The style of this biography is refreshing and made it a pleasure to read. A must for any monarchy fan

What can you say about Queen Elizabeth? This was interesting to read about her life before she became Queen. She takes her position in life very seriously. It was nice to read about what a loving family she grew up in. This reflects on the kind of woman she has been all these years. I never get tired of reading about her.

Absolutely loving this book which I am reviewing before finishing as I want to let others know how good it is.
Thoroughly researched and written in a style that is easy to read.
I am learning a lot of interesting information.
Highly recommend.

Thank you to Thistle Publishing who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

The most notable book I have read about the queen to this point was Sally Bedell Smith's, "Elizabeth the Queen" and I count Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II, by Jane Dismore as another exquisitely researched work and highly enjoyable read.

With her reign as Queen just shy of 67 years, more and more we are seeing movies and TV shows bring the Queen's life to screen - with the Netflix series, "The Crown" being the most recent. I am a huge fan of the show and so when I saw this book was available, I jumped at the chance to read it. It did not disappoint and in fact increased my interest even more into this fascinating and barrier breaking Queen.

The book begins with the end of Elizabeth's time as Princess by discussing the account of her father's death. With the abdication of Elizabeth's uncle, Edward VIII and subsequent coronation of her father, George VI, she was set on a path at the age of 10 that so few have ever traveled before or since. At the age of 25, Elizabeth would unexpectedly become Queen and start the longest reign that Britain has ever seen. Reading like fiction and putting very clearly into perspective just how her upbringing and all the life events (her Uncle's abdication, her father's time as King, WWII, etc.) shaped Elizabeth and made her into the Queen she is today. It is easy to see why she puts duty and country above all else because it has been bred into her since she was 10 years old. I would highly recommend this to not only super fans, but any person looking to learn more about her life at this critical juncture in it.

This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review. This book is about the early life of Process Elizabeth. I found this book well written with lots of interesting facts. Perfect for fans of the Royals.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for this advance reading copy. My review opinions are my own.
I loved this exemplary well researched account of the early years of Queen Elizabeth to when she became Queen. The author has listed sources here for the reader that is interested in reading further about her life. This is a wonderful journey for the reader of all things royal. For the worlds greatest leader had a fascinating story to her upbringing that is detailed here. The book begins with her birth and ends with the death of her Father.
The book documents how the Princess had a sheltered early life spent at the palaces and royal homes, with servants, horses and activities most can only dream of. Her family life was very loving and close among the most glamorous and wealthy upbringing. She had a close relationship with her Father who became King after the abdication of his brother. Elizabeth then became the most famous child in the world at only 10 years old and she seemed to grasp the enormity of her future. From that moment her history changed and she was destined to become Queen.
The information here on WWII and Elizabeth's role is fascinating. The author has so well documented that time in history and the suffering of Britain that its very moving. I thank the author for bringing this critical time in her history to the reader in such a real way that is almost overwhelming in events as they unfolded.
The book shares Elizabeth and Philip’s early married life and their courting love story. It ends with the death of her beloved Father. Her reign as Queen is for another book . One that I hope the author will write!
This is a fascinating well researched enjoyable read about a remarkable Queen admired by the world . It is a enjoyable look back at a quite remarkable early life that helped create the leader she has been for over 50 years. Her standards , moral fiber and her strength is much gained from her early family life and the love of her family . I loved every aspect of this book and highly recommend it for all interested in royal history and the Queen.

A biography of Queen Elizabeth II, focusing on her early life.

From a princess to Heiress Presumptive to The Queen, this book gives a detailed insight into the early life of Queen Elizabeth. The book contains stories and details taken from previously unpublished material and interviews with some close friends and relatives.


From Constance Bowes Lyon and the scandal behind her birth parents to the haunted Glamis Castle, the book, the book reveals few stories that you might have never heard before. The relationship that the princesses had with their nanny - Alah and Governess Crowfie, as she was lovingly called, was a charming read.

Sonia Graham Hodgson was the daughter of the King's radiographer and Princess Elizabeth's first friend. Sonia recalls that she was playing when Princess approached her and asked if she would play with her. And that started a friendship that would last a lifetime. Sonia was also one of the few people outside the family who was allowed to call the Princess - Lillibet.


When the Princess turned 10, she was allowed to have breakfast with her grandmother and her parents instead of in the nursery. From having to learn to curtsey to blowing kisses to the waiting crowds, one gets to read the day-to-day life of the royals.


The details of the Buckingham Palace was fascinating to read. The King (King George VI) had telephones installed in the palace so that the girls and the Queen could talk to each other.

When she was 13, the Princess fell in love with Prince Philip of Greece. Their love story was no less than a fairy tale. At the age of 21, the Princess married Prince Philip and at the age of 25, she became The Queen. The news of her father's demise reached her when she and her husband were on a trip to Africa.


