The Queen Mother: The Official Biography [Paperback]

The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the most beloved British monarch of the twentieth century.

Consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, and grandmother of Prince Charles, 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 sweepilƒD