Book Description
Once upon a time, in 1930s England, there were two little princesses named Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. Their father was the Duke of York, the second son of King George V, and their Uncle David was the future King of England.
We all know how the fairy tale ended: When King George died, “Uncle David” became King Edward VIII---who abdicated less than a year later to marry the scandalous Wallis Simpson. Suddenly the little princesses’ father was King. The family moved to Buckingham Palace, and ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth became the heir to the crown she would ultimately wear for over fifty years.
The Little Princesses shows us how it all began. In the early thirties, the Duke and Duchess of York were looking for someone to educate their daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, then five- and two-years-old. They already had a nanny---a family retainer who had looked after their mother when she was a child---but it was time to add someone younger and livelier to the household.
Enter Marion Crawford, a twenty-four-year-old from Scotland who was promptly dubbed “Crawfie” by the young Elizabeth and who would stay with the family for sixteen years. Beginning at the quiet family home in Piccadilly and ending with the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948, Crawfie tells how she brought the princesses up to be “Royal,” while attempting to show them a bit of the ordinary world of underground trains, Girl Guides, and swimming lessons.
The Little Princesses was first published in 1950 to a furor we cannot imagine today. It has been called the original “nanny diaries” because it was the first account of life with the Royals ever published. Although hers was a touching account of the childhood of the Queen and Princess Margaret, Crawfie was demonized by the press. The Queen Mother, who had been a great friend and who had, Crawfie maintained, given her permission to write the account, never spoke to her again.
Reading The Little Princesses now, with a poignant new introduction by BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, offers fascinating insights into the changing lives and times of Britains royal family.
Customer Reviews:
Groundbreaking "tell all" has stood the test of time.......2007-07-28
For fans of the British royal family, this book is a must-read. While it may be a trifle dated and decidedly unsensational, the book holds a unique place in the now vast array of books about the royals because it was the first to break the rules and reveal details of life behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace. "Crawfie," who cared for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret for 17 years, was completely cut off by the royal family after the book was published, but the book itself lives on as a kind of time capsule of royal life before the press declared open season on the royal family.
This portrait by "Crawfy" is priceless!.......2007-03-02
Truly, this book is a national treasure and even the Queen should cherish it (apprently, she does not). After reading it, I have new-found respect for Elizabeth II and her family. No where else would you find such wonderful detail of the lovely lives these little girls led. Its also very revealing to see another side of the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII. I couldn't put it down and was left wanting more!
Little Princesses.......2006-08-30
absolutely fascinating story of Nanny Crawford which brings to life how the Royal Family live. I cannot understand why the Royals thought it was disrespectful to write this and cut Nanny Crawford off for the rest of her life. I wonder what the real reason was?
Charming, but in no way saccharine.......2006-05-07
A lovely portrait of royalty as it used to be, painted in the words of a woman who devoted years of her life to royalty's service. "Crawfie," as a very young Princess Elizabeth nicknamed her new governess, had no idea when she accepted the post that she would be staying for more than a short time. She'd come to help the Duke and Duchess of York begin their little girls' education, after which Miss Crawford fully intended to take up the classroom teaching career of which she had always dreamed. She wasn't planning on growing to love Elizabeth and Margaret as she did. Nor had she any clue that one of her charges would someday sit on England's throne.
The interlude Miss Crawford planned to spend with the Yorks lasted until after Princess Elizabeth's marriage. As a member of their household, she experienced history first hand when the abdication of King Edward VIII - otherwise known as "Uncle David" - forced her employers to give up their private, comfortable, family-centered life. She kept their daughters out of harm's way during the frightening war years that soon followed; and after the war's end, helped the family that by now considered her indispensible in guiding its "little princesses" from adolescence into womanhood.
Charming, but in no way saccharine, this recently re-released book provides invaluable insight into the character of the woman who has reigned for more than half a century as Queen Elizabeth II. Not by any means just for "royal watchers"!
