The Crown

Stories from the life of the royal family In his book The Crown, British historian and author of numerous biographies Robert Lacey recounts the fate of the British royal dynasty between 1947 and 1955. This was a period when Britain was recovering from the Second World War and the future shape and indeed the very existence of the monarchy was being decided.

The author brings to life many historical figures and events, introducing the reader to the historical context while describing real life at Buckingham Palace or the residence of then Prime Minister Winston Churchill at No. 10. Most attention is of course paid to Queen Elizabeth II., who ascended to the throne at just 26 years old, after his father's untimely death, King George VI.., and she had to learn, how to become a real ruler and ensure the stability of the country. We learn what life was like for the future queen in her early childhood and youth, when she lived an almost ordinary life together with her parents and younger sister. The author describes in detail the upbringing and education of the little princess, her adolescence and her relationship with her future husband Philip Mountbatten.