Book Review: Elizabeth and Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters by Andrew Morton AD

Either you are a fan of The Royal Family or you are a fan of The Crown. Regardless of which one you sit under, you will love this next book.

Goodreads Review

Elizabeth and Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters by Andrew Morton

They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll 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 war-time 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’s latest biography 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 ways it adapted to the changing mores of the 20th century.

Review

I actually don’t fit into any of the groups mentioned above; I’m just nosy. I like knowing about people who aren’t like me and the Windsor sisters certainly fit into this territory.

I was offered a part on this blog tour just after Prince Phillip died. Watching his funeral I began to see Queen Elizabeth II more as a person than this huge figure. I wanted to learn more about her and I certainly did with this book.

I also got to learn more about Princess Margaret, whom I knew zilch about. Certainly the wild child of the two, I found her intriguing and following her story was like following a soap opera. Certainly this book is more enjoyable if you don’t already know a lot about the two.

Elizabeth and Margaret is also a great choice for history lovers. The author doesn’t just go deep into the lives of the two sisters but also the traditions that have been upheld by The Royal Family over hundreds of years. My my, was it great to see how the other half live but I certainly don’t lust after that life myself.

I’m not a fan of The Royal Family, I haven’t watched The Crown, and I don’t really like biographies/autobiographies. But I enjoyed Elizabeth and Margaret, so much so that I keep sprouting off random facts to people. Why not give the book a go yourself? You can pick up your copy here.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.