An imaginative look behind-the-scenes at Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip when they were young. It’s always been fascinating to me to think about what their lives must have been like when they first met, and this novel captures that period of time and makes you feel like a fly on the wall in Buckingham Palace. Perfect escapist reading for royal family fans! The author really captures some of the personality quirks of Elizabeth and Phillip as well as some of the other people in their orbit when they were young, her father, the King, the Queen, Margaret and some of the famous friends and courtiers. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy and the opportunity to review this book.

COVID-19 has enabled me to do a lot of extra reading at this time and I am thankful to have the opportunity to catch up on books on my “TBR” list. Always fascinated with The Royals, the Netflix series “The Crown” had me captivated as it was a very delightful and entertaining portrayal of the British monarchy.

Now on to Before the Crown by Flora Harding. This book is a fictional story of the courtship of Princess Elizabeth of England and Prince Philip of Greece. Prince Philip is from a family that has been exiled, however he has been raised by the Mountbatten family, specifically his uncle. Seeing an opportunity of marriage to the heir to the British throne, he is pressed by his uncle into pursuing Princess Elizabeth, who later is entrusted to the role as Queen due to the abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII.

Truly enamored with regency type love stories, it was nice reading the makings of a romance between Elizabeth and Phillip, which I hope was one of love leading up to their marriage and not one because of duty or last alternative. As young adults, Elizabeth was deeply attracted to Philip early on in their courtship, but did he have the same attraction for her? One can only speculate and hope, in my opinion as it was hard to see that in his character in the story. Philip having come from a family plagued with everything that deemed him not a good prospect for marriage to Elizabeth, manages to get through the war as a penniless naval officer. Regardless of his shortcomings, he starts to deliberate on his future after war. He believes that Elizabeth is best for his circumstances and successfully captures her heart. I also love women in regency who exhibit independence and having a mind of their own. Although Elizabeth is meek, shy and a lover of horses and dogs, she is serious about her station as a young woman of nobility and headstrong in her role as Queen.

This was a well-written story of a love match and I say love match because of the longevity of their marriage…now +70 years that can’t be anything but love. Once I started my read of this book, I had a hard time putting it down as it captured my attention from start to end. It is always nice to read the different author’s views of notable individuals. I believe Flora Harding, a new author to this reader, has done a somewhat remarkable job, through her research, of presenting a credible account of the budding to continued romance between these two individuals of a purportedly HEA.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is one of my favorite reads of 2020, and because of the COVID-19 Stay at Home, I've had a lot of extra time to read. I read it in one sitting, about 4 hours. I offer this honest review in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley.

I'm fascinated by the British Royal family,especially with the Netflix series The Crown telling the story of Elizabeth II. This book tells the story of the romance between Elizabeth and Phillip. She is the heir to the British throne, thrust into this role by the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII so he can marry the women he loves. Phillip actually has more royal blood flowing in his veins, he's Queen Victoria's great-great-grandson and also a member of the Danish and Greek royal families, and related to the Russian Romanovs. Elizabeth is serious, quiet, shy and loves animals, especially horses and dogs. They have met before, but in 1939 the 13 year old Elizabeth met the movie star handsome 18 year old Phillip when her family was visiting Portsmouth Naval Base and a correspondence began.

During the war Phillip visited Windsor Castle a few times and had dinner with Elizabeth and her family. The King and Queen did not think Phillip was a good prospect for marriage. He was not wealthy, his family was exiled from Greece, his mother suffered from a mental breakdown and was devoted to the poor in Athens and refused to leave when the German invaded Greece. Most damning of all, his 4 elder sisters were all married to Nazis. Not something you want to publicize when your country is at war with Germany. Both Phillip's mother and father more or less abandoned him when he was a child. His father to live in the south of France with his mistress, his mother absorbed in her charity work in Greece to such a extent she became a nun. Phillip hadn't grown up with much affection, Elizabeth on the other hand had a loving family, with parents that were devoted to each other and a vivacious sister.

As the story unfolds, Elizabeth has really fallen for Phillip, he on the other hand has to carefully think about what a possible marriage with her will mean for him. He's penniless and only has his Naval career, but after the war that will end because he's not a British citizen. He comes to realize that even though Elizabeth is not nearly as glamorous or outgoing as her sister Margaret, she has many wonderful qualities and even though not beautiful, she has lovely skin and a nice figure. But when she smiles she is transformed. Phillip slowly decides that she is a good option for him as he contemplates what he will do after the war is over, he has found success in the Navy. Elizabeth stretches herself as well, joining the ATS and learning how to be a mechanic. She loves him, but has not told him, he likes her and decides they can make a successful marriage and give him a family and stability. The King and Queen are reluctant, but Elizabeth makes it clear that only Phillip will do and they eventually relent, but they can't announce an engagement for 6 months, and Elizabeth will go on a Royal Tour to South Africa before any possible announcement, meaning Phillip and Elizabeth will be separated for months. The couple agrees and Phillip shows sensitivity with his gift for Elizabeth's birthday, celebrated during the Royal Tour.

