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The Queen Mother
- The Official Biography
- Narrated by: William Shawcross
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, grandmother of Prince Charles - and the most beloved British monarch of the 20th century.
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon - the ninth of the Earl of Strathmore’s 10 children - was born on August 4, 1900, and, certainly, no one could have imagined that her long life (she died in 2002) would come to reflect a changing nation over the course of an entire century. Now, William Shawcross - given unrestricted access to the Queen Mother’s personal papers, letters, and diaries - gives us a portrait of unprecedented vividness and detail. Here is the girl who helped convalescing soldiers during the First World War...the young Duchess of York helping her reluctant husband assume the throne when his brother abdicated...the Queen refusing to take refuge from the bombing of London, risking her own life to instill courage and hope in others who were living through the Blitz...the dowager Queen - the last Edwardian, the charming survivor of a long-lost era - representing her nation at home and abroad...the matriarch of the Royal Family and “the nation’s best-loved grandmother".
A revelatory royal biography that is, as well, a singular history of Britain in the 20th century.
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The Sisters
- The Saga of the Mitford Family
- By: Mary S. Lovell
- Narrated by: Annie Wauters
- Length: 18 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the story of a close, loving family splintered by the violent ideologies of Europe between the wars. Jessica was a Communist; Debo became the Duchess of Devonshire; Nancy was one of the best-selling novelists of her day; the ethereally beautiful Diana was the most hated woman in England; and Unity Valkyrie, born in Swastika, Alaska, would become obsessed with Adolf Hitler.
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Great story, terrible reader
- By Victoria on 02-27-14
By: Mary S. Lovell
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The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1
- Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955)
- By: Robert Lacey
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Starring Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, Netflix's original series The Crown, created by Peter Morgan and growing out of his Oscar-winning movie The Queen starring Helen Mirren, paints a unique and intimate portrait of Britain's longest-reigning monarch. This official companion to the show's first season is an in-depth exploration of the early years of Elizabeth II's time as queen, complete with extensive research and additional material.
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If you like The Crown
- By E F on 10-23-17
By: Robert Lacey
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Victoria & Abdul (Movie Tie-in)
- The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant
- By: Shrabani Basu
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Jasicki
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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History’s most unlikely friendship - this is the astonishing story of Queen Victoria and her dearest companion, the young Indian Munshi Abdul Karim. In the twilight years of her reign, after the devastating deaths of her two great loves - Prince Albert and John Brown - Queen Victoria meets tall and handsome Abdul Karim, a humble servant from Agra waiting tables at her Golden Jubilee. The two form an unlikely bond and within a year Abdul becomes a powerful figure at court, the Queen’s teacher, her counsel on Urdu and Indian affairs, and a friend close to her heart.
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Honestly, can’t finish yet.
- By Cassie on 12-30-17
By: Shrabani Basu
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Queen Victoria's Mysterious Daughter
- A Biography of Princess Louise
- By: Lucinda Hawksley
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The secrets of Queen Victoria's sixth child, Princess Louise, may be destined to remain hidden forever. What was so dangerous about this artistic, tempestuous royal that her life has been documented more by rumor and gossip than hard facts? When Lucinda Hawksley started to investigate, often thwarted by inexplicable secrecy, she discovered a fascinating woman, modern before her time, whose story has been shielded for years from public view.
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Incredibly Frustrating
- By JayOne on 01-16-20
By: Lucinda Hawksley
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Elizabeth the Queen
- The Life of a Modern Monarch
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 21 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II.
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The world's longest public relations statement
- By Truth Speaker on 01-30-12
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Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey
- The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
- By: The Countess of Carnarvon
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Julian Fellowes's Emmy Award-winning PBS series, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants: Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war.
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the lowdown on Downton times
- By connie on 03-17-12
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The Glitter and the Gold
- The American Duchess - In Her Own Words
- By: Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Consuelo Vanderbilt was young, beautiful and the heir to a vast family fortune. She was also deeply in love with an American suitor when her mother chose instead for her to fulfill her social ambitions and marry an English Duke. Leaving her life in America, she came to England as the Duchess of Marlborough in 1895 and took up residence in her new home: Blenheim Palace. The ninth Duchess gives unique first-hand insight into life at the very pinnacle of English society in the Edwardian era.
