Young Elizabeth by Kate Williams
The latest from Kate Williams - REGINA: A NEW HISTORY OF WOMEN AND POWER - publishing 4th June 2026. 'Rich with princess anecdotes... Williams's book weaves the Second World War, vast social change and the royal upheaval of abdication and celebration of coronation into energised, nostalgic storytelling' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Fascinating insights into Elizabeth's relationship with her sister also make this a worthwhile, enjoyable read' DAILY TELEGRAPH We can hardly imagine a Britain without Elizabeth II on the throne. It seems to be the job she was born for. And yet for much of her early life the young princess did not know the role that her future would hold. She was our accidental Queen. As a young girl, Elizabeth was among the guests in Westminster Abbey watching her father being crowned, making her the only monarch to have attended a parent's coronation. Kate Williams explores the sheltered upbringing of the young princess with a gentle father and domineering mother, her complicated relationship with her sister, Princess Margaret, and her dependence on her nanny, Marion 'Crawfie' Crawford. She details the profound and devastating impact of the abdication crisis when, at the impressionable age of 11, Elizabeth found her position changed overnight: no longer a minor princess she was now heiress to the throne. Elizabeth's determination to share in the struggles of her people marked her out from a young age. Her father initially refused to let her volunteer as a nurse during the Blitz, but relented when she was 18 and allowed her to work as a mechanic and truck driver for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. It was her forward-thinking approach that ensured that her coronation was televised, against the advice of politicians at the time. Kate Williams reveals how the 25-year-old young queen carved out a lasting role for herself amid the changes of the 20th century. Her monarchy would be a very different one to that of her parents and grandparents, and its continuing popularity in the 21st century owes much to the intelligence and elusive personality of this remarkable woman.
Rich with princess anecdotes.. Williams's book weaves the Second World War, vast social change and the royal upheaval of abdication and celebration of coronation into energised, nostalgic storytelling * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
Fascinating insights into Elizabeth's relationship with her sister also make this a worthwhile, enjoyable read * DAILY TELEGRAPH *
A well-written account of the Queen's early life * THE LADY *
This is an accomplished history, told with literary grace and intellectual confidence * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
It is a fascinating story * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
An airy, affectionate and anecdotal account of Princess Lilibet's upbringing and ascension to the throne * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
It was deft of Williams to concentrate upon little Lilibet as her subject, and this was my favourite of the many royal books which have been published in the last six months * SPECTATOR *
A well-written account of the Queen's early life. * THE LADY *
An airy, affectionate and anecdotal account of Princess Lilibet's upbringing and ascension to the throne. * THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
Fascinating insights into Elizabeth's relationship with her sister also make this a worthwhile, enjoyable read. * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *
This is an accomplished history, told with literary grace and intellectual confidence. * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
It is a fascinating story * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
Fascinating insights into Elizabeth's relationship with her sister also make this a worthwhile, enjoyable read * DAILY TELEGRAPH *
A well-written account of the Queen's early life * THE LADY *
This is an accomplished history, told with literary grace and intellectual confidence * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
It is a fascinating story * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
An airy, affectionate and anecdotal account of Princess Lilibet's upbringing and ascension to the throne * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
It was deft of Williams to concentrate upon little Lilibet as her subject, and this was my favourite of the many royal books which have been published in the last six months * SPECTATOR *
A well-written account of the Queen's early life. * THE LADY *
An airy, affectionate and anecdotal account of Princess Lilibet's upbringing and ascension to the throne. * THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
Fascinating insights into Elizabeth's relationship with her sister also make this a worthwhile, enjoyable read. * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *
This is an accomplished history, told with literary grace and intellectual confidence. * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
It is a fascinating story * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
Professor Kate Williams is a historian and the New York Times bestselling author of over ten works of history and historical non-fiction which include Rival Queens, The Royal Palaces and Edge of the Fall. She has presented various TV shows on the BBC, Channel 5 and PBS, including Restoration Home, Young Victoria, Inside Versailles and Secrets of the Royal Palaces. She is CNN's royal historian and covers all royal events for CNN (including the funeral of Elizabeth II) and also discusses royals on the BBC and Sky News. She studied for her BA and DPhil at Oxford and is Professor in Public Engagement with History at the University of Reading, and lectures all over the world. She has appeared on shows from the Great British Bake Off to Gardener's World and has won UK quiz shows including Mastermind, Pointless and Antiques Road Trip. Her greatest love is a dusty document.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781780222431 |
| ISBN 10 | 1780222432 |
| Title | Young Elizabeth |
| Author | Kate Williams |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing Co |
| Year published | 2013-04-04 |
| Number of pages | 336 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |