Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Windsors at War.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Building on the circumstances and history related and remembered in his earlier work covering the 1936 abdication of Edward VIII (“The Crown in Crisis”), Alexander Larman’s “The Windsors at War” (subtitled “The King, His Brother and a Family Divided”) is a detailed study of the contentious discord taking place immediately and long after, when Edward renounced the throne, left the shores of England and became “merely” the Duke of Windsor. And what a long, strange trip it would come to be.

A knowledge of the times and the people mentioned is somewhat presumed when understanding the contents (and context) of “The Windsors at War.” This is not a book for someone who does not have a good grounding in the historical period under discussion. Larman does help by including a Dramatis Personae list, putting the main participants into author-designated “sections.” High (and low) society, indeed.

Already we are made to know that this will not be a sympathetic portrait -- Larman calls Edward the “former king and continued irritant.” And the theme is carried on throughout the book. Plenty of other biographies and histories of the time bear this out; Larman uses quotes from these books to great effect. What author Larman has done with access to new research, is emphasize the continued distraction the duke was to the new king and queen, and how they had no choice but to see him as a threat to the monarchy, by virtue of his ties to the wrong people and wrong political ideologies (even eventually to “a sympathy for the nation they were fighting”); and consequently, how close the duke (and his duchess) could be considered traitors to King and Country.

And if this wasn’t bad enough, there remained the ability that the duke had for repeatedly saying and doing the wrong thing (in France, on visits to America and later, as governor in the Bahamas), which Larman relates with relish. The final nail in the duke’s metaphorical coffin remained the constant battering he engaged in to get his wife recognized in the way he thought she deserved, i.e., as HRH. Larman makes it quite clear that this was never, ever going to happen. She had begun as “that woman,” and as “that woman” she would stay, through their marriage and beyond.

Thus, “pettiness and inadequacy of character” dogged Edward throughout the remainder of his life, from his governorship (which he didn’t want and disliked intensely) to constant nagging about his financial woes and the treatment of his wife (which he should have perhaps seen coming, given the tenor of the times. Prescience was never the duke’s strong suit). Larman chronicles it all, laying everything out in clinical fashion. Is there some compassion to be had for the duke and duchess? Probably not, unless one wishes to conjure up sadness for the image of someone knocking on a door that no one will ever feel like opening. Larman makes the case that they are actually lucky that they were not treated more harshly, given their Nazi sympathies (this from documents relating their pro-German sentiments which were found and suppressed after the war). Being born to the purple saved them (well, one of them by birth and the other from association) from that.

And so, life would go on for the Windsors, because nothing would be done for or against them. Alexander Larman has put together a cogent volume of facts and explanations and word pictures of two narcissistic people that found themselves occupying a shaky public persona during the period. It was just not the one that Edward, Duke of Windsor assumed that he and his wife would be taking up after denying himself the throne.

An interesting book on King George, Queen Elizabeth and the government leading up to World War II while also dealing with the king's older brother Edward VIII (also known as David) once he was off the throne. Recent material that has been released for public consumption was used here to try and get into the heads of David and Wallis as they bounce around Europe before the war, stirring up trouble while 'trying to be useful', and eventually being sent off to the Bahamas. The selfish and self-centered nature of both David and Wallis did not fail to stun me throughout the entire book. The world is at war, England is being bombed, and David is whining to Churchill about how he and his wife aren't being treated the way he thinks they should be treated.

The material is fascinating, and anyone interested in this period of history should definitely read the book. My one complaint (which lost it a star in the review) was that the writing style seemed to change and try to get more dramatic further into the book. Eventually each section change tried to end on a "if-only-they-knew-then" type of line. In my opinion, ominous cliffhanger lines should be used sparingly in order to be effective and the overuse of "but-wait-things-will-get-worse" type lines brings any book down- but especially nonfiction. The incredible overuse author Larman put them to really drove me crazy as the book went on and detracted from how well done most of the rest of the book was.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I have mixed feelings about this book. I did like all of the details, I just had a hard time staying engaged in the story. It was fascinating to learn about Edward's visit to Germany, and how he was perceived, but a lot of the other stories just didnt keep me engaged.

The Windsors at War picks up just before the abdications with newly accessed documentation regarding The Windsor drama from multiple sources. I love just about anything I can read about the family during this time frame.

The Windsors at War continues the story begun in The Crown in Crisis which I have not had the pleasure of reading as of yet. For those that love reading about the family this is a must read. It is a gripping tale that keeps us turning the pages even though we know how it ended. It reaffirms that was much worse than we have been led to believe about Edward VIII or David as he was known by the family and how perilously close to danger the family and the monarchy were during that time frame.

