'What a fabulous book - a must for any royal watcher! It's elegant, stylish and gloriously illustrated. I didn't want it to end. I loved the original and innovative approach to the subject, and the new insights I gained. I cannot recommend it highly enough.' Alison Weir One of the Independent's 'best books to give this Christmas'. A lavishly illustrated celebration of the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the British Royal Family from the unrivalled archive of British Vogue. 'Vogue, like the royal family, has been through many evolutions of its own, and to view Her Majesty's life though the record of our pages is truly a document of history.' - Edward Enninful, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue Four monarchs (crowned and uncrowned); one abdication; one royal investiture; a jewel box of jubilees and many, many royal marriages... British Vogue has borne witness to a century of royal history. The Crown in Vogue is the magazine's 'special royal salute' to our longest serving monarch and her 'assured and unwavering' presence in the lives of a nation. Vogue's first star photographer, Cecil Beaton, was entranced by the House of Windsor and the admiration was mutual. A younger star photographer, Antony Armstrong Jones, left Vogue to marry the Queen's sister and returned as Lord Snowdon. The Queen's cousin, Vogue's Lord Lichfield proved an insightful photographer of royal style along with many of Vogue's fashion photographers including Horst, Norman Parkinson and David Bailey. With visual treasures from Vogue's unrivalled archive and contributions through the decades from the most perceptive of royal commentators - from Evelyn Waugh to Zadie Smith - The Crown in Vogue is the definitive, authoritative portrait of Queen Elizabeth II's magnificent reign - and of royalty in the modern age.

***Published in honour of our late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, The Platinum Queen presents seven decades of world history through the words of Britain's longest-reigning monarch: over 256 exquisitely designed pages, packed with 130 photos and featuring every single major speech given over the course of Her late Majesty's time on the throne, a foreword by Jennie Bond and historical context to each decade.*** For the first time, all 70 of our late Queen's Christmas speeches are published together in full, along with six additional feature speeches made at significant points in her life. Organised by decade, each chapter opens with a narrative essay on the key events that follow, providing an important contextual backdrop to the speeches. From times of national and global turmoil - including wars, terror attacks and health crises - to times of joy - such as the new millennium and Olympics - The Platinum Queen is a testament to the late Elizabeth's unwavering resolve, faith and dedication to her role.

This meticulously researched book presents a vivid portrait of King Juan Carlos from his awkward years as Franco's chosen successor as the Head of State of an authoritarian regime to his achievements in promoting and defending the new democracy after Franco's death in 1975. Few modern kings have played so important a role. Dr Powell's biography is therefore essential reading if we are to understand contemporary Spain.' - Sir Raymond Carr;Widely acknowledged as a key figure in Spain's remarkable transition to democracy following General Franco's death in 1975, King Juan Carlos consolidated his reputation as a champion of democracy by aborting the attempted military coup of 23 February 1981. This political biography of the Spanish monarch sheds new light on his childhood, the process whereby he became Franco's successor in 1969, his subsequent contribution to his nation's democratization, and his role as constitutional monarch since 1978, both at home and abroad.

Since glasnost began, Russia's most eminent historians have taken advantage of new archival access and the end of censorship and conformity to reassess and reinterpret their history. Through this process they are linking up with Russia's great historiographic tradition while producing work that is fresh and modern. In "The Emperors and Empresses of Russia", renowned Russian historians tell the story of the Romanovs as complex individual personalities and as key institutional actors in Russian history, from the empire builder Peter I to the last tsar, Nicholas II. These portraits are contributions to the writing of history, partaking neither of wooden ideologisation nor of naive romanticisation.

Since glasnost began, Russia's most eminent historians have taken advantage of new archival access and the end of censorship and conformity to reassess and reinterpret their history. Through this process they are linking up with Russia's great historiographic tradition while producing work that is fresh and modern. In "The Emperors and Empresses of Russia", renowned Russian historians tell the story of the Romanovs as complex individual personalities and as key institutional actors in Russian history, from the empire builder Peter I to the last tsar, Nicholas II. These portraits are contributions to the writing of history, partaking neither of wooden ideologisation nor of naive romanticisation.

