Support Us
Five Books
 
Search
MENUMENU
  • Nonfiction
        • Art
          • Architecture
          • Art History
          • Design & Illustration
          • Fashion & Style
          • Modern and Contemporary Art
          • Photography
        • Business Books
          • How to Invest
          • Leadership
          • Marketing
        • Economics
          • Behavioural Economics
          • Development Economics
          • Economic History
          • Finance
          • Financial Crisis
          • Globalization Books
          • World Economies
        • Environmental Books
          • Climate Change Books
          • Environmental Ethics
        • Food & Cooking
          • The Best Cookbooks
          • Food & History of Food
          • Wine & Drinks
        • Health & Lifestyle
          • Death & Dying
          • Education
          • Family & Relationships
          • Happiness
          • Sex & Sexuality
        • History Books
          • American History
          • Ancient History (up to 500)
          • Modern History (1800-1945)
          • History of Science
          • Historical Figures
          • Military History
        • Language
          • English Grammar & Usage
          • Books for Learning Languages
          • Linguistics
        • Law
        • Literary Nonfiction
          • Best Biographies
          • Essays
          • Memoir
          • Artists' Biographies
          • Travel
          • True Crime
        • Music & Drama
          • Classical Music & Opera
          • Film & Cinema
          • Music
          • Theatre
        • Nature
          • The Prehistoric World
          • The Earth
          • Plants, Trees & Flowers
        • Philosophy Books
          • Ancient Philosophy
          • Ethics & Moral Philosophy
          • Great Philosophers
          • Social & Political Philosophy
        • Politics & Society
          • War
          • Feminism
          • Foreign Policy & International Relations
          • Human Rights
          • Terrorism
        • Psychology
          • Mental Health
          • Neuroscience
          • Psychoanalysis
          • Psychology Research
          • Self Help
        • Religion
          • Best Atheist Books
          • Buddhism
          • Christian
          • Islamic
          • Jewish
          • Religious History Books
        • Science
          • Astronomy
          • Biology
          • Chemistry
          • Geoscience
          • Maths & Statistics
          • Popular Science
          • Physics Books
        • Sports, Games & Hobbies
          • Football (Soccer)
          • Gardening
          • Hobbies
          • Sport & Sporting Culture
        • Technology
          • Artificial Intelligence/AI Books
          • Computing
          • Digital Age
          • History of Technology
          • Internet
  • Fiction & Literature
        • Classic English Literature
        • American Literature
        • World Literature
        • Literary Criticism
        • Literary Figures
        • Classical Studies
        • Contemporary Fiction
          • NEW Fiction
        • Poetry
        • Memoir
        • Comics & Graphic Novels
        • Fairy Tales & Mythology
        • Historical Fiction
        • Horror
        • Humour
        • Crime Novels
        • Science Fiction
        • Short Stories
        • Romance
        • Thrillers (Books)
        • Mystery
        • Fantasy
  • World
        • Africa
          • Egypt
          • Ghana
          • Nigeria
          • Rwanda
          • South Africa
          • Zimbabwe
        • Americas
          • Latin America
            • Argentina
            • Brazil
            • Caribbean
            • Chile
            • Cuba
            • Mexico
          • United States
          • Canada
        • Arctic & Antarctica
        • Asia
          • Afghanistan
          • Bangladesh
          • Myanmar (Formerly Burma)
          • China
          • India
          • Japan
          • Kazakhstan
          • Korea
          • Pakistan
          • Sri Lanka
          • Singapore
          • Vietnam
        • Australia
        • Europe
          • Belgium
          • Britain
          • France
          • Germany
          • Greece
          • Ireland
          • Italy
          • Netherlands
          • Norway
          • Spain
          • Ukraine
        • Middle East
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Israel
          • Syria
          • Turkey
          • Yemen
        • Russia & FSU
          • Azerbaijan
          • Georgia
          • Russia
  • Kids
        • Kids Recommend Books for Kids
        • High School Teachers Recommendations
        • Novels & Novelists
        • Ages Baby-2
        • Ages 3-5
        • Ages 6-8
        • Ages 9-12
        • Books for Teens and Young Adults
        • Best Kids Books of 2022
        • Best Books for Teens of 2022
        • Best Audiobooks for Kids
        • Prizewinning Kids' Books
        • Popular Series Books for Kids
        • History
        • Economics
        • Environment
        • Family
        • Science
        • Mental Health
  • Best Books 2022
        • Audiobooks
        • Best Books for Teens of 2022
        • Best Kids' Books of 2022
        • Best Fiction of 2022
          • Historical Fiction
          • Romance
          • Science Fiction
          • Fantasy
          • Mystery
        • Best Nonfiction of 2022
          • History
          • Politics
          • Memoir
  • New Books
        • New Science Books
        • New Climate Books
        • New Psychology Books
        • New Philosophy Books
        • New Math Books
        • New Economics Books
        • New History Books
        • New Physics Books
        • New Memoirs
        • New Biography
        • New Fiction
        • New World Literature
        • New Historical Fiction
  • Audiobooks
    • Actors Read Great Books
    • Best Audiobooks for Kids
    • Books Narrated by Their Authors
    • Best Audiobook Thrillers
    • Best History Audiobooks
  • Book Awards
    • Nobel Literature Prize
    • Booker Prize
    • Baillie Gifford Prize
    • Royal Society (science)
    • Wolfson Prize (history)
    • Walter Scott Prize
    • Arthur C Clarke Prize
    • Pushkin House Prize
    • Audie Awards
  • Experts

