Stewart Ross is the author of over 250 published titles, including prize winning books for children, young adults and adults. He has written on history and sport - including titles on monarchs and the Royal Family.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: the Road to the Throne 5

Chapter 1: Queen Elizabeth II: A Global Icon 7

Carrying the Weight of History 9

Heading up a monarchy 1,500 years in the making 9

Ruling the jig-saw kingdom 11

Being one of the precious few queens 13

Following in the Footsteps of Grandpa and Daddy 16

George V 17

George VI 17

Wearing Many Different Hats 18

Ruling in theory 18

Running the family firm 19

And Being a Mum, Too 20

The Secrets of Elizabeth's Success 21

She's been queen for a long time 21

Her style has evolved and adapted 21

She uses more carrot than stick 22

She's nothing if not discreet 23

Chapter 2: Triumph of Compromise: Constitutional Monarchy 25

From Tribal Leader to King of England 27

Settling down with the Anglo-Saxons 27

Uniting through adversity 29

Ruling by Divine Right? 32

Losing my religion: Henry VIII's church reforms 33

Entering the first Elizabethan Age 35

Finding Mary (Queen of Scots) 35

Becoming a republic 36

Establishing a Constitutional Monarchy 37

Choosing absolutism or republicanism? 38

Bringing about revolution 38

Appointing a newcomer 40

Learning with George: what monarchs shouldn't do 41

American Republic, French Republic - Britain next? 42

Chapter 3: Victoria: The Queen Who Defined an Era 43

The Monarchs Who Came Before Victoria 44

The Young Queen 45

Along Comes Albert 46

How Albert helped the British monarchy 47

The royal network 48

From Monarch to Empress 49

Victoria Gives Way to Parliament 50

Britain's New Empire 51

Death, despair, and republicanism 52

Celebrating Victoria's Jubilees 53

Golden Jubilee, 1887 53

Diamond Jubilee, 1897 54

After Victoria 54

Edward VII: A playboy king 55

George V: A dull king for a difficult time 55

Chapter 4: The Birth of a Princess 57

Bertie: The Stammering Second Son 58

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon: A Suitable Match 58

Princess Lilibet is Born 60

Baby Betty steals the limelight 62

Grandma knows best 62

A sister is born 63

Educating a princess 64

Chapter 5: Edward VIII: The King Who Abdicated 65

Edward Prince of Wales 66

A Populist Prince 67

Edward's other education 67

A trial run 68

Enter Wallis Simpson 68

Accession and Abdication 69

Act I: October 1936 71

Act II: November 1936 72

Act III: December 1936 73

Chapter 6: Preparing for the Throne 75

Bertie Steps up to the Plate 75

Peeking out from behind the glass curtain 77

Building up to war 78

Choosing a premier 80

The Royals at War 82

Royalty on rations 83

Working towards victory 84

Sharing hardship 84

The princesses at war 85

Countdown to the Crown 87

Reaching out to the Commonwealth 88

Courting Philip of Greece 89

Living the family life 90

Part 2: the Young Queen 93

Chapter 7: Coronation: 'I Present Unto You Queen Elizabeth' 95

An Occasion of Pomp and Ceremony 96

Glamour in Westminster Abbey 96

The glory of the Crown Jewels 99

Mixing family and politicians on the guest list 99

A Day to Remember 100

Chapter 8: The Queen Goes to Work 101

Working Daily as a Dutiful and Diligent Monarch 102

Dressing the part 103

Heading to work 104

Ploughing through the paperwork 105

Relaxing with some downtime 106

Acting as a Political Figure 107

Understanding the relationship between the Crown and Parliament 107

Meeting with the prime minister 108

Hosting heads of state 109

Carrying On with a Continuous Round of Visits and Ceremonial Duties 110

Touring her realm: visiting, opening, and launching 111

Running 'The Firm': the Windsor family business 111

Chapter 9: Back-up: The Royal Household 113

At Home With the Windsors 114

Crown properties 114

The Duchy of Cornwall 115

Private Properties 116

Are You Being Served? Meeting the Royal Household 116

The five key departments of the household 117

The power behind the throne: the Private Secretary's Office 119

Working for the Royal Family 120

Chapter 10: The Globe-trotting Monarch 121

Taking Those All-important First Steps 122

Travelling Around the World 42 Times (Without a Passport) 124

