen: Her Life.

This book did not disappoint. Although the timeline of her life’s big events was mostly familiar to me, and I would imagine most readers, I relished the smaller details, especially with regards to her childhood and her relationship with her sister Margaret. I think it is most interesting to see the Queen from the perspective of things that make her relatable and somewhat ordinary, such as childhood friendships and hobbies. It made me think about a statement that a former college professor made, about history being about ordinary people who rise to extraordinary circumstances. Granted, being born into the monarchy is a type of destiny, however, as a child, Elizabeth could have had no idea how her life would play out. Morton’s book balances the private and the public, giving us a rounded look at one of modern histories most famous and influential people.