A....C L A S S I C...A N D...A...R O Y A L...D E L I G H T !.......2005-02-20
This was the very FIRST book to present Royalty as human beings --and as such, it truly got its authoress, (to use the contemporary term), into much trouble with the English Royal family, whom she worked for in the capacity of Governess to the two Royal Princesses, Pss. Elizabeth and Pss. Margaret Rose, from the 1930s until they were grown young women -- and in Pss. Elizabeth's case, married.
This is the GENUINE article -- a first-person reminisence, the
REAL story of what went on behind the palace walls in the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s. It is great reading for royal-watchers, as one can almost feel oneself actually there, a "fly on the wall" as it were, to these auspicious royal happenings. And seeing the royal personages themselves, through Ms. Crawford's eyes: the dilligent and almost too-dutiful Pss. Elizabeth, the rather diffident, but still very brave Duke of York who became George VI, the artistic, rebellious, and elfin Pss. Margaret, the warm, friendly, yet very, very Royal Queen Elizabeth, the King's Consort, and the extremely regal, yet still very human
Queen Mary.
I got this book out of the school library when I was in college....but was so excited to have found it, that I just skimmed it. However, I have recently bought a copy, and am forcing myself to read it all the way through! So far I am only up to the Abdication of King Edward VIII -- but I realize this is a true turning point, and am loathe to go futher, though I know I must. Never, (believe it or not), was there ever such a reluctant couple to mount the throne of England as George
VI and Elizabeth -- the responsibilites, and separation from their children, were great burdens to them. The "fairy-tale" existance they had as the very private Duke and Duchess of York was no more.....
Later on, of course, WWII intruded even more into the Royal lives, changing royal routine even more.....forever.
It is interesting to see, even in the professed "simplicity" of the Princesses pre-war, (and post-war), lives, that little luxuries were taken for granted, even so. As a small child, Princess Elizabeth plays with imaginary ponies before going to bed, later graduating to toy ponies, and stil later, to real horses. Large grounds, many servants, and many homes complete the picture.....and even though Ms. Crawford does give some middle-class amazement at some of the priviledges, others are just taken as natural for her royal employers. I find myself wondering how the Princesses would have reacted, had they suddenly found themselves, "Twilight-Zone"-like, waking up to suddenly find themselves, instead, as Ruby and Margaret McDonald -- the Princesses' real-life sister-maids. (Probably,
the Dutiful Elizabeth would have taken it as a matter of course....but the independent and talented Margaret Rose would have definitely rebelled!)
Still, this is truly a book to cherish and delight in...especially if one wishes, secretly or not so secretly, to imagine oneself one (or both) of the Royal Sisters. There are
many royal secrets in this book too -- such as Queen Mary's
recommended "royal pick-me-up receipie", and the fact that the secret of the perfectly coiffed hairdos of the royal ladies, even after hours in a car, lay in the fact that the Royal cars were, in fact, hermetically sealed!
I can understand why the Royal Family were so upset that this book -- which doesn't critize them, but merely shows all their human strengths, and some of their all-too-human weaknesses. Royals are supposed to be 100% perfet. This book shows them to be 100% Human. Secrets are shared. And -- contrary to Baghot's
admonition -- light is, indeed, shed on the magic.
In the end, however, Ms. Crawford, (who had married just before
Princess Elizabeth herself did), left all of her papers and
diaries, etc. to her royal employers -- the very ones she had once been so close to, but who had cut her off, completely, from their lives, once "The Little Princesses" was published. It is a sad thing for curious commoners, such as myself -- for no matter how many authors write about the Royal Family of England, none, I feel, will have as intimacy with their royal material as Miss Crawford did. (With the possible exception of Paul Burrell, and Stephen Birmingham, valets to Princess Diana and the pre-married Prince Charles, respectively.) For English -- and perhaps other royals -- now reqire a signed statement from their possible servants, before employment, not to disclose anything of their employment in future books. This is another reason why "The Little Princesses" is such a true classic: the reality of the book was recorded without any constraint or even thought of constraint.
This alone makes the "fairy-tale become reality" sense of this book even more genuine -- and to royal-watchers, even more precious.