The story contains the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany and the close ties the Duke of Windsor and Wallis entertained is hopes of attempting to regain the crown through Hitler which are horrifying.

Edward VIII was an entitled, petty, spoiled man who wrongly believed himself loved by all and could do nothing wrong. His love of being the center of attention is astounding. I firmly believe that he basically threatened the family about Wallis and never believed they would call his bluff, he had no choice but to follow through with the abdication all the while believing that he could someday regain the Crown with Wallis at his side. His repeated attempts to strong arm the family to elevate Wallis to a status befitting what he believed she was due were nothing more than a child crying to get their way.

"I have been accused of harshness towards Edward…My only regret is that I have been too generous towards him" from the Introduction to The Windsors at War by Alexander Larman aptly put.

Larman relays a well-deserved description about the Duke of Windsor. It has been well reported that as the king, he never cared for the tedious daily duties required of the monarch, but the adoration, the attention, the wealth fed his ego. After his abdication, he expected to still to be treated in the same manner as a king by family and friends and childishly felt he was being undeservedly mistreated.

King George VI, Albert, was not raised to King, had a terrible stammer which the Duke used to make Albert feel inferior in order to get his way. When the war hit, Albert came into his own and turned out to be the better option as monarch. The King and Queen visited the bombed villages, winning the hearts of the people. Winston Churchill, who had been his brother’s supporter, admitted he felt the ‘right man’ was on the throne.

There is so much research that is now being released which reveals information from other sources from their letters and diaries that give a clearer picture of what has mostly been kept from the public to protect the monarchy at all costs.

In a monarchy it is the first-born heir that inherits the throne, but in this case the first born was not the best suited for the job. And it is a job, not all the glitz and glamor we see, it is hard work, none of which the former king was interested in at all. This unfortunately is what we often see from are known as the "spares", Margaret, Andrew, and sadly even Harry in my opinion. This is not to say that these are not good people but often times there is an inflated sense of self that sets them apart and not always in a good way. The Duke of Windsor's comments about the people in the Bahamas while he was Govenor are despicable and undeserved. There doesn't seem to be any new information about him that makes us feel sorry for him at all. He made his choices and had to live with the consequences and the monarchy is all the better for them.

I am grateful for the permission granted to the authors to write a more complete and accurate writing of history.

Move over SPARE, this book takes you back to the OG brothers.

This book is extremely well written and researched.

If you are a history buff or love good ole family issues, this book is for you.

What distinguishes this book from many of the books about the Windsors is the meticulous quoting of sources. When the author quotes an outrageous statement by the Duke of Windsor, he backs it up with letter from Edward, a diary entry from a witness, a newspaper article etc. Was the Duke a traitor? Larman does not give definitive proof that he was actively colluding with Nazi Germany.

Was he does show is that the Duke was a selfish, egoist who could kept bothering Churchill and George VI during the height of the blitz about the recognition of Wallis as HRH the Duchess of Windsor. He seems at times to forget that he was a "former" king and expected Churchill and George VI to listen to and act upon his suggestions. He certainly demanded George VI defer to him as the older and wiser brother. There are veiled threats which amount to nothing, although the government kept having to try to appease him so he didn't do something stupid like declare himself a roving ambassador for peace and muddy the diplomatic waters.

While the Duke was acting like a spoiled child, George VI was following the advice of the government preparing for war while still exploring the possibility of peace. He, supported by his wife, never faltered in his duty as king. The contrast between the two brothers is very clear: A rock and quicksand.

So was the Duke a traitor who actively worked against his country so he could be reenthroned as Edward VIII? The truth will only emerge if more records are released in the decades to come.

Author Alexander Larman of The Crown in Crisis continues where he left off by detailing further events of the dysfunctional yet fascinating Windsor family during horrifying World War II. War destroyed and divided families, often forcing them to take sides.

Upon abdicating, entitled and nervy Edward VIII (David) and Wallis Simpson severed ties before the war so tensions between brothers David and Bertie (King George VI) were high to begin with. The fact that David associated with Goebbels, Göring, Speer and Hitler did not help. David also had the gall to demand money and titles. Much of the book is about David and his wife's lives and expectations and, of course, the wars at home and abroad.

Reluctant King George and vivacious but humble Queen Elizabeth were different in personality and deeds. They visited bombed areas after the Blitz and narrowly avoided being killed themselves. I like that teenager Princess Elizabeth makes appearances, too. Evidently, the right king served his country. My only wish is for more personal focus on King George.

