Founded in America in the early 1890’s, Vogue magazine had been a “modest little gazette” with a declining circulation, when in 1909 is was acquired bFounded in America in the early 1890’s, Vogue magazine had been a “modest little gazette” with a declining circulation, when in 1909 is was acquired by an ambitious young publisher named Conde Nast and relaunched as an illustrated magazine that would appeal to a much wider audience. Today, Vogue is known as the Bible of Fashion and covers lifestyle that many women aspire to. This book serves as a history of the royal family; Chronicling the Crown from the time of Queen Mary aka May of Teck (Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother) through to the current adults such as Princes William and Harry and their families.
Photos are in b&w or color and there are little synopses that analyze each photo. There are also essays and other pieces that talk about the photos, Style & Substance of the subject.
Of interest, for their Royal Wedding issue, Princess Marina, who married Prince George, Duke of Kent and George V’s fourth son, in 1934, became the first royal to appear on a Vogue cover.
At the end of this book is a Who’s Who in The Crown in Vogue, which includes thumbnail bios on some of the most famous photographers, fashion gurus, designers, etc. that contributed to the success of this book through their talent and artistry of capturing the perfect photo / illustration.
There is also a Family Tree of the Royal Family with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the top, coming down through to Prince William’s generation. Plus, his children and Harry’s are included, as well.
At the very end is an Index.
Photos and text were well laid out; this was a joy to look at and read! ...more
This, a history of Great Britain (mostly) during their start in WWII - May 1940 - December 31, 1941, took me awhile to get into. I will admit that I dThis, a history of Great Britain (mostly) during their start in WWII - May 1940 - December 31, 1941, took me awhile to get into. I will admit that I don't usually like pieces of literature that are literally a small slice of a person's life / country's history, but after the first 75 pages or so (I read the Large Print edition, which is 831 pages of text minus the Acknowledgements, Notes, and Index), I really got into this, and upon further reading, started doing a bit of research on my own to see just who these characters were (more background, etc.).
In today's terms, I'm overwhelmed and appalled by what occurred during WWII and the Holocaust, and after reading this, shocked, as well! Without giving away too much, the way the English [initially and sometimes later] responded to bombs dropping and destroying their fair cities and many of the residents, therein, (especially London) was CRA-ZY! ... and Churchill's fascination was equally disquieting.
As this "story" developed, we learned more about Churchill, his family, his closest advisors, protectors, and others. The side stories about his daugher, Mary; daughter-in-law, Pamela; and others was often like looking at a soap opera, and yet, I could not wait to read about the next "juicy tidbit" shared from the real-life diaries of these people. These snippets helped bring these "characters" to life and give them true dimension.
One thing that I really appreciated was the Epilogue, entitled "As Time Went By, By" where Larson discussed each of the main players in this history and told what happened to them AFTER this time period. Some he wrote about clear up until their deaths (and occasionally after). I wish he would have done this with everyone mentioned in this section.
Well-Researched and a fascinating account of this time in history!...more
After reading Pope-Hennessy's book, Queen Mary, a few years ago, I thought this would be another biography of hI was super disappointed in this book!
After reading Pope-Hennessy's book, Queen Mary, a few years ago, I thought this would be another biography of her, but no. Editor, Hugo Vickers has compiled this work, a compilation of the research, interviews, and photos that Pope-Hennessy gathered during his investigation into the life of Queen Mary, in order to write a good solid (quality) Official Biography of Queen Mary, grandmother to the current Queen Elizabeth.
So sorry that I spent all of this time trying to read this. ...more
An interesting look at the British Royal Family of today. For anyone who believes the role of the royal family is diminishing, you could not be furtheAn interesting look at the British Royal Family of today. For anyone who believes the role of the royal family is diminishing, you could not be further from the truth.
They are still the face of Great Britain and are often seen representing the country at sporting events, horse races & polo matches, in the military, at charity events, and more!
This book is full of photographs that well-illustrate the various roles where members of the royal family serve.
I tried and tried to get into this, but just could not. I did look at the photos and skimmed and browsed through a few sections, but the story just neI tried and tried to get into this, but just could not. I did look at the photos and skimmed and browsed through a few sections, but the story just never caught my attention.
A couple of interesting tidbits that I picked up: In her younger years, Wallis was known as Bessie. Imagine that name for a Duchess. Also, she and the Duke were not pleased when King George declared that Wallis would not be addressed as HRH. Finally, she did not enjoy living in what I would call a fishbowl, even after Edward had abdicated.
I'm not sure this marriage would have survived if she (and the Duke) had not been living in said fishbowl. Also, I cannot imagine how this relationship would have developed or survived in this day of social media....more
Many of my friends and co-workers assumed, incorrectly, that I was reading about Mary, Queen of Scots. Rather, this is the official biography of QueenMany of my friends and co-workers assumed, incorrectly, that I was reading about Mary, Queen of Scots. Rather, this is the official biography of Queen Mary, the current Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother.
This was a fascinating read and I learned a lot!