Finally, they are able to announce their engagement, Phillip even has a beautiful ring with diamonds froma tiara his Mother had held back for him when she sold all her other jewels to raise money for her charity work. The wedding is a huge undertaking, with the added complications of the ravaged British economy and people after the end of the war. Rationing and deprivation are still dire, but a Royal Wedding is something that the entire country can enjoy and celebrate. Phillip still struggles with what his life will be like after he marries Elizabeth, and he has conflicted feelings. Things come to a turning point and the couple have to come to an understanding. It's at this point that Phillip realizes just what Elizabeth means to him.

As we all know, Elizabeth and Phillip have one of the longest lasting Royal marriages, 72 years and counting. What this fictional account gives is a love story, that recognizes the reality and not so much the fairytale, and from all appearances, they have a loving and strong relationship. It's nice to think "They Lived Happily Ever After" applies to them.

There seem to be a lot of books about the Windsors right now but with the Queen at 94 years old and Prince Phillip about to turn 99 years old, there is much to write about. This was a nice sweet book about this couple's courtship up to the wedding and I enjoyed it. They have been married for so long you forget how much opposition her family had for the marriage with his sisters married to German soldiers in the nazi machine, his royal but eccentric mother, royal but wastrel father, then there was always the Greek politics and he had no money. He had to basically give up everything to marry Elizabeth. Phillip gave up his title, his place in the Greek and Danish succession, his Greek citizenship, and became British with the surname Mountbatten. The story goes between Elizabeth and Philip chapter by chapter. I especially enjoyed Philip's chapters with his family. They were just tiny tidbits but I really enjoyed them especially those scenes with his sisters. They were touching. I also enjoyed Margaret. So lively. All in all an excellent read for me on a rainy afternoon with a pot of tea. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this pleasant interlude in exchange for a review.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author Flora Harding for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

I absolutely loved this inside look into Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s relationship! It most definitely resonated with The Crown television series. I am a sucker for anything historical, so I was psyched to see this gorgeous cover up for requesting on NetGalley. I loved this story of friendship and courtship which then led to a royal wedding! You could tell this was incredibly well researched and I was glued to the page from start to finish. This was captivating, and the details were impeccable.

Thank you again to those above for allowing me to read and review this novel!

This book about Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip is nothing that I hadn't heard or watched on documentaries before. Honestly, there was nothing new here, yet I did read it. It was okay, just. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of The Crown on Netflix, you’ll want to check out this novel about the courtship between Elizabeth and Phillip. While some details are well-known, I did find myself Wikipedia’ing several people mentioned in Phillip’s narrative. I assume a second installment is forthcoming, as the tale left off just as Elizabeth is walking down the aisle.

I was charmed by this truly delightful, heartwarming story which humanizes the royal family and makes one realize that, despite wealth and power, love is really what matters, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Loved this historical novel. Reminded me so much of the TV programme The Crown. I love books about Royalty

This is a beautiful love story of a couple who although polar opposites to each other in their life experiences overcame many odds to be together. Princess Elizabeth first noticed the handsome blonde Greek Prince Philip when she was thirteen. She’s seventeen when she realises that there will not be any other man for her, not if she can have her way. But the prince is not, nor will he ever be the obvious choice for the husband of the heir to the British throne. However, the princess might be dutiful and perfectly mannered, but there is one thing she refuses to give up on and that is her love for Philip. Despite his unconventional background and having three sisters married to senior Nazi SS officers, she is determined to find a way for him to become her husband of choice. That is, if Philip wants to. This is a beautifully written and researched book that brought to life a romance that we know must have happened, but not in any detail. Written from both Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s points of view it brought their romance magically to life. I loved this book. This is the perfect addition to The Crown TV series and I’d love to see this book brought to life on the screen.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped too. I found it a little too twee and sickly . Although I like many people have read and watched numerous items on the Queen and Prince Philip, I still found this book a little too much. I loved the series The Crown and look forward to seeing more of that series. I’m afraid this book just wasn’t for me.

It was rather odd, but just as I was finishing Karen Harper's "The Queen's Secret", a novel about the Queen Elizabeth married to Prince Albert (the current Queen Elizabeth's parents), I received an offer from "One More Chapter" and Netgalley for an ARC ebook of "Before the Crown". This book starts from the time Princess Elizabeth first meets Prince Philip at the age of 14 and tells the tale of their friendship, courtship, and eventual marriage. I was swept up in their world of protocol, parental disapproval, and young love. If you're a fan of the TV series "The Crown", you'll surely enjoy this work of historical fiction.