So this book -- and the others written by Marion Crawford -- are the true and genuine articlesw -- 24-karat gold, amongst all the other books on the royals, no matter how well written, or how engrossing.
"The Little Princesses" is thus not only a wonderful, involving, exciting, and easily-read book.... It is a piece of history, in and of itself.
Book Description
Princess Margaret was not like the other royals. A free spirit, she broke away from the conventions that others imposed upon her and lived a life that has seemed to some scandalous, to others liberating. It was Margaret who had an illicit love affair with jazz musician Robin Douglas-Home, and letters from that relationship are reprinted here. When Douglas-Home was rejected by Margaret, he killed himself and was replaced by another lover. It is stories such as this, revealed in this book, that paint a portrait of one of the most secretive members of Britain's royal family.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad..........2005-06-14
Not great, but not bad. A nice easy read, this is unfortunately a one-sided portrait of an otherwise complex interesting character, focusing mostly on her romantic controversies. I would have liked to know a bit more about all of her, her hobbies, daily routines, relationship with other Royals. I was also disappointed at the photographs, whole pages of her lovers! I would have liked to see her homes, her clothes, and her beautiful wedding. Not a disappointment by any means but this could have been a richer read than as it stands.
A portrait lacking insight.......2002-04-28
I hesitated in deciding to review this book. Is it worth drawing the public's attention to a book that is, at best, descriptive journalism which promises more than it delivers? Only after reading the book did I acquaint myself with the author's journalistic reputation which helped explain some of my original disappointment with the book. As an academic, I cannot recommend this book to any serious reader interested in matters concerning the Windsor family. The book lacks proper endnotes and citations. Botham rarely identifies his sources but chooses convincing descriptive labels that suggest authoritative individuals with first hand knowledge. I am disappointed in Botham's "soap opera" treatment of a topic that is of genuine interest to many in the British Commonwealth. In short, save your money!
Amazon.com
Everyone knows that Henry VIII had six wives. Few people realize, however, that he had two sisters who became queens of Scotland and France, scandalizing their brother and most of Europe in the process. In The Sisters of Henry VIII: The Tumultuous Lives of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France, Maria Perry presents a history of the frequently overlooked Queens Margaret and Mary, who, like their marriage-happy brother, helped shape the ascending Tudor dynasty and 16th-century England.
Having thoroughly researched libraries in both England and Scotland, the London-based Perry provides a painstakingly detailed portrait of both women, European court life, and political history. She adeptly weaves intricate genealogies, complex lines of succession, and intercourt marital intrigue into her narrative. The inclusion of such detail, however, tends to overwhelm the main narrative, and, consequently, it progresses slowly and frequently lacks linearity and a disciplined focus.
The Sisters of Henry VIII was written for the reader already familiar with early-modern England. The newcomer to the period may by frustrated by her frequent mention--without further explanation--of individuals, places, and events. Similarly, readers anticipating a more psychological portrayal of Queens Margaret and Mary will be disappointed. The strength of Perry's examination lies in the breadth of detail in which she chronicles the day-to-day events of both women and the early-16th-century court life in which they lived. --Bertina Loeffler Sedlack
Book Description
Henry VIII's sisters, neglected by generations of historians, impacted the lives and perceptions of their contemporaries much more forcefully than did any of their brother's famous six wives. In The Sisters of Henry VIII, Maria Perry examines the lives of these extraordinary women and analyzes their influence on European history in the Tudor Age.
Both sisters, Margaret and Mary, initially accepted their status as pawns in the dynastic power struggles that raged across sixteenth-century Europe. Margaret became queen of Scotland at age thirteen; family members arranged beautiful Mary's betrothal to the aging King of France when she was twelve. But both women chose their second husbands for love. Margaret bucked convention by marrying and divorcing twice after Henry's advancing armies slaughtered her first husband and kidnapped her children. Mary risked execution by proposing to the handsome Duke of Suffolk. By illuminating the characters of these two historical figures, Perry casts light on other aspects of Tudor England, offering a fresh interpretation of Henry VIII's upbringing and of his relationship with immediate family members.
