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A review by stephybara
Elizabeth by Sarah Bradford
4.0
I enjoyed this biography of the Queen, but since I admire her generally, this mostly admiring and positive biography was right up my alley. The author did not shy away from mistakes or poor decisions the Queen may have made. It took me ages to get through it - almost 600 pages and none of them gimmes - but I enjoyed it a lot.
Here is my favourite bit, a quote from the wife of the Foreign Secretary in 1976, about being on the royal yacht during a Force 9 gale:
"She appeared, however, looking philosophical, almost merry, twenty yards of chiffon scaft flung over one shoulder. Half a pace behind her was her Consort, his face less fresh than usual, ashen and drawn, in fact. [... After dinner and coffee] the Queen rose to say goodnight, resting one hand against the handle of the open sliding door which at that moment began sliding over again. The Queen gripped the handle firmly, pressed her back to the door and moved with it as it slid slowly shut, the chiffon scarf flying in the opposite direction. 'Wheeeeee,' said the Queen. Britannia shuddered, reeled again. The chiffon scarf blew the other way. 'Wheeeeee,' said the Queen. Britannia hesitated before the next heave. 'Goodnight,' said the Queen, slipping through the door, Prince Phillip half a pace behind her ..." pg 375
Here is my favourite bit, a quote from the wife of the Foreign Secretary in 1976, about being on the royal yacht during a Force 9 gale:
"She appeared, however, looking philosophical, almost merry, twenty yards of chiffon scaft flung over one shoulder. Half a pace behind her was her Consort, his face less fresh than usual, ashen and drawn, in fact. [... After dinner and coffee] the Queen rose to say goodnight, resting one hand against the handle of the open sliding door which at that moment began sliding over again. The Queen gripped the handle firmly, pressed her back to the door and moved with it as it slid slowly shut, the chiffon scarf flying in the opposite direction. 'Wheeeeee,' said the Queen. Britannia shuddered, reeled again. The chiffon scarf blew the other way. 'Wheeeeee,' said the Queen. Britannia hesitated before the next heave. 'Goodnight,' said the Queen, slipping through the door, Prince Phillip half a pace behind her ..." pg 375