Author: Andrew Morton
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: March 28, 2021
Book Description: Perfect for fans of The Crown, this captivating biography from a New York Times bestselling author follows Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret as they navigate life in the royal spotlight.
They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called ‘Lillibet.’ And bow to her wishes.
Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister’s antics with a kind of stoical amusement, but Margaret’s struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system—and her fraught relationship with its expectations—was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover.
From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden war-time lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father’s death and Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton’s latest biography offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters—one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it—and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family, and the ways it adapted to the changing mores of the 20th century.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Mini-Review: I just love reading about Princess Margaret, however this book did not introduce anything new about her life with the royal family. If you are a fan of The Crown, the story really is not all that different, for all people saying there is not a lot of truth to that show. Even in parts of the book it references the show if there were slight differences to the truth. Even though the book is titled Elizabeth & Margaret, the latter is the focus of this book especially in the second half. The book is fine, but if you have read or seen stories of the Princess, this will not add anything new.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Obsessed Bookaholic 