Queen Elizabeth II: An Oral History

by Deborah Hart Strober, Gerald Strober

Overview

A stunning and revelatory oral history of Queen Elizabeth II and her reign.

There seems an unquenchable fascination with the British royal family on both sides of the Atlantic, borne out by the popularity of The Crown on Netflix, the spotlight on the Sussexes and Cambridges, and the media attention on the death of Prince Philip.

These detailed interviews and insightful accounts range from the very early years of her reign to Prince Phillip’s death in 2021. Covering the shocking death of her father and the adjustment required of a newly married couple as well as the turmoil of the later years and her grandchildren’s families.

This lavishly produced paperback with rarely seen color photos paints a full, detailed, and sympathetic portrait of a life lived in service.

Featuring interviews from diverse sources from private staff at Buckingham Palace and family friends, to international figures like Nelson Mandela, it contains a broad spectrum of views on Queen Elizabeth II—her story and her personality and how her life has intersected and impacted others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639364596
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	05/09/2023
Pages:	560
Sales rank:	616,039
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald S. Strober are the co-authors of ten books to date, including oral histories of the Kennedy, Nixon, and Reagan presidencies; and oral biographies of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the evangelist Billy Graham; and Rudolph Giuliani. In compiling these works, the Strobers managed to penetrate the inner worlds of more than 500 leading personalities, including U.S. political figures and officials, foreign leaders, members of the British royal family, and religious personalities. In 2009, their book on Bernard L. Madoff, the first one to be published on that major financial scandal, was a Washington Post's Business Book of the Month.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Part 1 The House of Windsor

1 The Accession of Queen Elizabeth II 2

2 A Family Nightmare: The Abdication 23

3 The War and the Royal Family 47

4 The Marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip 56

5 The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 69

6 The Consort 87

Part 2 The Institution of the Monarchy

7 Who Is the Queen? 104

8 What Does the Monarchy Mean to British Subjects and Others? 143

9 The Queen and the Institution of the Monarchy 165

10 The Queen and her Prime Ministers 180

11 The Monarch as Defender of the Faith 211

12 The Queen's Travels Abroad 225

13 Life at Court 238

14 Visiting a Royal Residence at the Queen's Invitation 254

Part 3 The Queen and the Commonwealth

15 The Commonwealth 278

16 Canada 306

17 Australia 322

18 Africa 345

19 The Future of the Commonwealth 356

Part 4 Major Issues of the Reign

20 Northern Ireland 364

21 Suez and Hong Kong 383

22 The Falkland Islands War 394

Part 5 The Evolution of the Monarchy

23 Pandora's Box 410

24 Prince Charles and Princess Diana 428

25 The Death of Princess Diana 447

26 Lords Reform and Scottish Devolution 467

Part 6 The Future of the Monarchy

27 The Heir Apparent: Who Is He? 482

28 Queen Elizabeth II's Legacy and the Future of the Monarchy 498

Afterword 521

References 525

List of Interviewees 537

Abbreviations of Titles 541

Bibliographical Note 543

Photograph Permissions 545

Acknowledgments 547

Editorial Reviews

Is just as carefully timed as Royal by Robert Lacey but it offers more satisfying illumination. An assiduously compiled narrative of the Queen’s reign.

The Observer

"Packed with opinion, facts and personal accounts from those who were there, this unique oral history is a must-read for fans of The Crown"

LoveReading Joanne Owen

A terrific book. It makes for an immediacy you don’t get in the usual biography. There are things there I’ve never read before.

Tina Jordan

Praise for Queen Elizabeth II:

From the Publisher

05/02/2022

Husband and wife biographers Gerald and Deborah Strober paint a mostly flattering portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in this updated and expanded version of The Monarchy (2002). Weaving together interviews with royal family insiders including Lady Angela Oswald, who served as “woman of the bedchamber” to the Queen Mother, the authors detail Elizabeth’s ascension to throne at age 25 and her dawning realization that “the end of her private life had come.” Interviewees praise Elizabeth’s moral rectitude and attention to protocol while shedding light on her 1947 wedding to naval officer Philip Mountbatten; her relationships with Winston Churchill, Boris Johnson, and other prime ministers; and her “determination and resilience” in the face of Philip’s death in 2021. Controversial subjects, including Elizabeth’s decision not to return to London in the immediate aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in a car crash, and Prince Andrew’s withdrawal from royal duties amid a sex abuse lawsuit, are touched on lightly. While many of the interviewees will be unfamiliar to American readers, their observations are an entertaining mix of respectful and catty. (“What would have been the public’s attitude if she’d looked like the back of a bus?” asks one about the British fascination with Princess Diana.) This comprehensive survey of Elizabeth II’s reign will delight dedicated royal watchers. Illus. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"The book, by Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald S. Strober (who've also written oral histories of President Kennedy and the Dalai Lama, among others) looks at the incredible work the Queen has done, but also examines the woman behind the crown and how her personality has changed the course of her country for good."

Town & Country

"The book, by Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald S. Strober (who've also written oral histories of President Kennedy and the Dalai Lama, among others) looks at the incredible work the Queen has done, but also examines the woman behind the crown and how her personality has changed the course of her country for good."

Town & Country

2022-05-18
Voices from the queen’s circle.

Updating their previous oral history of Elizabeth II, The Monarchy, the Strobers reinterviewed some individuals and talked on Zoom and by phone with a few more to round out an admiring portrait of the British queen. Some topics newly addressed include the withdrawal of Harry and Meghan from royal obligations, accusations of racism in the royal household, the succession, and the death of Prince Philip. Respondents share fond memories of Philip while noting his penchant for making brusque retorts that could be found offensive. Lady Featherstone observed that people of Philip’s generation sometimes make “difficult or racist remarks.” Still, she noted, it was hard “for a man of his era to take second place to a clever woman all the time. He was quite a character and he and the Queen were a great team.” Interviewees minimize the effect of Harry and Meghan’s televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, though many agreed that it was in poor taste. “We are not the Kardashians,” Lady Greenfield remarked. “While it is a real event,” Lord Heseltine told the authors, “those anticipating long-term damage to Her Majesty and the monarchy do not really understand the strength surrounding the Queen and the institution, that it is something that one witnesses and feels.” His faith in the longevity of the monarchy is echoed by others, who see a smooth succession from Elizabeth to Charles and then to William and Kate. Fans of British royalty will find much to affirm their affection for the queen. “She is the most constitutionally perfect person you could imagine,” gushed Canon Paul Oesthreicher. “She is just absolutely made for the office: she doesn’t try to interfere; she is a symbolic figure; she obviously enjoys being Queen—she was brought up to it; she’s deeply in the tradition; everybody respects her.” The book is generously illustrated with photographs of Elizabeth from 1935 to 2021.

A highly detailed royal portrait for devotees of The Crown.

Kirkus Reviews