A stunning tour de force and a remarkable achievement.- Alison Weir This is Our Island Story for the modern age. - Charles Spencer 'Not just a brilliant compendium of biographies, but the biography of an institution: a marvellous read' - Tom Holland 'This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle' (William Shakespeare, Richard II) With 1000 years of royal history from 1066 to the present day, Domesday Book to Magna Carta the Field of Cloth of Gold to King Charles' accession, Crown & Sceptre is an unparalleled exploration of the British monarchy. From Sunday Times bestselling author and joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces Tracy Borman, comes a fresh, engaging and authoritative account of the crown's tumultuous history - including a chapter on King Charles III. Impeccably researched, Crown & Sceptre explores in gripping detail how this iconic institution has survived the storms of rebellion, revolution and war that brought most of the world's other monarchies to an abrupt and bloody end. It is a story of ruthless dynastic battles, political and social leadership, usurpation and abdication, all set against a backdrop of dazzling ceremony and pageantry. "Crown and Sceptre shows an astonishing command of a thousand years of the British monarchy, its traditions, roles and realities beyond the pageantry and romance. Beautifully crafted, insightful, and a genuine pleasure to read, it underscores the royal heritage at the heart of a nation." - Lauren Mackay "Crown and Sceptre" combines an eminently accessible narrative with a lucid scholarly lens. Tracy Borman skilfully unravels the trials and triumphs of this ever-shifting institution. By charting both the majesty and mechanics of monarchy, we get a vivid understanding of why its glittering gears shifted over time, and by whom the levers of change were pulled. A triumph.' - Owen Emmerson, Curator at Hever Castle 'Tracy Borman's passion for the British monarch and the crown is infectious and compelling!' - Estelle Paranque 'Borman embraces a huge task' - Gerard DeGroot, The Times Enlightening, gripping and skilfully composed, Tracy Borman navigates the twists and turns of the British monarchy with an expert hand. A pacy narrative that's simply bursting with colour and intrigue, Crown and Sceptre is both powerful and compulsively readable. A masterpiece. - Nicola Tallis

The funny and tragic, bestselling biography of The Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, perfect for fans of Netflix's The Crown. A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR * A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR * A DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE YEAR 'I honked so loudly the man sitting next to me dropped his sandwich' Observer She made John Lennon blush and Marlon Brando clam up. She cold-shouldered Princess Diana and humiliated Elizabeth Taylor. Jack Nicholson offered her cocaine and Pablo Picasso lusted over her. To her friends Princess Margaret was witty and regal, to her enemies, she was rude and demanding. Ma'am Darling looks at her from many angles, creating a kaleidoscopic biography, and a witty meditation on fame and art, snobbery and deference, bohemia and high society.

Susan Doran describes and analyses the process of the Elizabethan Reformation, placing it in an English and a European context. She examines the religious views and policies of the Queen, the making of the 1559 settlement and the resulting reforms. The changing beliefs of the English people are discussed, and the author charts the fortunes of both Puritanism and Catholicism. Finally she looks at the strengths and weaknesses of Elizabeth I as royal governor, and of the Church of England as a whole.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203130065

This exciting and psychologically penetrating account of the life and rule of Russia's eighteenth-century tsar-reformer develops an important theme. What happens when the drive for "progress" is linked to an autocratic, expansionist impulse rather than a larger goal of human emancipation? What was the price of power - for Russia, and for Peter himself? Evgenii V. Anisimov's provocative history of Peter thus asks important questions with special resonance today.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. Sunday Times bestselling author Andrew Morton reveals new information and sources that totally transform our perception of Wallis Simpson. Wallis in Love brings a fascinating new perspective on the 20th century's most controversial royal scandal. Andrew Morton's impeccable research and unerring skill for riveting storytelling combine to present a strong case for a new and startling reveal: that the woman who rocked the world with her uncompromising passion for the Prince of Wales may have fooled everyone by keeping the object of her true passion hidden away... From her relatively lowly beginnings in America - where young Wallis and her mother were dependent on her domineering and powerful Uncle Sol, to her rise through the social ranks and her determination to one day beat men at their own game - to the ultimate conquest of the Prince of Wales, Morton paints a vivid and multi-faceted picture of a compelling, ambitious and often hard-hearted woman, who may have won the jewel in the British crown but very possibly at the expense of her true happiness. Wallis in Love reveals the men Wallis truly loved, the men who broke her heart - and the hearts she broke in turn. In this vivid, fresh and frankly amazing portrait of the Duchess of Windsor, Morton draws on interviews, secret letters, diaries and never before seen or heard primary sources. From the day she was born in a ramshackle cottage in the hills to revealing what really happened the night her husband died, Morton paints a fresh and enticing portrait of the Duchess of Windsor.

