First published 2015
Princess Elizabeth never expected to wear the crown. Born into a royal family where her uncle held the throne, she grows up believing her future lies elsewhere. But abdication changes everything, and suddenly the young woman finds herself heir to an empire in upheaval. During the war, Elizabeth fights to serve her country despite her father's resistance. She trains as a mechanic and drives trucks for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service while bombs fall on London. When her father dies unexpectedly in 1952, twenty-five-year-old Elizabeth must navigate the treacherous waters of British politics and public expectation. She faces skeptical politicians who doubt her judgment and advisors who want to control her every move. Against their wishes, she insists on televising her coronation, believing the people deserve to witness history. Elizabeth must forge a new kind of monarchy for a changing world while staying true to her own vision of service and duty.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Britain, London
Period: 1940s, 1950s
282 pages · Kindle Edition · Pegasus Books