If you are intrigued by WWII history and politics and/or the Windsors, you will be enlightened by The Windsors at War. Before reading it my knowledge was fairly extensive, reading everything possible on the subject, but was glad to learn more here. The author's painstaking research is incredible. He includes never-before published archives and documents. Hardinge's letters in particular interested me, adding personal insight and perspectives. I feel smarter after reading this book. It is impossible not to see parallels with the current royal family.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing and informative book.

The Windsors at War by Alexander Larman is my first book by this author. Apparently this is the second of a series. The first in the series is the The Crown in Crisis about the abdication of King Edward VIII. His younger brother King George VI becomes the new monarch. This is part of the series continues where Mr. Larman apparently left off and continues with the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. This story is exhaustively and extensively researched.

The Duke of Windsor became a thorn in the Crown’s saddle. He was apparently way too cozy with some Nazi’s and even met the Fuhrer himself. I sensed a tone of dislike from the author toward the Duke of Windsor. For my opinion, it was well deserved. The Duke was a spoiled brat. He didn’t like his ‘duties’ as King but he definitely liked the lifestyle it afforded him. He drove Winston Churchill and his brother King George VI nuts with all his demands. The biggest was that his wife, Wallis (you know the divorced American for whom he left the throne), be given the title of HRH (Her Royal Highness). For a man who turned his back on his Country and his family he certainly thought he was still owed a lot. I sympathized with the King George and others who had to deal with the whining Duke who has way too much too say about what he is entitled to.

The question remains is what is a Country to do with a man who abdicated the throne? As we find out, he was basically exiled from him homeland and lived in various places in Europe. He and his wife got extremely friendly with a very wealthy Nazi sympathizer. Hitler wanted to conquer England and he was going to do it by using the Duke and his wife. Hitler envisioned grooming the Duke to take over England if he succeeded which totally delighted the Duke because he would rein victorious with his new Queen.

Even though he wasn’t groomed to be monarch, the new king hit the ground running. His tasks were nearly impossible. He had to protect England, learn all that was involved in running a monarchy, including the implementation of the future Queen’s education, keeping up his subjects spirits, he needed to convince the USA to get involved in the war all while listening to his whining brother’s demands and requests.

In the introduction to the novel the author states: “I have been accused of harshness towards Edward…My only regret is that I have been too generous towards him.”

I have always been a royal watcher and have been fascinated with the Windsors. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what Mr. Larman has for us in his next installment.

I would like to thank the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The British monarchy is a mess. Edward VIII has abdicated his throne and left his brother as King. George Vi is ill-prepared to take the throne, but decides that he will be the best King he can be. Edward is leaning into the theories spouted by Adolf Hitler and thinks that England should back Germany. Can the brothers come to an understanding that is best for their country, or does history hide the truth?

This was a really interesting book that will keep you interested from the very beginning all the way till the end. It moves along at a pace that makes for an enjoyable and easy read. It will grab you and no matter what you need to do, you will not be able to put it down. This book is a must read, no doubt about it.

This book was a well-written tome about the former King Edward VIII and his brother George VI. The pettiness and boorishness of the former king. And the stoicism of the present king and his wife Queen Elizabeth. I really enjoyed this book as it laid out a lot of facts that were unknown prior. And what I learned of David before made me utterly dislike him more after reading this book. A very good read!!

The Windsors at War, by Alexander Larman is an exhaustively researched, thoroughly detailed account of the events in Great Britain from 1937 to 1945, a period which includes World War II. The book focuses on the dysfunction of the ruling Windsor family of Great Britain and its effect on wartime politics. At the end of 1936, Edward VIII abdicated his throne because, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.” Edward was considered the nominal head of the Church of England, which would not allow him to marry a divorced woman whose former spouse was still alive. The Church, the British government, and the public were all against the marriage. Edward’s younger brother, Prince Albert, assumed the throne following the abdication. Although he had served in the in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force during World War I, Albert was rather shy and had suffered from a serious stammer since childhood, a malady that caused him extreme embarrassment. Because he was the second son, he never anticipated becoming king and worried about replacing his well-spoken and popular (until the abdication) older brother.
Edward’s abdication was an embarrassment for the crown and he and his wife, the former Wallis Simpson, were not welcome in Great Britain. There were hard feelings all around. Adding to the poor situation was Edward’s interest in Hitler and his expansionist plans. His visits to Germany at a time when the rest of Europe, including his homeland, were contemplating war against Hitler caused a large media sensation. As Edward’s brother, now King George VI, and his counselors tried assiduously to come up with ways to deal with Edward, Edward became more and more bitter at what he considered his unacceptable treatment by his family.
Larman did an astounding amount of research for the book, and it shows in his attention to detail, his explanations of each personage, and the background information given regarding many circumstances. The treatise reads easily but is dense with detail. At over 400 pages, it may not be suitable for the casual reader. I enjoyed it tremendously, but I have a substantial interest in European and American history of this time period.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Alexander Larman for the ARC of this book.