The book also focuses on the Princesses' contribution during the WW2. From plays to knitting scarfs and sweaters, the girls played their part in helping those who were in need. When there was a threat of war (WW2), the princesses were moved to the Windsor Castle while the King and Queen continued to live in the Buckingham Palace. The book also has an account of the bombing of the Buckingham Palace by a German Bomber during WW2.


With many such details of the early life of the Queen, this book was an insightful and informative read.


Princess by Jane Dismore is an informative, fascinating, engaging, insightful and spectacular biography on the early life of Queen Elizabeth II. Jane Dismore's research into writing this book is praiseworthy and well appreciated.

1
Pat
HomeMy Books
Browse ▾
Community ▾
Pat's Reviews > Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II
Princess by Jane Dismore
Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II
by Jane Dismore
80404398
Pat's review Sep 11, 2018 · edit
it was amazing

Princess The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II by Jane Dismore from Thistle Publishing is an interestingly, informative and well written book. Jane Dismore did an excellent job providing an easy fast read that is well researched. She sites books and articles, archives, personal records and interviews. The author provides an interesting look into the history and life of the royal family from King George V and his son King George VI to the 25 year old Princess's unexpected ascention to the thrown. The author also covers the abdication, Wallis and The Duke, and also why the Queen Mum discrepancy regarding the Queen Mum's place of birth may be of interest.
This truly enjoyable book is what a biography should be and I highly recommended this to those interested in history, The Royals or just those who have wondered what Prince Phillip wore to bed.
Thank you NetGalley, Jane Dismore, Thistle Publishing and David Havilan for a copy of this book. This review is my own opinion and was not required.

The author penned a rich, extensively researched memoir on the early years of Princess Elizabeth, a refreshingly new perspective, considering the huge number of already existing biographies about the Queen of England.

I enjoyed learning more about this distant past where royal life and social mores were quite different from the present day. We already know a great deal about British royalty (the biggest real-life soap opera in the world) thanks to successful TV shows like The Crown, but I thought this book was a good supplement for it shed more light on the upbringing of the future Queen and all the royal twists and turns that led up to her ascending the throne, including the tough daily life during WWII and how it took its toll on her father’s health, King George VI.

The only small damper is that the author sometimes spent too much time elaborating on secondary characters like cousins. I think it was one of the early chapters in which we learn a lot about cousin Margaret’s family tree, a not-so-interesting part that was all the more confusing for the reader because many people in the royal extended family actually have the same first names! This abundance of references to relatives didn’t always make it easy to follow and didn’t always feel very relevant. It could have been cut off.

Despite a few lengthy parts, I found this book very informative. It benefits form a nicely flowing writing style. A must-read if you enjoy reading about an incredible family saga intertwined with History.

Ever since the Netflix show "The Crown" began, I have been interested in Queen Elizabeth's life. If you have watched the show and really wanted to know more detail about the royal family, this is the book for you!!

I thought Jane did an amazing job in making this book read like a novel. She didn't just through facts at you. I would recommend it to anyone who loves biographies, but also who loves a great historical story.

As a lover of all things royal, this was a wonderful read! Queen Elizabeth has always been a favorite royal. She has served with a dignity that at times just doesn't seem real. This book gives us a great look into her childhood and the coming of age of a young woman in love. It shares with us the mantle of royalty for a young woman who's family didn't want the crown.
This is a great book. I haven't read anything from this author, I would welcome any further reads written by her.

Regardless of your political persuasion or view of a state-funded monarchy, it is hard to disagree that Queen Elizabeth II has occupied the throne of the UK as a highly respected, hard-working monarch, that is totally committed to her role. This book written by Jane Dismore looks at Princess Elizabeth and her life prior to her coronation as Queen in 1953.

Jane Dismore seems to have access to biographical accounts and information that enable this version of Elizabeth's life to be told with a sense of honesty, accuracy and authenticity. It is a story that is told from a much more personal and maybe human perspective. It deals with an Elizabeth that is much more carefree not having the obvious burden of Head of State to deal with.

The story runs from Elizabeth's birth to the eve of the royal wedding on 2 June 1953. The book covers her childhood, playing with her relations and her interactions with the King and Queen. It is interesting to see the relationship develop between Elizabeth and Philip and while the story deals with facts and true accounts it is told in a wonderful story-like fashion.

I would highly recommend this book not only as a biographical account of the early years of Queen Elizabeth II but as an engrossing story.

Many thanks to Thistle Publishing Limited, and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.

I've always been enamoured by the Royal Family, but since the release of The Crown, I've been consumed by everything royal! Many nights after watching an episode (or three) of the Crown, I'd dive into a Google search and end up reading endless information about Queen Elizabeth & the Royal Family.

This recent interest in the Royal Family was one of the reasons I was so excited to read "Princess." Much of what I had read focused on Elizabeth's life since becoming Queen, or her marriage and early adulthood, but few books walked through her life as Princess - and what that meant for her. I loved Jane Dismore's detail and historical accuracy in depicting Elizabeth's life and her family history. It was fascinating!

