by Sarah Lyall
First published 2023
Sarah Lyall traces the parallel stories of Wallis Simpson, Diana Spencer, and Meghan Markle across nearly a century of royal upheaval. The veteran New York Times correspondent examines how each woman entered the British monarchy and immediately began pushing against its rigid constraints. Lyall focuses particularly on three explosive television interviews that defined each woman's relationship with the press and public. She draws on conversations with royal experts including Tina Brown, Andrew Morton, and Afua Hirsch to reveal the striking patterns in these women's experiences. The book exposes the brutal realities of power, celebrity, and family dynamics within the world's most scrutinized institution. Lyall demonstrates how media coverage shaped public perception of each woman's attempts to modernize the monarchy. The result offers both newcomers and devoted followers of royal drama a comprehensive look at the costs of challenging tradition.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, social-issues, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: challenging-tradition, fish-out-of-water, modernizing-institutions
Setting: Britain, United Kingdom
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
142 pages · Kindle Edition · Pushkin Industries
Content warnings: sexism