A review by jennywjordan
Before the Crown by Flora Harding

5.0

After binge-watching the Crown on Netflix, I immediately snagged the opportunity to read Harding's novel. I'm sure I've known that the Queen ascended to the throne at a very young age, and her story of moving up in lineage is one of England's most sordid love stories. Harding tells quite the love story of Elizabeth and Phillip, two young people falling in love. Yes, there is much more to these two, but at the core, Elizabeth is a young girl in love with an officer, and Phillip is a young man determining his fate.
As I see the Queen wave from the palace balcony at some event or other dressed in her pastels with matching hat, I can't help but remember the young girl in love so hopeful as she marries her groom.