The way she painted the picture of this Princess transitioning into Heir Presumptive (and, as the reader knows, though not discussed, Queen) portrayed a perspective that isn't commonly seen or even thought of!

My only complaint about this book was sometimes the dates, many names and footnotes got a little overwhelming! As silly as it sounds, a glossary of who everyone was in the back of the book would have been helpful for reference. I found myself pulling up Google more than once as I read to keep track of everyone in this complex family!

Unfortunately, I found this book a bit dull except for some interesting snippets of gossip, such as whether the Queen Mother was nicknamed 'Cookie' because she was really the daughter of a French cook and Edward VIII's attraction to the Nazi's. (You only have to look at the Queen Mother with her mother to see that this is not true). The book became livelier when Prince Phillip started courting the Princess.

It's certainly well-researched and worth reading if you like to read about the Royals or biographies in general.

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

As a lover of all things royal, this was a wonderful read! Queen Elizabeth has always been a favorite royal. She has served with a dignity that at times just doesn't seem real. This book gives us a great look into her childhood and the coming of age of a young woman in love. It shares with us the mantle of royalty for a young woman who's family didn't want the crown.
This is a great book. I haven't read anything from this author, I would welcome any further reads written by her.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the world. Queen Elizabeth became the Queen at the age of 25 years old, she's in the public eye since she was 25 but how much do we really know her? While a very public figure, she is also a private person as well. Her younger years have always fascinated me but also her relationship with her husband Prince Phillip. This was a well written book about the young princess Elizabeth who as a 13-year-old girl, fell in love with Prince Philip of Greece, an ambitious naval cadet, and they married when she was 21. With previously unpublished material and unique interviews with friends and relations, this book looks afresh at her life as princess, glittering yet isolating. Letters from Elizabeth and the royal family give an intimate insight into their lives and minds.

A well written book and very easily read.

I was very intrigued when I saw this book on Netgalley. I did debated getting it but I'm glad I did. It was interesting to read about her life and how Elizabeth became a queen. Thanks Netgally for the copy. I have always been fascinated by the royal family. I would definately recommend this book

Having recently watched the Royal Wedding, and reading about different aspects of the Royal Family, I was excited to read this book. The book starts with the story of how Queen Elizabeth became the queen upon her father's sudden death. From there, the book walks through periods of Elizabeth's life - from infant to teenage years to early married years. I really found it interesting to see how she was parented and see how some of those tactics are still in place today in the Royal Family. I also thought it was interesting to read about the different events that impacted the Royal Family, from David's abdication to the Great War. This was a very nice read and fun to continue my learning about the Royal Family.

I was intrigued as soon as I saw this book on NetGalley because I don't know anything about Queen Elizabeth before she became queen (I didn't even know how she looked like when she was young!). So when I heard that this book also contained unpublished material from letters and interviews, I decided to request for it.

Princess is a sensitively written account of Queen Elizabeth's early life. It starts off with the moment she became queen (very sadly, she was one of the last people to know) and then backtracks to when she was born before going forward from there. It covers her childhood, marriage, and life as a newlywed.

I was actually pretty surprised at how normally her parents raised her. You always hear of extravagant lifestyles but it seems like Queen Elizabeth and her sister were raised to be as down to earth as possible. Part of it may have been the times where they grew up, but it seems like a part of it is also due to her parents and their personality. I felt that they had a very genuine and loving relationship, which was very touching.

Also touching was her relationship with Prince Phillip. Because she eventually marries him, the book does touch on key moments of his life before they met. There isn't anything scandalous in their love story, but it's a very sweet account.

The one thing that surprised me while reading was the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I didn't really have any views about them because I knew nothing about them except that the King abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, so it was a shock to find out that both of them had pro-Nazi views. I’m definitely going to side-eye anyone who praises Wallis Simpson now.

Overall, this was an interesting and informative account of Queen Elizabeth’s early life. The only thing I wish it added were photos of key moments - while they are probably just one google search away, it would be nice to be able to flip to them in the book. Hopefully it’s just my advance copy that doesn’t have pictures because I think it would add a lot to have them.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Before she became took the throne at the age of twenty five, Elizabeth was a princess. At her birth, no one expected this ordinary country girl to ever take the throne, but an abdication and then a world war shaped this young woman into a queen.

The majority of what I knew about Elizabeth II occurs after her coronation, so when I saw this was about her early life, I was fascinated. I did learn a bit about the young princess, but it was a bit difficult to get through at time.

My biggest complaint about this book is that the focus was not always on Elizabeth. There was an entire chapter about her mother, and whether or not she was born where and when she claimed to have been born. Oftentimes, the narrative was stray into different familial connections and what happened to that person. This made the book a bit tedious at times and I found myself skimming the words until it returned to Elizabeth.

I would recommend this to readers who are interested in the royal family in general.