This book details the tension within the Windsor family following the abdication of Edward VIII through World War II. The story has been discussed in part in other books that I have read on the subject, but this one is devoted solely to the tension within the family. David (Edward VIII) is well known to be self centered and not the brightest bulb in the box who was dominated by his wife Wallis. Their pro Nazi leanings created a great deal of angst within and outside of the family. The book is well written and researched. A must ready for anyone with an interest in the Windsors.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page

This is really more of of a 3.5, but I just can't bring myself to round up to 4.

<i>The Windsors at War</i> is essentially a sequel to Larman's [book:The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication|59808257], about the abdication crisis (I assume; I haven't actually read it). Larman picks up with Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson getting married and George VI figuring out how to be king, just as tensions ramp up to World War II.

The big question of the book is, Was Edward VIII a Nazi sympathizer? Larman clearly doesn't like the guy, and his take seems to come down mostly on the "no" side. Selfish, anti-Semitic, snobby--yes. He spends a lot of time whining about being ill-treated because his wife wasn't granted the HRH title and they weren't allowed to live in Great Britain. "Woe is me," is his attitude. "I have to be governor of the Bahamas!" He and Wallis flit to various houses of wealthy friends and acquaintances and whine about their treatment. Larman argues that the issue is twofold: Edward becomes too comfortable when interacting with people like himself and could let down his guard and let out too much information AND his bitterness toward his family could lead him to being vulnerable to being used by his country's enemies. Honestly, some of his comments come across as too open to appeasement at best and hoping for Britain's loss at worst. (Presumably Edward would become a puppet king if Hitler won.)

I learned a lot from this book, but I felt like Larman's focus was a bit all over the place. Between the relationship among the family, the progress of the war, squabbles between various royal staff members, and various other storylines, the book can be a bit hard to follow. (Not to mention the many, many people included in it; Larman includes a character list in the beginning of the book, but it's long enough to be a bit frustrating--still, it's a handy reference guide.)

Larman seems gearing up to write the next chapter in this saga; I don't know if post-war Windsors are something I'm particularly interested in, but I might check out <i>The Crown in Crisis</i>

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Into the English Royals or the history of England? This book is perfect for you! The author tells the story of King George VI and his brother who abdicated the throne to marry a woman not approved by the church. The way he writes the book makes it easy to read and gives it a fictional feel. You can tell it was well researched as the details were impeccable. There were stories in the book I had never heard before with interesting facts about the war and how the King handled the difficult situations he was dealt. I liked the style of the book, the details, and the intrigue. An excellent book!

432 pages

5 stars

In December 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne, “For love,” he said. He was determined to marry the twice divorced American Wallis Simpson. “Davis” as he was called was rather pompous and he also seems not all that bright. He wanted to obtain HRH (Her Royal Highness) status for his wife and turned petty when he could not achieve it. I often wonder just who ran that couple. I feel that Wallis was the driving personality in the relationship. What Wallis wanted, David tried his best to obtain, come heck or high water.

I just can’t imagine that they were a very happy couple.

David’s younger brother Bertie was next in line for the throne. He did not want this obligation. He never expected it and it came as a very great shock. The brothers’ relationship deteriorated quickly after that. The Royal family definitely did not care for Wallis and she and David were shut out of the family. This caused hard feelings.

David’s politics were held in great suspicion as well. He paid a visit to Nazi Germany and even met Hitler in person. It is said that he surreptitiously gave the Nazi salute at times.

This book focuses mostly on David and his relationship with his brother Bertie. It was tumultuous, divisive and very heated at times. The estrangement was never resolved. Queen Elizabeth, Bertie’s wife, blamed David’s actions for the early demise of her husband, the King.

Threaded through all of the brotherly turmoil, is the story of WWII. Personalities from the Royal family, their friends and relations and major parliamentarian figures are introduced and discussed.

Also included are footnotes, a nice bibliography and additional notes for those who would like to further explore the subject. I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the royal family, or that period in history. It is written in a conversational style and is easy to read and understand. (Not at all dry.)