The Queen is a timely book with beautiful photos and fascinating details about one of the most famous women of modern times: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch in history. "Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust." -Queen Elizabeth II, Coronation Speech, June 2, 1953 When the Queen passed away on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, she had reigned over the United Kingdom for a total of 70 years and 214 days, having endured the ups and downs that long life will bring. She was a beacon of hope during and after the Second World War in difficult times when the world faced a precarious future, and she served as a role model for generations of men and women who continue to be in awe of her commitment to service, sacrifice, and the Commonwealth of nations over which she ruled. The abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII, in 1936 turned her family's world upside-down. When her father was crowned King George VI, Elizabeth was thrust into the eye of the storm as a future queen. A shy and reserved child, she grew into a wise and insightful monarch who dealt ably with 15 British Prime Ministers during her long reign, from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. It was, of course, not always straightforward and the Queen found herself in hot water several times, most notably during the marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. When Diana was tragically killed in a car crash, the standing of the Royal Family was probably at its lowest ebb. It is unlikely that we will ever see a monarch reign so long or so effectively again, holding together a disparate group of nations, each with its own aspirations, customs, and traditions. From her uncle's abdication to the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, this intriguing biography includes all the ups and downs of Queen Elizabeth's long life.

The history of the Scottish monarchy is a long tale of triumph over adversity, characterised by the personal achievements of remarkable rulers who transformed their fragile kingdom into the master of northern Britain. The Kings and Queens of Scotland charts that process, from the earliest Scots and Pictish kings of around ad 400 through to the union of parliaments in 1707, tracing it through the lives of the men and women whose ambitions drove it forward on the often rocky path from its semi-mythical foundations to its integration into the Stewart kingdom of Great Britain. It is a route waymarked with such towering personalities as Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots, but directed also by a host of less well-known figures such as David I, who extended his kingdom almost to the gates of York, and James IV, builder of the finest navy in northern Europe. Their will and ambition, successes and failures not only shaped modern Scotland, but have left their mark throughout the British Isles and the wider world.

Mary Queen of Scots is perhaps one of the most controversial and divisive monarchs in regal history. Her story reads like a particularly spicy novel, with murder, kidnap, adultery, assassination and execution. To some she is one of the most wronged women in history, a pawn used and abused by her family in the great monarchical marriage game; to others, a murderous adulteress who committed regicide to marry her lover and then spent years in captivity for the crime, endlessly plotting the demise of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. This book covers the breathtaking scope of her amazing life and examines the immense cultural legacy she left behind, from the Schiller play of the 1800s to The CW teen drama Reign. Temptress, terrorist, or tragic queen, this book will give you the lowdown on one of history's most misunderstood monarchs.

In a Reformation kingdom ill-used to queens, Elizabeth I needed a very particular image to hold her divided country together. The 'Cult of Gloriana' would elevate the queen to the status of a virgin goddess, aided by authors, musicians, and artists such as Spenser, Shakespeare, Hilliard, Tallis and Byrd. Her image was widely owned and distributed, thanks to the expansion of printing, and the English came to surpass their European counterparts in miniature painting, allowing courtiers to carry a likeness of their sovereign close to their hearts. Sumptuously illustrated, Gloriana: Elizabeth I and the Art of Queenship tells the story of Elizabethan art as a powerful device for royal magnificence and propaganda, illuminating several key artworks of Elizabeth's reign to create a portrait of the Tudor monarch as she has never been seen before.

