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A review by brooke_review
Before the Crown by Flora Harding
4.0
If you're like me, you came across Flora Harding's debut novel Before the Crown by way of Netflix's hit show The Crown. As the title suggests, Before the Crown takes readers into the lives of a then Princess Elizabeth Windsor and her future husband Philip Mountbatten before Elizabeth is ever crowned Queen of England. Fans of the television show The Crown will appreciate this journey back in time to the events preceding the series (The first episode of The Crown details Elizabeth and Philip's wedding, which is where Before the Crown ends.) If you have ever wondered how the royal marriage came to be, don't miss Flora Harding's Before the Crown.
Theirs is the longest marriage of any British sovereign, surpassing 70 years - Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip married in 1947 when she was still a Princess and he was a foreign Prince who renounced all of his titles and took up British citizenry just to have her hand. You may already be familiar with the ups and downs that have taken place during the pair's union throughout the years, but you may not know the story of Elizabeth and Philip's courtship. That's where Harding's Before the Crown comes into play.
Before the Crown opens in the nascent days of Elizabeth and Philip's relationship, showing how their feelings grew for each other over time, and detailing the obstacles they went through just to make it to the altar. While their story isn't as scintillating as say one about Princess Margaret, Elizabeth's daring younger sister, would be, it is grounded and realistic, showing the difficulties that come with marrying the future heir to the throne of Britain.
Harding's novel is informative and evenly paced, if not a bit dry and tedious, but again, readers should remember that this is a story about Queen Elizabeth, a woman not only married to Prince Philip, but also to England and the duty that her role as sovereign carries. Elizabeth and Philip so often seem like an odd match, that people can't help but wonder how their romance found its start. Look no further than Before the Crown, which pulls back the curtain on the early days of the royal marriage and is worth a read by any fans of the British royal family.
Theirs is the longest marriage of any British sovereign, surpassing 70 years - Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip married in 1947 when she was still a Princess and he was a foreign Prince who renounced all of his titles and took up British citizenry just to have her hand. You may already be familiar with the ups and downs that have taken place during the pair's union throughout the years, but you may not know the story of Elizabeth and Philip's courtship. That's where Harding's Before the Crown comes into play.
Before the Crown opens in the nascent days of Elizabeth and Philip's relationship, showing how their feelings grew for each other over time, and detailing the obstacles they went through just to make it to the altar. While their story isn't as scintillating as say one about Princess Margaret, Elizabeth's daring younger sister, would be, it is grounded and realistic, showing the difficulties that come with marrying the future heir to the throne of Britain.
Harding's novel is informative and evenly paced, if not a bit dry and tedious, but again, readers should remember that this is a story about Queen Elizabeth, a woman not only married to Prince Philip, but also to England and the duty that her role as sovereign carries. Elizabeth and Philip so often seem like an odd match, that people can't help but wonder how their romance found its start. Look no further than Before the Crown, which pulls back the curtain on the early days of the royal marriage and is worth a read by any fans of the British royal family.