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this informative book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Combining British royal family conflict and World War II history, “The Windsors at War” opens as King Edward VIII has abdicated the throne in order to be with an American woman, leaving his brother Bertie to become King George VI. It was a role Bertie didn’t want and one for which many thought he was ill-suited and unprepared. Not being a big follower of royal family history, I was unaware that the abdication was such a crisis for the new King. The Duke of Windsor (as he became after his abdication) caused no small amount of problems for the new King, as he and his eventual wife continued to lobby officials for more money to support their lifestyle. More problematic was their increasing interest and socializing with Nazis and supporters of the German war effort. At the same time, King George was the leader of a country at war. He sought friendship and counsel from Winston Churchill. The sections concerning the war were compelling, as I am more of a WWII history fan than I am a fan of royal intrigue.

Alexander Larman’s book is an entertaining and educational look into this tumultuous and dangerous time in world history. It sometimes is gossipy when discussing the Duke of Windsor’s exploits as he sought publicity, position and favors from his family despite his separation from them.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy for review.

The Windsors at War is the second book by Alexander Larman that chronicles the relationship between King George VI and his brother, the Duke of Windsor. This time, the story starts in 1937 just as Edward and Wallis are married. But they quickly find that life on the outside is boring. They’re mad that not only are they living in exile, but no one of any consequence will have anything to do with them. They start to gravitate towards Hitler, who knows a pawn when he sees one. Larman seeks to answer the question of whether Edward was truly a Nazi or a “naive dilettante”. Regardless, Edward does come off as a total egotist. At one point, he has the audacity to ask for an additional £5,000 to renovate Government House in Barbados as London is dealing with the Blitz. It’s a true study of contrasts as Bertie was all about duty and country. Edward continues to badger his brother throughout the war to give Wallis the HRH title.
I got a kick that there is a brief comment about Edward’s great-great nephew and how both discovered “a royal title is a life sentence without the possibility of parole”.
Larman writes in a narrative style style that keeps this nonfiction moving smoothly. He reminds me of Erik Larson and fans of one will enjoy the other.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

As I was reading how Edward VIII continuously thought he should be afforded all the respect and dignity (and perks!) of his royal birth in spite of the fact that he had turned his back on his heritage as well as his nation, I couldn’t help but compare his behavior to that of Prince Harry in today’s scenario. History definitely repeats itself!

This was an interesting look at the Windsors as well as many other notables during the rise of Hitler’s power and the ensuing devastation of the British way of life. Most of the information was fairly familiar as I’ve read a lot about that time period and about the British. However, there was also a lot that I didn’t know – or didn’t remember.

Well written, easy to read and well documented, I highly recommend this historical book to anyone interested in this time period.

I appreciate having received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review.

Exhaustively researched, with a narrative that kept me turning pages, The Windsors at War continues the story begun in The Crown in Crisis about the abdication of King Edward VIII so he marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson. His younger, unprepared, brother became King George VI. But what does a country do with an ex-king? Especially if he is too forthright with his opinions?

This installment continues the story with the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. The man who used to be king, the Duke of Windsor. was way too cozy with some very iffy Germans, and even met the Fuhrer himself, and he was vehemently against war with Germany. Was he a fascist sympathizer? It wasn’t uncommon, we learn. The new king’s personal secretaries had fascist sympathies. Even FDR’s ambassador to Britain, Joe Kennedy, Sr., thought it was the logical next step from democracy based on Hitler’s turning the Germany economy around.

Larman displays a well-deserved snarkiness about the Duke of Windsor. As king, he never cared for the officious duties of kingship, but he sure did enjoy the lifestyle. After his abdication, he expected to still get the royal treatment by family and friends. He was insistent that Wallis be given the title of HRH and be received at court. Instead, he was exiled from his homeland and lived in Europe, where he and his wife got chummy with a rich Nazi sympathizer. Hitler envisioned conquering Britain and his spies were grooming the Duke in take over, even plotting an abduction if he tried to leave Europe. The king got the Duke out of the country by making him governor of the Bahamas, where he and Wallis felt isolated, lonely, and resentful. Also, there was all that heat, and black people.

Meanwhile, the new king had to hit the ground running, tasked with the seemingly impossible: protecting England, keeping up morale under the Blitz, convincing isolationist America to get involved, with his self-involved brother constantly making demands. The king and his wife visited the bombed villages, winning the hearts of the people. He even won over Winston Churchill, who had been his brother’s supporter, but now knew that the ‘right man’ was on the throne.

The major players’ story lines are mesmerizing, but the bit players’ lives are just as fascinating. Like the king’s younger brother, the scandalous and well-beloved Duke of of Kent, and the king’s personal secretaries with their fascist leanings. We see the teenaged Princess Elizabeth making her first appearances, her first speech–and Larman ends the book with a teaser of her coming role in the divided family.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

I received a free egalley from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.