In this eye-opening expose of the intrigue and scandal that simmered just beneath the Tudors' regal image, Perry reveals striking new information about a family that--more than any other--shaped the development of both Reformation England and the modern world. She delivers a new and entirely viable theory about what transpired on the wedding night of Henry's doomed elder brother, Arthur, England's heir apparent, and she presents her own spectacular findings on Henry's illegitimate son, his "worldly jewel," the shadowy Duke of Richmond.
Groundbreaking in both depth and scope, The Sisters of Henry VIII rescues two remarkable princesses from the shadows of history and radically challenges popular views of both the king and his era.
Customer Reviews:
Sisters of a King.......2007-03-26
This is my first Maria Perry book. Her research was/is great and very detailed. This is not just another dry history. She brings understanding along with facts to this story.
16th Century British Royal Siblings........2007-01-09
Everyone knows about the six wives of Henry VIII but the two sisters of Henry are relatively unknown to most readers. These women were queens in their own right and the elder sister Margaret was the grandmother of Mary Queen of Scots.This is a side of Henry's family that is not familar to most history readers. The book is well written and does not spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the relationship between Henry and his sisters,Margaret and Mary. The focus of the book is on their lives and the marriages they were arranged for them in Scotland and France.Henry is shown as a brother who is most interested in the influence and power his sisters play in their roles in their adopted lands and in center of royal power. He is never far from advising them on what to do for the benefit of England and as their all powerful brother.It is not brotherly love just brotherly advise that he offers and that he also enforces on them. His knows his sisters are well placed and wants to make sure that his interests and those of England are reflected in his sisters counsel to their spouses who are the kings of Scotland and France.
The book is well written and keeps the stories of the sisters separate and does not try to interweave these lives. I found the story of Margaret more interesting and turbulent as she was Regent of Scotland and had bouts with the Scottish lords which her grandaughter Mary, Queen of Scots which she would encounter later in the century.Also,her influence on history was greater than her sister Mary who lived briefly in France as Queen for less than three months when her aged husband died and she returned to England to live a fairly unevenful life as wife of Charles Brandon.
I recommend the book to those who want to extend their knowledge of this period and also to understand the nature of arranged marriages of royals from different countries as religious changes were occuring.
Simply not the best.......2006-05-18
Regrettably, I have to agree with the other negative reviews here. I had been looking forward to reading this for months, but it was not worth the wait. Arid, lacklustre, lacking in narrative drive, it does not do the subject matter any favours.
There are better biographies out there. For example, you'll get a more sparkling account of Charles Brandon's wooing of Mary Tudor from Carolly Erickson's _Great Harry_. And you'll also get a more gripping account of court life from Alison Weir's _Henry VIII_.
An unfortunate snooze.......2004-12-30
As an avid fan of Henrician history, I was so looking forward to reading this work and finding out more about the Tudor king's royal sisters. However, what I found out was a lot of mind-numbing detail about period finances, wardrobe and travel itineraries and very little about the actual personalities of these women.
The only part of this dense little book that comes alive relates to their famous brother's well known escapades, so therefore offers very little new or enlightening information. I'd recommend it for diehard Tudor-philes, only.
disappointing.......2004-09-29
I was very interested to read this book about the sisters of Henry VIII having become interested in them when reading Jean Plaidy's stories about them. I was very disappointed. The book really is about Henry VIII and a general history of that period. Mostly the author stresses that one does not know the reactions of either Mary or Margaret to certain events. But things are known about them. For instance, Mary's husband Charles, married right after she died. To whom? The book does not mention this. Also, he was not a faithful husband. Why not mention this? Margaret had small pox and was greatly disfigured but where was this fact in the book??
Book Description
"Are you the lady who is to teach the royal family?"
She inclined her head slightly. "I am."
"Have you friends in Bangkok?"
"I know no one in Bangkok at all."
