Before going into it, I’m a monarchist in the sense that I admire them from a commonwealth country. I am able to ignore the solicitous media with the negative headlines to understand that the monarchy in today’s age, is one that is used to spotlight or highlight groups of marginalized people. That and a focus on bringing light to charities that need the spotlight.

Do I think they’re any different then any other family? Hard nope. Do I think they serve a need, I do. And even more so, I think that sometimes tradition and charitable spotlights need more of the media focus then all the negative and drama we see daily.

That said, my grandparents are from England, while I never lived there, I have a soft spot for it. And have read many many authors from there. That includes this author for this book.

Morton captures the Queen in a way that not everyone would. He centres it around major events and small tidbits without the drama of the recent years. The focus is on a queen who for decades gave up freedom for her Monarchy. I admire her as a woman in a man’s world, as a mom trying to juggle it all and have sympathy that perhaps she would have preferred a quiet life in the country but couldn’t because her ties to honor and duty were so strong.

The Queen could easily be 5 books instead of 1. Her life was a journey not a sprint. And she’s still one of the top people I would have dreamed (clearly dreamed) about meeting. I can promise you that should would have some incredible stories about her own life and all the people she had met. From controversial politicians to the average person, her mark was huge despite her statue being small.

So grateful for this arc. I loved this book. And love that it centred not around her family’s drama but her own legacy.

3.5 stars

I've read other books by Morton, so I wasn't surprised to find the writing beautiful in this enjoyable, and timely, book. While I have read, and watched, things on Queen Elizabeth in the past, there were still things in this book that I didn't know. There was a bit more about Diana than I expected to find. I'm a bit surprised that publication wasn't held off until it was updated a bit after the recent passing of the Queen. However, I'm sure this book will still garner a lot of attention due to the timing. It's an easy and engaging read.

I'm certain that there is a resurgence of interest in reading about Queen Elizabeth's life due to her recent passing, but what is different about Andrew Morton's biography is the effortless way he writes about her life. The Queen provides an overview of her life rather than focusing on a specific time period of her life. The writing is clear and concise and is a fast-paced read.

Morton, of course, is well-known for his past books about Princess Diana. He has clearly been entrenched in the royal world for decades, and The Queen speaks to his immense knowledge of this world.

Author Andrew Morton is most famous for writing the explosive expose "Diana: Her True Story" back in 1995 with Diana's secret cooperation. After the separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1995, Morton wrote a follow up book called, "Diana: Her New Life". After Princess Diana passed away in 1997, he revealed that Diana had actually provided audio tape cassettes to answer his questions for the original expose. He then updated the original book, repackaging it as "Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words". Of course I bought and read each and every one of these hardcover books, savoring all the dishy information. So when I saw he wrote a new biography of The Queen, I certainly wanted to read it. He has moved in British royal circles for decades and has an easy flowing writing style that I enjoy.

I've read loads of biographies of Queen Elizabeth II, so I didn't learn anything much new- but that was expected. At this point in my royal reading, I only hope to come out of each new book with some new kernel of information. The bits I enjoyed were learning that Philip proposed to Elizabeth privately on the grounds of Balmoral in Scotland (where she recently died) before he even asked permission from her father King George VI to marry her. Also, once the Queen Mother died, it had the effect of strengthening Queen Elizabeth's independent decision-making. The Queen would run issues by the Queen Mother and often abide by her conservative approaches rather than loosen up on some things. That was an interesting prism/outlook on the last decades of her queenship. This book was already in the works while she was alive and ends with The Queen being fragile after the death of her beloved husband Prince Philip, but soldiering on and looking forward to experiencing her Platinum Jubliee in the summer of 2022. This would be a good primer for people who never read a biography of The Queen before. I can't say that it's the best one I've read before, but it has to be the most current one by a major British royal biographer, so that's the money shot for this offering.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

I always like Andrew Morton and this is a lovely book about Queen Elizabeth II. She worked harder than any other monarch from the moment she took the crown until just hours before her death. There was no down time for her. She will be missed.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read.

Thank you NetGalley for my Arc. It was a very interesting biography of Queen Elizabeth. You learn a lot of things about her that you didn't know. I enjoyed the book a lot and would definitely recommend it.

Wonderful informative respectful.Full of information about the Queen really enjoyed learning about her and will be recommending.#netgalley #grandcentral

Andrew Morton never disappoints! His biography of Queen Elizabeth was well researched and splendidly written! As a fan of Queen Elizabeth I was honored to read about her life. Andrew, tastefully wrote about every aspect of her life, the good and bad, The reader will understand why she lived and ruled, as she did, as the monarch of England. The will be a great memoir of the Queen and she will be sorely missed!

This was an interesting biography on the late Queen Elizabeth II. I found it to be a bit dry at times, but that's the British monarchy for you. It took me a few attempts to get into the book, but once I did, it was pretty good.

My thanks to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for this arc of The Queen.

This book is from Andrew Morton who write the Diana bio back in the 90 s. Excellent and well researched book of Elizabeth II. Much information already known if one has followed the life of the Queen, but very enjoyable and highly recommend.

Andrew Morton is one of the best royal biographers and he has outdone himself with this book. The book spans her early life and into Elizabeth's reign, detailing the trials of her marriage, the pressures she felt when becoming queen, and the perseverance that made her one of the greatest monarchs in British history. Morton wrote a biography and a tribute fit for a queen with this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book! In full disclosure, I read this book one week following the queen's passing, and that monumental event likely had an impact on my perspective of the book.

