Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II
Jane Dismore
In February 1952 the Duke of Windsor prepared to leave New York to attend the funeral of his brother, George VI. Standing on the deck of the Queen Mary, he gave a prepared speech to reporters and film crews. ‘I was 41 when I succeeded my father and many thought that young. But Queen Elizabeth is only 25 – how young to assume the responsibilities of a great Throne in these precarious times’. Although he spoke of his sorrow at his brother’s loss, the world knew it was his abandonment of that ‘great Throne’ as Edward VIII in 1936 that had placed his niece upon it. Even though Princess Elizabeth was only ten when the Abdication established her destiny, no-one imagined she would accede to the throne so young, becoming Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
Her life might have been very different. ‘Princess Elizabeth was a very normal little girl, laughing, very gregarious and loved playing games. We usually had horsey games,’ recalls her childhood friend, Lady Myra Butter. Had she not become Queen, she would have enjoyed a quieter life: ‘She is basically a country girl, happiest with her dogs and horses,’ says her cousin Margaret Rhodes. But as Heiress Presumptive any dream of one day living as she pleased became impossible. Princess Elizabeth learned during difficult years to prepare for ‘the inevitability of her future’.
With new material, here is a fresh look at her life as Princess, a period rarely dealt with specifically: it usually forms part of a wider look at her reign. While Princess she met and married Philip, with whom she will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in November 2017. Another whose life’s course was changed early on, he was more worldly but similarly pragmatic. The author has interviewed close friends and relations of Princess Elizabeth and of Prince Philip, and draws on previously unpublished documents, which provide new anecdotes and insights. Light is shed on the Princess’s royal relations and on her mother’s family, the Bowes Lyons, whose influence on his mother Prince Charles has acknowledged. Her upbringing gave her a broad and solid background from which to draw during her reign. Out of a little Princess they made a Queen.
Book Details:
- Author: Jane Dismore
- Published Year: 2018
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Rights Sold
- US: Globe Pequot Press
- UK: Thistle
Jane Dismore
Jane started writing on a freelance basis for national magazines while teaching Drama and English Literature to A-level in comprehensive schools. A complete change of lifestyle saw her running private yachts in the Mediterranean for several years, which led to travel writing – often undertaken between negotiating protection money with local mafia chiefs and trying to avoid floating mines off the coast of Albania. While teaching Spanish students and the British Army in Gibraltar, Jane had a regular radio slot, writing and presenting features for the British Forces Broadcasting Se...
More about Jane Dismore
Book Reviews
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"The book features new information and interviews with family and friends who give their unique insight into The Queen’s young life. Dismore also goes back and provides details and scandals regarding her maternal family that I, for one, had not heard before. Reading it, you get a picture of the Scottish residences that Her Majesty as a young girl ran about with her sister and cousins while visiting her maternal grandparents (who were the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne). You also see the influence the Bowes-Lyons had on her upbringing into the wonderful woman and leader she is today."
Royal Central -
"A very informative and enjoyable account of the early life of Princess Elizabeth. I enjoyed it and would recommend even if you are not a fan of the Royal Family."
Netgalley -
"This was a wonderful and informative book on Queen Elizabeth II."
Tiffany Reeves , Netgalley -
"The British royal family lives in a gilded cage, and for all the riches, pomp, and splendor, we would do well to remember they are also people. In Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II, author Jane Dinsmoore allows us to see the world’s longest-reigning monarch as just that: a regular person born into unbelievable and sometimes overwhelming responsibility. Pulling from interviews, memoirs, and other writings, Dinsmore’s attention to detail is phenomenal."
Fragile Like a Bomb.com -
"Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend. Five stars."
Julie Wilson , Netgalley -
"All in all, this is a thorough and detailed account of Queen Elizabeth's formative years and what set her on the road to becoming Queen. Interesting and packed with meticulous research, you could do worse than investing some time reading this. Dismore has done an exquisite job."
Readers Retreat -
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I've read several books on Elizabeth. I found this one to be particularly readable and interesting. Ms. Dinsmore has an engaging style… the book was like a novel."
Debra Rojas , Netgalley -
"Princess offers a few surprises. Queen Mary was far more interested in Elizabeth’s education than her mother was. Her father, Prince Bertie/King George VI, was the only straight arrow among his brothers. Her mother didn’t seem to want to recognize Elizabeth had grown up, always lecturing her in letters on how to conduct herself, even though Elizabeth had always been proper. Elizabeth was exactly what the monarchy needed to survive."
Terri Wangard Netgalley -
"Absolutely brilliant! The book covers Elizabeth’s early life to the time of her assuming the throne. She is such a refreshing person. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of Great Britain, or just loves a good biography."
Joyce Fox ,Goodreads -
"Ms. Dismore did a wonderful job on this historical biography on Queen Elizabeth. You will learn how she grew up, things she went through as the youngest Queen, being bombed by Hitler, meeting Philip when they were very young, how it blossomed into a love affair and then marriag."
Cherie Homan ,Netgalley -
"Jane Dismore's research is as meticulous as her writing, and it is this balance of talents that makes Princess such a good read."
Emi Bevacqua , Netgalley