'A pleasure to read... a timely reminder of the need for service' Telegraph HRH The Duke of Kent has been at the heart of the British Royal Family throughout his life. As a working member of the Royal Family, he has supported his cousin, The Queen, representing her at home and abroad. His royal duties began when, in 1952, at the age of sixteen, he walked in the procession behind King George VI's coffin, later paying homage to The Queen at her Coronation in 1953. Since then he has witnessed and participated in key Royal occasions. He represented The Queen at independence ceremonies from the age of twenty-five, he was riding with her when blanks were fired at Trooping the Colour in 1981, he was the oldest soldier on parade at Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in November 2020 and he was alongside The Queen at her official birthday celebrations in June 2021 as Colonel of the Scots Guards. No member of the Royal Family has spoken extensively of the modern reign and their part in it before. A Royal Life is a unique account based on a series of conversations between the Duke and acclaimed Royal historian Hugo Vickers. It covers some of the most important moments and experiences of the Duke's life, from his upbringing at his family home Coppins in Buckinghamshire, his twenty-one years of army life, his royal tours and events, through to his work for over 140 different organisations, including presenting the trophies at Wimbledon for more than 50 years. Here too are recollections of family members including his mother, Princess Marina, his grandmother, Queen Mary, his cousin, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his uncle, King George VI. The Duke is a keen photographer and the book contains never before seen photographs from his private collection. Other members of the Royal Family contribute their memories, including his wife, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke's siblings, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent, his son, the Earl of St Andrews, his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor as well as his cousins, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Archduchess Helen of Austria and her brother, Hans Veit Toerring. A Royal Life is an unprecedented, insightful and remarkable slice of Royal history.

An eminent scholar of Russian history here presents the most informative, balanced, and up-to-date short study of Catherine the Great and her reign. This edition includes a new preface dealing with recently discovered sources and revised interpretations of the period. Praise for the earlier edition: "A panoramic view of Russia's social, political, economic, and cultural development and of its emergence as a formidable power in the international arena during the thirty-four years of [Catherine's] reign."-Anthony Cross, New York Times Book Review "De Madariaga's book will be the standard and an essential guide for all students and scholars of Russian and European history of the second half of the eighteenth century."-Marc Raeff, Journal of Modern History

UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE WEDDING AND FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE Once a reckless rebel, now a respected role model, Prince Harry is one of the world's most popular royals and all set to haul the British royal family into the twenty-first century. How has he done it? Harry: Conversations with the Prince takes a three-dimensional look at what Harry is really like, both on and off royal duty. It delves into his troubled childhood and rebellious teenage years, as well as exploring the defining moments that have enabled him to face his demons and use his own experiences to help others. Distinguished journalist and royal biographer Angela Levin accompanied Prince Harry on many of his engagements and had exclusive access to him at Kensington Palace. She found a complex man who has inherited his late mother's extraordinary charisma and determination to 'make a difference.' In this updated insightful and engaging biography, Levin examines the first year of Harry's marriage to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, the pivotal moments the couple face following the birth of their son, and their shared vision as they forge their own path on the world stage.

The first in-depth dual-biography of Elizabeth & Margaret, written by the bestselling royal biographer, Andrew Morton. They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward VIII decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more, Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called 'Lillibet'. And bow to her wishes. Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister's antics with a kind of stoical amusement but Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system - and her fraught relationship with its expectations - was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover. From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden wartime lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father's death and Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton, renowned bestselling author of Diana: Her True Story, offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters - one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it - and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family and the way it has adapted to the changing mores of the twentieth century.

TWO YOUNG MEN WITH EXPECTATIONS. ONE PREDICTED TO SUCCEED, THE OTHER TO FAIL... Prince Albert Victor is heir presumptive to the British throne at its late Victorian zenith. Handsome and good-hearted, he is regarded as disastrously inadequate to be the king. By contrast, Jem Stephen is a golden boy worshipped by all - a renowned intellectual and the Keeper and outstanding player of the famous Eton Wall Game. He is appointed as Prince Albert's tutor at Cambridge - the relationship that will change both of their lives. 'A gilded cast of characters parades through this sumptuous tale. A clever mixture of history, psychology and sex.' - Alastair Stewart OBE, ITN anchor