This book is perfect for anyone who has become a fan of the Crown. It's a rich, but also quick biography on the Queen, with an equal balance of her time as a monarch and as a mother/grandmother. Andrew spends some time documenting side stories with those in her family (Margaret, Charles, etc.) but doesn't let it distract from the main plot of the story. The writing and background is easy to approach for those who don't know much about the Queen; it's still a good read too if you're well read on her life. I do hope prior to publication that they put in either a forward or an epilogue on her death and legacy on the monarchy. I think with its publication date, it will be expected from readers.

Loved this biography so much! It was so well written, very respectful and very insightful. Learned tons of stories and facts surround the monarchy and The Queen herself. Fascinating lady with so much history. Highly recommend!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for access to this book. Classy, well researched, and respectful, this book does not read like a typical royal gossip rag. It was a pleasure to read this.

The Queen - Review
Excellently written with insight to the life of late Queen Elizabeth II. The author was able to humanize characteristics of the royal family in a way that makes them relatable to the ‘commoners’. The lineage laid out was at times a bit confusing but all the while made for an entertaining read when understood. The mixed emotions I had while reading as an indigenous person made me realize that Queen Elizabeth was simply following status quo. Those around her simply used her as a chess piece in playing into the British Empire’s reign and royal court. Through the descriptions and tidbits, I felt she did so with poise and grace with a bit of humor. I very much enjoyed reading the relationship she had with Prince Philip, the author focused a lot on their relationship and the roles they played within each others lives. The biggest criticism I have is the short fallings the Queen had with her reign, they were discussed but in relation to her family and mainly her country. There was no mention of the relationship of the Queen with indigenous nations. This was a very complex matter that was never mentioned. Overall an enticing read that was easily digestible.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced reader copy that I could not stop reading. I am sure this book will be popular with her recent death, but it is worth the read. It depicts details that most may not have known or been aware of as she was private. If you are wondering about her and want an honest perspective, take the time to read this one.

I loved Andrew Morton's book Elizabeth & Margaret, so when I got this from NetGalley I was super excited. I liked how in both books Mr. Morton corrected untruths and exaggerations as told in the Netflix series "The Crown". Of course, I requested and got approved for it long before the Queen passed away but her death just made it all the more interesting to read. As a Canadian, I have always been interested in the royal family as we are part of the Commonwealth.

I liked how the book showed both the good and bad about being a royal and about the Queen herself. She wasn't Miss Perfect and has her bad side but she also had a wonderful sense of humour, an admirable love of animals, and a fierce obligation to family and the firm. Her love of horse racing is something she and I share as I come from a horseracing-loving family, in fact, my brother is a racing judge here in Ontario, Canada.

Even though I didn't really learn anything new about her majesty I still found her life and relationships with those in the know very interesting and thought the author did an amazing job with his research. My favourite tidbit from this book was when I learned that during WWII then Princess Elizabeth joined the men for an ice hockey game on the frozen lake near York Cottage, Elizabeth scored a goal and then she and Margaret joined in a snowball fight. It was those little moments in the book that made this such a pleasure to read. I would read pretty much anything Andrew Morton writes about the Royals.

R.I.P. Queen Elizabeth II

Andrew Morton is the pinnacle of authors when it comes to writing about the Royal Family. His newest book, The Queen, is no exception. I first read Andrew Morton's book, Diana: Her True Story when it was published back in 1992. This Queen is written in such a way that it respects and shares the deepest, truest aspects of Elizabeth II. Being published on the heels of her death, this book should easily be a bestseller, but Morton's writing alone is bestseller worthy every time. Thank you to NetGalley and to Grand Central Publishing for an ARC for review.

Regardless of feelings surrounding the monarchy itself, Queen Elizabeth II led an extraordinary life, and lived it, publicly, with unending dignity and grace, in spite of family issues, which every single family has. I greatly admired her. The end of her reign is the true end of an era; it’s difficult to wrap my head around.

I received access to, and began this, on 16 September ‘22, as the queue was ongoing. I was immediately drawn into the life of this remarkable woman and read it leisurely, as many of the details were ones I was already aware of. That didn’t make this biography any less enjoyable - Mr. Morton’s writing is respectful and doesn’t veer into tabloid. This closer look at the fascinating private and public life of Queen Elizabeth II (with her closeness to her horses, if she earned their trust, she felt that she had found a friend who liked her just for herself, is an in-depth and engaging read, she walked her corgi menagerie when she was feeling stressed, Balmoral was her favorite place, she loved her parents and missed her father her entire life, she grieved while showing the world the serene smile, she loved pockets and was never permitted to appear with her hands in them in public, as she got older, she finally got her pockets ❤️) is an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

I really appreciated the footnotes throughout the text along with the footnotes section in the back of the book.

Recommended.

The Queen
by Andrew Morton
Pub Date: November 15, 2022
Grand Central Publishing
Thanks to the biographer, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Since the passing of the queen, I have been so interested in learning about her life as has most of the world. This book is great! My only regret is that he would have waited and included more details of her passing. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as a mother and grandmother to Great Britain, and one of the greatest sovereigns of the modern era.

5 stars