From Publishers Weekly
As a child, Princess Elizabeth longed "to live in the country with lots of horses and dogs." That dream came to a crashing end when her uncle, King Edward VII, followed his heart instead of his head, giving up the throne for an American divorcee. The princess's fate was sealed: not only was she destined to become Queen of England, but as Lacey shows in this skillfully constructed biography, nearly every upheaval of her otherwise quiet and dutiful 50-year reign would be the direct consequence of impetuous relatives putting personal needs above royal responsibility. It's all here: the romantic debacles of Di, Fergie, Margaret, Ann, Charles and Andrew, as well as Prince Philip's unfailing ability to insert his foot in his mouth ("How nice to be in a country that is not ruled by its people," he said to Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner in 1969). Through it all, there have been two constants: the Queen is pragmatic and restrained, and the media is all over every mucky story. Lacey, veteran royal historian and biographer (The Queen Mother's Century, etc.), writes with the cooperation of the Palace, and his portrait is sympathetic, but he also offers an incisive analysis of the development of royal media coverage (which started with Queen Victoria and the invention of the camera) and the relationship between the two powerful entities, setting this apart from and far above the average by-the-numbers royal bio.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Although Lacey discusses Queen Elizabeth II's formative years and family life, his 16th book is not so much a biography as an examination of "the diminishing boundaries of [the royal family's] personal privacy" in the 20th century. Significant events, such as King George VI's death, Charles's and Andrew's doomed marriages, and the queen's financial status, are considered in light of how they are treated by the media and viewed by the public. Also highlighted are Mass-Observation, a volunteer organization used to measure the public's response to the royal family, and the intrusive tabloid press. Prince Charles cites the media's aggressive role in his rushed (and unfortunate) choice of a bride, and Lacey shows that Diana's own on-again, off-again relationship with the paparazzi served only to emphasize her insecurities. Plodding in parts, Lacey's work reveals little that is new about the queen, but it is a mature and thoughtful discussion of the public's evolving relationship with the British royal family. Recommended only for large public libraries with a special collection on the British monarchy. Isabel Coates, Canada Customs & Revenue Agency, Ont.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.