Touring the Commonwealth of Nations 125

Understanding the Commonwealth's role 126

Drawing the crowds and spreading joy 127

Bowling them over: Elizabeth and the Aussies 127

The Saviour of the Commonwealth? 128

Acting As a Royal Ambassador 128

Forging special relationships: Elizabeth and America's presidents 130

Boosting trade 131

Passing the baton to other royals 132

Using Planes, Trains and Automobiles 132

Royal coaches 132

Royal cars 133

The royal train 134

The royal yacht 134

Royal flight 135

Chapter 11: The Queen Mother 137

Creating a New Role for the Former Empress 137

Sharing the Queen's Duties 139

Flying the royal flag 139

Remaining the Queen's mother (not just the Queen Mother) 140

Flipping the Coin: The Other Side of the Queen Mother 141

Sharing Royal Duties Around the Family 142

Out and about with Charles and Anne 142

Remaining a working family 143

Part 3: the Need to Adapt 145

Chapter 12: Times They Are a-Changing 147

Witnessing Britain's Waning Influence in the World 147

No longer ruling an empire 148

No longer ruling the waves 149

No longer ruling the Middle East 149

No longer ruling Africa 150

Joining the European Economic Community 151

Surviving Gossip, Constitutional Complications, and Political Scandal 153

Philip's solo world tour 153

The princess and the politician 155

Political shenanigans 156

Saying farewell to Winston 158

Ruling Through the Swinging Sixties 159

Satire and the establishment 159

Elvis and four boys from Liverpool 160

Changing social attitudes 162

Being Stuck in a Time Warp? 162

Malcolm Muggeridge 162

John Grigg 163

John Osbourne 163

Reactions from the monarchists 163

Chapter 13: Margaret: Elizabeth's Troubled Sister 165

Looking at the Early Life of the Lively One 166

Becoming the All-singing, All-dancing Playgirl 166

Falling in Love 168

Introducing Group Captain Peter Townsend 168

Calling it off 170

And (Eventually) Getting Married 171

Being the odd one out 172

Finally a marriage 173

Heading Downhill: Sex, Drink, and Cigarettes 174

Divorce and depression 174

(Just about) Remaining a dutiful royal 175

Margaret's final years 176

Chapter 14: The Royal Response to Criticism 177

The Raising of Charles and Anne 178

Prince Charles at school and beyond 178

Princess Anne grabs the headlines 179

Heading Towards the 1960s 181

Welcoming Two New Boys to the Family 182

Prince Andrew 182

Prince Edward 183

Living With Unsavory Rumours 184

Living with the Labour Party 185

Opening Up to the World (A Little) 186

The Royal Family documentary 187

The Investiture of Charles 187

The continued need for a little mystery 188

Chapter 15: Celebrating 25 Years: The Silver Jubilee 189

Britain's Difficult Decade: The 1970s 189

Dealing with trouble and strife 192

Finding reasons to be cheerful 193

Keeping Calm and Carrying On 194

Planning Elizabeth's Jubilee 196

Entering Jubilee Year 197

Celebrating in June 1977 199

Part 4: Stormy Waters 201

Chapter 16: The Tragedy of Charles and Diana 203

Stepping Out With Charles 204

Charles's first girlfriends 204

Charles's number one: Camilla Shand 206

Introducing Lady Diana 207

The early life of Lady Diana 207

Charles and Diana get engaged 209

The Marriage of Charles and Diana 210

Building up to the big day 210

Worrying moments of the wedding 211

Going Steady: The First Few Years of Marriage 212

Heading off on honeymoon 212

Protecting Diana from the press 213

The birth of Prince William 213

The Birth of Prince Harry 214

Fulfilling Royal Duties Together 215

Troubling times beneath the surface 215

Diana's affairs 217

The whispers get louder 218

Heading Towards the End of The Marriage 218

Remembering Diana's Final Year 220

Chapter 17: The Queen's Wealth and the Cost of the Monarchy 221

Understanding Royal Finances Over the Centuries 222

Introducing the Civil List 222

Mixing family and state funding 224

Reforming the System 225

Introducing the Sovereign Grant 226

The growing grant 227

Giving the family some extras 227

Totalling Up the Windsors' Wealth 228

Paying tax (on a voluntary basis) 228

Bowing to pressure 229

Estimating Royal Value For Money 230

Chapter 18: One Country, Two Women: The Age of Margaret Thatcher 233

Comparing Elizabeth and Margaret 234

The...