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Facinating Story- Terrible reading
- By Ashley D on 03-27-14
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Victoria
- A Life
- By: A. N. Wilson
- Narrated by: Clive Chafer
- Length: 21 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The longest reigning British monarch and female sovereign in history, Queen Victoria was a figure of profound paradox who has mystified historians for over a century. Now in this magisterial biography, A.N. Wilson rebukes the conventional wisdom about her life - that she was merely a "funny little woman in a bonnet" who did next to nothing - to show she was in fact intensely involved in state affairs despite a public façade of inaction.
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This book has old and new info
- By Dr. A. on 10-29-14
By: A. N. Wilson
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Wallis in Love
- The Untold Life of the Duchess of Windsor, the Woman Who Changed the Monarchy
- By: Andrew Morton
- Narrated by: Molly Parker Myers
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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For fans of the Netflix series The Crown and from the author of the New York Times best seller 17 Carnations comes a captivating biography of Wallis Simpson, the notorious woman for whom Edward VIII gave up the throne.
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This one is being returned
- By Rita T on 02-15-18
By: Andrew Morton
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Franklin and Eleanor
- An Extraordinary Marriage
- By: Hazel Rowley
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt’s marriage is one of the most celebrated and scrutinized partnerships in presidential history. It raised eyebrows in their lifetimes and has only become more controversial since their deaths. From FDR’s lifelong romance with Lucy Mercer to Eleanor’s purported lesbianism - and many scandals in between - the American public has never tired of speculating about the ties that bound these two headstrong individuals.
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Inspired by the facts, not the book
- By Molly-o on 08-10-14
By: Hazel Rowley
What listeners say about The Queen Mother
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Dulcie Westbrook
- 02-04-23
Wonderfully written biography of an amazing Roman.
Very fact based and respectful. Elizabeth Bowes Lyon was pulled into a life for which she had never prepared or sought. She excelled through steely commitment, courage and devotion as she inspired her countrymen through a changing world.
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- Heather
- 06-29-20
Wonderful book about a wonderful woman
I truly enjoyed this listen. It was easy to listen to, narrated by the author, and fast-paced. I found it especially interesting and contrast with certain members of today's Royal family who do not wish to do their duties, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's devotion to her country was even more outstanding.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-02-23
Magnificent
I really enjoyed this. Having direct quotes by Queen Elizabeth read by a woman was a nice touch. The only reason I gave it an overall rating of 4 is that I wish it was unabridged. I’ve read the book and it’s all excellent. I hope someday it will be rereleased in its entirety; I will buy it again.
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- CaliFunYa
- 09-13-15
Excellent book!
After reading and listening to a number of historical books about many different members of the royal family through the centuries, this is the first book that moved me to tears regarding the death of a royal. The narration was also beautifully done. This is a remarkable book about a very human and yet very lovely, charming and admirable woman who was a true queen in every positive sense of the word.
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4 people found this helpful
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- caithriana
- 06-25-18
Great bio of Queen Mother but too official
The good: detailed bio. Fills in some of the background missing from other books, films and videos. Clearly narrated with cute interjections of different actors playing the characters like the Queen Mother.
The bit strange: so little real detail about the relationship of the Queen Mother with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. It feels like a lot of this content was intentionally left out or cut.
The stultified: a bit condescending culturally to contemporary British popular culture.
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- Leslie
- 03-29-21
More like homage than biography
Disappointed that the writer was so worshipful of the queen mother. We know now that the QM was a domineering woman who tried to have her way in everything, inserted herself in other people's business, was a spendthrift privileged person who cloaked herself in do-goodery. This is a good read, but it totally lacks any perceptive detail or analysis. More like an outline of her life than a discerning, penetrating biography.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Dagny1558
- 07-01-24
Great bio
Just wish there was an unabridged version. Feel like I learned so much about her but wondering what was cut out?
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- Jeanette Finan
- 05-02-13
The right woman at exactly the right time
I was actually looking for a biography of George VI on audible but couldn't find on so I got this one as it was the closest I could get. I'm beginning to think audible is prejudiced towards male monarchs.
She wasn't really all that special but she brought humanity to the Royal family at a time when they desperately needed it. And she did it with grace and an abundance of charm. She was the right woman at exactly the right place and time.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Elizabeth Newton
- 08-10-20
What a life!
Wonderful biography of the Queen Mother. Shawcross captures the essence of the times Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon lived through.
My only wish would be that it had been read unabridged;)
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- Elizabeth Eason
- 10-16-22
An uplifting story
This is a great book. The story is well written and leaves you feeling like you knew the Queen. I’m really glad I listened to it.
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