George VI and Elizabeth : the marriage that saved the monarchy
Title:
George VI and Elizabeth : the marriage that saved the monarchy
Author:
Smith, Sally Bedell, 1948- author.
ISBN:
9780525511632
Personal Author:
Edition:
First edition.
Physical Description:
xxx, 699 pages, 32 unnumbered pages of plates : photographs ; 25 cm
Contents:
Prologue -- Part one: Loss and love. Twelve days -- An honorable boy -- Stuck in sick bay -- The rent you pay for life -- Coolness and courage -- Do's and don'ts -- Radiant vitality -- Improved in every way -- More than an ordinary friend -- Part two: Halcyon days. Don't forget your honey lamb -- A gilded carriage -- A splendid partner -- Family affairs -- Out of the welter -- My heart goes pit-a-pat -- Part three: The road to the crown. Tremendous joy -- Eager to do well -- Family crises -- Interlude -- A certain person -- The sunset of death -- Tears of destiny -- Part four: A royal beginning. Upright bearing and grave dignity -- His brother's shadow -- Simplicity and dignity -- Transatlantic triumph -- We shall prevail -- Part five: The war years. Sharing the suffering -- American friends -- The tide turns -- Overlord -- Part six: Indelible legacy. Changing of the guard -- Romance in the air -- Sunlight and clouds -- Farewell, with love.
Abstract:
"When the Duke of Windsor abdicated the throne in 1936, his shy, uncertain, unprepared younger brother became King. Sally Bedell Smith was granted by Queen Elizabeth II special access to the letters and diaries of George VI and Elizabeth, to tell the story of how their love, devotion, and strong marriage led George VI to overcome insecurities and difficulty speaking and to become an exceptional leader. His wife Elizabeth, a pretty, confident, and outgoing woman, who became known later in life as "the Queen Mum," simultaneously strengthened and advised her temperamental husband, while raising the future Queen Elizabeth II (who at an early age was educated to lead, and fell in love at 15 with Prince Philip) and Princess Margaret. Sally Bedell Smith explores how this loving and devoted marriage helped the king and queen meet the challenges of leading the country through war, London during the blitz, their relationship with Winston Churchill, their visit with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt in Washington and Hyde Park, and more"-- Provided by publisher.