When Anna arrives on a crowded dock in Siam in 1862, she is afraid her friends might have been right: A country as "backward" as Siam is no place for a proper young Englishwoman. And when she meets the king, who is unbearably headstrong and arrogant, she is quite positive she has made a huge mistake.
But then Anna begins her post as governess to the royal children (all sixty-seven of them!), and it's not long before they taught her to love the beauty and excitement of this strange new land. Suddenly she has more friends than she could ever hope for. Yet in the kingdom of Siam, there are rules Anna cannot accept. And as her relationship with the king grows, the conflicts between them grow too. If they are to overcome their differences, Anna and the King will have to meet somewhere between East and West….
Customer Reviews:
Good but not great.......2000-01-24
I enjoyed the book. It wasn't the best book I've read, but not the worst either. I didn't like the way the characters just had names. Nothing about anyone was in depth. It was like oh there she is and that was all. I would ony recomend it to a younger audience.
An "almost true story".......2000-01-23
Kids shouild have fun reading this and later on they can read the older version. Anna in later life di make up a false background buyt only because she could not succeed with the one sha had. She was poor but well educated as her writing shows. She was fluent in 13 languages, and is recorded by people to have been thanked by Chulalkongkorn for teaching him about the evils of slavery which he ended. Even her greatest detractor gives her credit. She was known in BAngkok as the White Angel as her grandchild did write. Her life after Siam is just as spectacular. The book may not tell the full truth (Anna needed to sell her books so exaggerated but she records she and the king as actually being good friends) but tellls an amazing tale.
Fun, but False.......1999-12-19
Enjoy this book, and the plays, movies, etc. But please, please, please, don't think for a minute that it is "almost true." Anna Leonowens was a liar who dropped out of school at the age of 14 to be the mistress of a British clergyman. She got the job in Siam by falsifying her credentials. The real story of His Majesty Rama IV, and his son, Rama V, is much more interesting than any of these thin romances.
Customer Reviews:
England's Other Rose.......1998-06-02
Over the course of seven decades she has gone from being the cherubic little princess who captured the hearts of the pre-war public, to the controversial, often badly behaved tabloid darling whose escapades foreshadowed those of her nephews and their wives, to the shadowy figure whose recent stroke would seem to have more or less removed her from the public stage.
In this evenhanded but essentially sympathetic biography, the Princess emerges as both surprisingly interesting and sadly adrift, a woman whose only substantial accomplishment may end up having been the mother of two apparently well-adjusted and happy children (a feat her older sister might well envy).
Having interviewed members of the Royal Family for various other projects over the years (an advantage denied most unauthorized biographers), Aronson weaves first-hand quotes into his narrative to good effect. He effectively discounts some earlier biographers' wilder claims (of inherited madness, for example) while, it must be admitted, adding some of his own (is it really possible that the Princess confessed to having "detested" her grandmother, the formidable but endearing Queen Mary?). All in all, though, a pleasant and worthwhile read for Royal-watchers.
Customer Reviews:
memories for me.......2000-02-03
My mother owned a first edition of this sweet book and as a child I was enchanted. The pictures in the book let you see the now queen and princess as little girls, playing and horse riding and being royal. I treasured the book and named my oldest daughter Elizabeth because of the glitter I saw with the little girls. My mother gave the book to me when I was a teenager and I had kept it for 40 years. I loaned the book to a friend and it was lost. I am now 55 and only lost it 5 years ago. I am very anxious to own another one. I think all ages of girls would love to read this book of another life that few of us can ever know.
A Wonderful Book!.......1999-12-04
If you love the Royal family then you'll be amazed by this book. I loved reading about the queen and her sister, Margret's, childhood. Its a wonderful book with funny parts as well as sometimes when you feel sorry for the girls. It tells of the future queen saying if she was Queen she wouldn't let people work horses on sundays, because they deserve a day off too, or something close to that.
Average customer rating:
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Margaret: A Woman of Conflict (Transaction Large Print Books)
Paul James
Manufacturer: ISIS Large Print Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Women
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Biographies & Memoirs
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ASIN: 1850895619 |
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