A novel about Queen Elizabeth II (fictional though it may be) um, yes please! I just recently got around to finally being able to watch season three of The Crown (I know right, its about time), along with a bunch of documentaries about the English Monarchy (one of the perks about being in quarantine? I guess?) so i’ve been eager for some more British royalty related content.

From the Tudors to the Windsors and all of the monarchs in between, I have long been fascinated with English Royalty, and love reading and watching things about them, whether it be fictional or non-fictional.

As soon as I set eyes on the gorgeous cover for Before the Crown I couldn’t click request fast enough, nor could I have the arc downloaded onto my iPad quickly enough.

This novel is about the love story between Queen Elizabeth and Phillip of Greece. Though a fictional story about their courtship, it was beautifully written, and I was captivated from the very first pages.

I loved the feeling I got as I was reading, as if I had stepped into the halls of Windsor Palace through the pages of the book, feeling as if I was really there, mingling among the royals in the palace, watching the courtship between Elizabeth and Philip unfold right before my eyes.

And as Elizabeth’s and Phillip’s courtship progressed, WWII raged on outside of the palace walls, and that important sense of history could be felt while I read, something I really appreciated, as it was a vital piece of history that took place during that time, despite this being a fictional tale.

Philip’s family has been in exile for years, he basically has been raised by his Mountbatten relatives since he was younger. His uncle Dickie Mountbatten sees marriage to the heir to the throne as a goal to be pursued and constantly pushes this narrative onto the young Philip, even before he really gets to know Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, not yet the queen during this story, still a princess, is the heir to the throne, is well aware of her importance within her family and her country, even while she is besotted with the young Philip. She has made no secret of her early attraction to Philip, but what was Philip’s motivation? Did he come to love her? Or did he see Elizabeth as his way into a secure future?

This is a captivating, whirlwind story that casts a spotlight on two people coming to know each other during a time when a world war was raging around them, and society was still bound by a certain set of tightly bound rules.

The author obviously did her research, and the story was very entertaining. I was engrossed from the very start!

I would recommend this for anyone who has any interest in Queen Elizabeth II (for obvious reasons) and the tv show The Crown!

I loved this book! I've always been fascinated by the royal family, and this book gave great insight into the courting of Queen Elizabeth and Philip before she was queen. It was very well researched and really entertaining. If you like watching The Crown, you will love this book. I look forward to more from this author. I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.

If I’m really honest this book has left me confused. I could rate it 1 star but also 5. It was compelling but cringy. It felt very much like well written bad fan fiction from someone just a bit too obsessed with The Queen. I couldn’t put it down and if you loved The Crown you’ll love this too.

Thankyou to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author, Flora Harding, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Before The Crown in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such a beautifully written and detailed book. It was such a good read. 3.5 stars.
Worth a read,

This novel was just so beautifully written. A forbidden love story between Princess Elizabeth and First Lieutenant Philip. The storyline truly shows the ultimate sacrifice a completely besotted couple would go for love. The words were so captivating and it was as if I was in their timeline.

I highly recommend this novel to those who love forbidden romance and brilliant writing.

Before the Crown is a fictional story of the courtship of Princess Elizabeth of England and Prince Philip of Greece. The author has researched her subject well and the account she has written seems immensely plausible. Philip’s family has been in exile for years and he basically has been raised by his Mountbatten relatives since he was a youngster. His uncle Dickie Mountbatten sees marriage to the heir to the British throne as a goal to be pursued and he constantly pushes this narrative to young Philip. This couple now has been married for 73 years. Queen Elizabeth has made no secret of her early attraction to her husband, but what was Philip’s motivation? Did he come to love her or did he see Elizabeth as his way into a secure future? This is a lovely, well written read shining a spotlight on two people coming to know each other during a world at war and a society still bound by stringent class rules. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

This was beautifully written historical fiction that I literally couldn’t put down. The characters were beautifully depicted, and the storyline was well developed. Highly recommended!

Elizabeth is thirteen when she is charmed by the handsome young man playing croquet with her and her sister Margaret.
When she is 17 she is surprised to see him again at a play she is performing in. However she is excited.
Elizabeth knows who she is, she is a princess. Heir to the throne of England. She has no qualms about what that means. She will marry a prince who will be her consort. Love has nothing to do with it. She knows her duty and she will perform it to the best of her abilities.
Deep inside she asks herself this question, what if live has a little to do with it. It would make being Queen that much easier.
This is beautiful story of Elizabeth and Phillip. How they met how they became engaged. A story of a lifetime. Well written!!