Some of the things that I found most intriguing were:
Queen Mary, known as May until she ascended the throne, was engaged to the older brother of King George V, who was originally the heir to the throne. Albert died of Influenza in 1892. May and George got closer as they worked their way through their grief, together. They soon married. During their marriage, they did not like being apart. It was nice to see that this royal couple married for love.
Thank goodness the author included family trees! I just had to keep reminding myself that the information was up-to-date to the time this book was published, which was 1959!
King Edward VII (George’s father) ruled for nine years and this was known as the Edwardian Era.
Four of Queen Mary’s dominant characteristics were: Patriotism, a love of order, an earnest desire to relieve distress, and a concern about social conditions.
Incest is best! Everyone royal was intermarried! Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, who was assassinated along with the rest of his family, including his daughter, Anastasia, was a cousin to King George V!
Queen Mary’s youngest son, Prince John died in 1919 of an Epileptic seizure. He had had them throughout his young life.
The King and Queen’s oldest child, Prince Edward, also known as David, was a family favorite. I got the feeling that he could do no wrong.
The Queen had no problem talking to perfect strangers about various topics, but with her own children, she was very reserved and kept too much (anxiety) locked up inside herself.
During World War I, all of the royal relations of King George and Queen Mary in Germany had lost their rights and positions. Uncle “Willie” Wurttemberg had dedicated, the young Grand Duke of Mecklenberg-Strelitz had done likewise and also shot himself, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha ruled in Coburg no longer, and both branches of the Hesse family were deprived of even nominal power. Only the Kings of Italy and of Belgium, of the three Scandinavian countries, and of the more ambiguous kingdoms of Central Europe survived.
King George V specifically rejected his German origins in 1917 when he changed his family name to Windsor and requested his Teck and Battenberg relations to change their names, as well.
In 1917, Queen Mary’s eldest brother, the Second Duke of Teck, relinquished his German title and was created First Marquess of Cambridge, while Prince Alexander George of Teck became Earl of Athlone, Prince Louis of Battenberg became First Marquess of Milford Haven, while three of his four children took his new English surname, Mountbatten.
After various illnesses (and injuries), King George V died early in 1936. Edward VIII abdicated (in favor of Wallis Simpson) in December 1936, and Bertie became King George VI in early 1937.
In July 1947 (almost 70 years ago), Princess Elizabeth got engaged to Philip Mountbatten of Greece. This please Queen Mary, greatly.
The birth of Prince Charles in November 1948 gave Queen Mary a fresh interest in life. She was delighted at being a great grandmother! She gave the baby a silver gilt cup and cover which George III had given to his godson in 1780 – so that she gave a present from her great-grandfather to her great-grandson 168 years later.
King George VI died in 1952. He was the fourth English Monarch (Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI) to die during Queen Mary’s lifetime.
Queen Mary died during the evening of March 24, 1953.
A fascinating look at the life of the Prince of Wales, thus far.
Prince Charles really broke the mold for the royal family. He is much more reflectiveA fascinating look at the life of the Prince of Wales, thus far.
Prince Charles really broke the mold for the royal family. He is much more reflective and tends to study his "subject" more and not provide a snappy [flippant] comeback to something someone says. The causes that he supports are most interesting - art, the environment, architecture, etc.
While I am glad that he and Diana got together (because this union produced princes William and Harry), this couple never really should have gotten together. At the time of their engagement, Diana was a grass green 20-year old who was probably in love with the idea of becoming a princess, but didn't really know what that meant or the dedication that it would entail / require. They had nothing in common and Charles once admitted that he did not love her, but thought he could come to love her ... this union never really had a chance.
In contrast, Charles and Camilla had dated off and on for years. They shared a love of hunting, gardening, and painting [watercolors], but the Queen did not approve. Well, look where it got them!
Also, William and Kate dated almost steadily for 7-8 years before they got engaged and Kate participated in her first royal duty before they got engaged. She had the opportunity to be exposed to and learn what exactly would be expected of her.
The sources of funding for the Prince and some of his relatives was most intriguing and I did not realize that these sources would shift (or by how much) when Charles actually ascends the throne.
BTW, Prince Charles will be 70 in November, so if he actually does become King, he may not hold that position for long, or he could live for a long time ... Look at his parents - both in their 90's and [apparently] still going strong.
Although it had to be said because it is a vital piece of Charles' history, the part of this book that I really disliked was in regards to Camillagate and how Charles and Diana constantly tried to "one-up" the other. I really thought this was well below both of them, but you never can tell what some people will do. During this period, Charles' approval rating dropped to as low as 4%. Over the years, especially after Diana passed, his approval rating and that of his and Camilla's together, has steadily increased.
Also, this year marks the 13th wedding anniversary of Charles and Camilla. During this time, Camilla has always toed the [royal] line and never made a major misstep. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for any of the other royal spouses.
This book is divided geographically into six (6) sections. At the beginning of each section is a brief history of the geographical A phenomenal read!
