Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II

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Queen Of Our Times, read by the author, is the definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth II by one of Britain’s leading royal authorities, Robert Hardman. This commemorative edition includes an epilogue reflecting upon Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, her passing and her funeral.

All of these describe Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned through more seismic social change than any monarch since 1066 (Charles I included). From the Abdication to the Sussexes, she has witnessed family crises on a scale not seen since the days of George III. On February 6th, 2022 ,she marks 70 years on the Throne. Robert Hardman, the acclaimed and respected author of Her Majesty and Queen of the World has already examined the Queen as a modern monarch and her role as a stateswoman abroad. Now, he wraps up the full story of one of the undisputed greats in a thousand years of monarchy. Andrew Roberts A compendious new biography . . . closely observed . . . I relished the incidental details. Hardman briskly dismisses the suggestion that the Queen neglected her children Charles and Anne when small. As for the affair of Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend, Hardman claims that the story of “star-crossed lovers” was a myth invented by Princess Margaret after the event. In fact, Margaret herself made the decision not to marry Townsend, and the Queen supported her throughout. As for Lord Altrincham’s magazine article criticising the Queen, whom he described as a “priggish schoolgirl”, Hardman considers that its impact has been wildly exaggerated. Accompanied by her two children, the Queen goes over to chat with the Duke of Edinburgh during a polo match in Windsor Park, 1956The problems that have occurred with Queen Elizabeth’s children are discussed here, but not in a negative way. Everyone has problems with their children and even though the family is royal, we see how even they have to find a way to work through problems. There is of course, an ethical question at the center of the constitutional/ parliamentary monarchy. It is this: Recognizing all the benefits of this system, particularly those realized through a capable long reigning monarch, the great percentage of which cannot be realized by an appointed rather inherited royalty: Elizabeth was dutiful, reserved, reluctant to be the centre of attention, reticent with emotions and opinions.”

This is one of the best biographies I have ever read and after 25 hours of spending time in the Queen’s world, I was truly sad to reach the end. The author did a magnificent job of covering her reign and her character. The book was wonderfully paced with multiple interviews and primary sources that painted a full and clear picture for me. It was also a great reminder of how little the media gets right and how much is always going on behind the scenes. The care and detail to get things right almost always gets lost in our 24-7 news cycle. I ended the book with a deep appreciation for a woman who lived steadfastly and faithfully to her principles and left a beautiful legacy for us to emulate. Elizabeth was not born to be queen, being third in line to the throne. Yet from her accession as a young mother of two in 1952 to the age of Covid-19, she proved an astute and quietly determined figure, leading her family and her people through more than seventy years of unprecedented social change. She faced constitutional crises, confronted threats against her life, unified the Commonwealth, saw fifteen British prime ministers come and go, charmed world leaders, and steered her family through a lifetime in the public eye. Her Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in June 2022 and her death mourned months later, both events a reminder of the huge impact she had made.For the Jubilee, I also watched a few documentaries about Queen Elizabeth. My favorite was, The Unseen Queen, 2022. Mit einem angenehmen Schreibstil führt Robert Hardmann uns sachlich, aber informativ durch einen Querschnitt des Lebens der Queen.

You can get a feel for Hardman’s style and content in this article, published by the Daily Mail on June 1, 2022, the eve of the Queens Jubilee Celebrations announced in the opening statement of this review: The Queen emerges as remarkably robust, even today. One aide remarked there was no danger of her going to pieces over Philip’s death. “She is much stronger than that.” The head of state who appeared on film with James Bond at the 2012 Olympics is still able to adapt to change, as shown by her new-found enthusiasm for Zoom. Hardman’s exhaustive and endlessly enthusiastic biography paints a vivid picture of a phenomenal sovereign. This is a most interesting book to read, at this time just after the passing of the Queen. I came to realise how much the Queen owed to her father, King George the Sixth. A s well as setting her a good example he also mentored her in the duties of a constitutional monarch. Hardman takes the story right up to today and the Platinum Jubilee. The later parts of the book, which are dependent on interviews, will be invaluable to historians. By the second decade of the 21st century, the Queen had become the focal point of a revival of monarchy, driven by the two princes William and Harry. As ever, however, the danger came from within, in this case the war between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. The Queen acted with characteristic decisiveness over the Sussexes, insisting that they must choose to be either “in or out”. The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service.” ( https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee..., Retrieved 8/6/2022)It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change." Elizabeth II. wurde nicht als Thronfolgerin geboren. Doch seit ihrer Krönung 1952 hat sie sich als kluge und entschlossene Persönlichkeit erwiesen und ihr Volk souverän durch teils massive Veränderungen geführt. Sie sah sich mit Verfassungskrisen konfrontiert, erhielt Morddrohungen, sah 14 Premierminister kommen und gehen, bezauberte Staatsoberhäupter aus aller Welt, wurde von den Medien gefeiert und kritisiert und lebte ein Leben in der Öffentlichkeit. With fascinating revelations from those who knew her best and special access to unseen royal papers granted by Elizabeth II herself, author and royal expert Robert Hardman explores the full, astonishing life of our longest reigning monarch in this authoritative yet intimate biography.

Hardman distils Elizabeth's complex life in to a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal. It is a portrait of a world leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the Throne at age twenty-five. In addition to getting a good view of the Queen's personal life I also learned much about other members of the Royal Family. For example I had to revise my view of Prince Phillip. I had previously remembered some of his controversial statements. My view changed ,however when I learned some of the details of the good work done by his Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and also his hard efforts for his other Charities The author also doesn't forget to give us some never before heard details about Queen's sense of duty and humor sense. Rich in new material, wit, and original thought. With intimate and unrivalled access to those who really know the story, Queen of Our Times not only gives us the real Elizabeth II, but it also reminds us, often movingly, that we are living through one of history’s greatest reigns.”To celebrate this unprecedented anniversary, events and initiatives will take place throughout the year, culminating in a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.