This book is divided geographically into six (6) sections. At the beginning of each section is a brief history of the geographical area along with a map showing many towns in the area and the locations of the castles that will be discussed in the section.
Within each section, castles and towers are given in alphabetical order. The name of each castle or tower is given along with the location (including the # miles (km in parentheses), when the castle is open, the telephone number and website. There is also a brief history and captioned beautiful, gorgeous color photographs!
At the end of the book, there is an index of castles, towers and key figures such as Queen Elizabeth I, Robert the Bruce, etc. that are tied to these delightful places.
In a country (the US) where historical homes, battlefields, and other places are often torn down or destroyed to make way for "progress", it is most impressive to see these castles, some of which are still inhabited today and, to learn a little bit about their history -- most dating back to the 1200 - 1400's.
The thing that I most appreciated is that as I was reading and SAVORING the last half of this book during the first few days of the Olympics, some of the castles and towers showcased in this book, including the Tower of London, were displayed in the opening sequences for the Olympics. Also, while this book provided a brief intro to the Tower of London, Brian Williams (NBC) narrated a very nice piece that provided a bit more depth during coverage of the Olympics....more
Author, William Shawcross states in the Epilogue that fate dealt the Queen Mother an extraordinary hand and that this book attemptedA phenomenal book!
Author, William Shawcross states in the Epilogue that fate dealt the Queen Mother an extraordinary hand and that this book attempted to show what she made of it.
She had an incredible life! I learned so much about the Queen Mother and her family from this book; I also gained a wealth of information about Great Britain and its history. For example, in 1772 the Royal Marriages Act was put into place after two of King George III's brothers secretly married commoners of whom the King did not approve. The Royal Marriages Act requires the sovereign's approval before members of the royal family can marry a commoner -- this "law" is still in effect today!
Queen Elizabeth and King George VI married for love and theirs was a cherished period in the history of England. However, her relationship with the Duke of Windsor after he abdicated the throne and Wallis Simpson could be described as chilly at best. I believe she long thought that by abdicating the throne, the Duke, was responsible for the death of King George VI at such a young age.
People are always debating the merits when the United States steps into various conflicts around the world. Both Churchill and King George VI wanted to draw the US into the war as an ally of Britain. While Roosevelt was willing to provide supplies to Britain, he was not yet willing to "go to war".
Early in 1941, a new basis for the purchase of American material was introduced. It was intended to make arms and supplies available to governments whose defense was considered vital to the defense of the United States. The Land-Lease Act, passed by Congress on March 11th, gave Britain extended credit, allowing the country to buy equipment, oil and other supplies, and would not have to be paid for until the end of the war ... However, this war debt was not actually paid off until 2007!!
Many people on Goodreads have stated that this book is not very good after King George VI dies. I disagree. The reader is introduced to a slightly different side of Queen Elizabeth in the 50 years after the King's passing.
And yes, she is known as Queen Elizabeth after the King dies. Her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II (the reigning monarch) is known as THE QUEEN.
Queen Elizabeth developed a keen interest in horses and horse racing beginning in the early 50's. One of her jockeys was none other than famed author, Dick Francis, who recently passed away at the age of 89.
I mentioned the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 above. That Act came into play again when Princess Margaret was contemplating marriage to Peter Townsend, a commoner in the mid-50's.
Queen Elizabeth believed that people should marry for love, but she also believed that duty to the crown should always come first. If Princess Margaret wished to marry Townsend, she would have to renounce her royal status. After a matter of some arduous years, they mutually decided that marriage would not work.
Throughout this book, I thought about this relationship and that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana vs. Camilia Parker Bowles. How would history have changed if these people had been allowed to marry for love instead of for duty?
Queen Elizabeth had may patronages that she supported through the years. For the reader, there is a 15-page alphabetical list at the end of this book of all the patronages Queen Elizabeth sponsored along with the years and offices served. As you read this book, it will come as no surprise to learn that she had a special affection for groups relating to WWII. She also had some other interesting passions including the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society (p. 742).
Queen Elizabeth had a passion for her patronages, but she was also impassioned for her family. She spoke to The Queen at least once a day and had great relationships with her grandchildren -- King Charles was a favorite!
She also had a fantastic relationship with Antony, Earl of Snowdon before and after his divorce from Princess Margaret.
It was [naturally:] very upsetting whenever Queen Elizabeth lost a family member or friend or employee -- at 101, she outlived so many including all of her siblings. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but it could almost be considered a fluke that she lived as long as she did.
Probably the saddest event (besides the death of the King) was the passing of her younger daughter, Princess Margaret on February 9, 2002. Princess Margaret had been ill for awhile and while her death came as no surprise ... the death of a child ...
Queen Elizabeth passed away at 3:15 on March 30, 2002.
There is so much more that I could have added to this review, but did not. The information discerned in this book is fascinating! I am not a student of the royals meaning I have not read everything out there, but I do like history and I sincerely believe that anybody who has a taste for learning about the past, will love the book! ...more
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