World » Europe » Britain » The Royal Family

Most Recommended Books

The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

“Tina’s book captures Diana with such raciness, charm and insight. The book is based on incredible research. One of Tina’s strengths is that she is a great British journalist, who has been living in America for many years. So she embodies that slightly bemused and admiring attitude of America towards the British monarchy. I think some Americans almost wish they had a monarchy—and, of course, they do. The American president gets selected by an arduous and ludicrously expensive and drawn-out electoral process. Then he—not yet she—is promptly turned into a monarch, complete with a First Family and all the trappings of empire. If you happen to be called Kennedy or Bush you are treated as part of a royal dynasty, and you are entitled to be considered for future succession.”

Robert Lacey, Biographer

Read more

King George V by Kenneth Rose

“My principal reason for putting Rose’s study of George V on my list is that I consider it the best royal biography ever written. It is a classic which is full of insight and humanity, along with dry wit and revelation. There had previously been an official biography of George V by Harold Nicolson, and Kenneth Rose was able to get hold of the Nicolson papers, where he discovered quite a lot of material that Nicolson had diplomatically left out.”

Robert Lacey, Biographer

Read more

Browse book recommendations:

The Royal Family

  • Diana Books
  • King Charles III

Britain

  • Brexit
  • London
  • Scotland
  • The Royal Family

Europe

  • Austria
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Britain
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • The European Union
  • Ukraine

World

  • Africa
  • Americas
  • Arctic & Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Cities
  • Europe

The response to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 showed how revered she was as a person, both in Britain and around the world, but also bore witness to the enduring magic of the British monarchy as an institution. It is hard to isolate exactly what it is that makes it so popular and effective, but its perennial appeal seems able to overcome and survive all political, economic and social turmoil.

Here you can find a collection of the best books on the British Royal family. Andrew Morton, prince of royal biographers, author of the groundbreaking Diana: Her True Story, and Meghan, A Hollywood Princess, recommends The Queen by Ben Pimlott as the most interesting portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. For a picture of the Queen's younger sister, Craig Brown's biography, Ma'am Darling: 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret offers an original and entertaining take on royal biography as a genre.

On the next generation of the royal family, there are already one or two biographies of Prince Charles, who became King Charles III on his mother's death in 2022. However, much of the focus before that had been on Charles's relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Queen Consort. Royal journalist Katie Nicholl recommends Charles and Camilla Portrait of a Love Affair by Giles Brandreth. For the younger generation, she recommends William and Harry by Ingrid Seward and Kate by Claudia Joseph as good introductions. We also have a dedicated list of the best Diana books.

Robert Lacey recommends the biography of George V (Elizabeth II's grandfather) by Kenneth Rose as a great read, and Hugo Vickers concurs that it is one of the best royal biographies. Lacey also recommends Crown and People by Philip Ziegler, which charts the evolution of popular support for the monarchy in the democratic age, much to the surprise of many on the British Left, who expected to see its demise.

Memoirs actually authored by members of the royal family are few and far between. In 2023 Prince Harry's memoir Spare was released. Previous to that, the Queen’s aunt, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, did write her memoirs, and royal biographer Hugo Vickers recommends them as insightful and entertaining. Princess Alice died at the age of 102 in 2004, so she will have known almost every member of the royal family in the 20th century.

    The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words by Andrew Morton

    1

    Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words
    by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - The Housekeeper's Diary by Wendy Berry

    2

    The Housekeeper's Diary
    by Wendy Berry

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Kate by Claudia Joseph

    3

    Kate
    by Claudia Joseph

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth

    4

    Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair
    by Gyles Brandreth

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - William and Harry by Ingrid Seward

    5

    William and Harry
    by Ingrid Seward

  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words by Andrew Morton
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - The Housekeeper's Diary by Wendy Berry
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Kate by Claudia Joseph
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - William and Harry by Ingrid Seward

The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

The Mail on Sunday’s Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicholl, looks at how the histories of the previous generation have shaped Princes William and Harry. She picks the best books on the British royals.

The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

    The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot

    1

    The English Constitution
    by Walter Bagehot

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson

    3

    Edward VIII
    by Frances Donaldson

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Crown and People by Philip Ziegler

    4

    Crown and People
    by Philip Ziegler

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    5

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

  • The best books on The Queen - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot
  • The best books on The Queen - King George V by Kenneth Rose
  • The best books on The Queen - Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson
  • The best books on The Queen - Crown and People by Philip Ziegler
  • The best books on The Queen - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

She became the heir to the British throne because her uncle had resigned and became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, after her father’s early death in 1952. The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Elizabeth Windsor (1926-2022),  her family history, her legacy and what made her so successful as Britain’s titular head of state.

The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

    The Best Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy

    1

    Queen Mary
    by James Pope-Hennessy

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - The Memoirs of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester by Princess Alice

    3

    The Memoirs of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
    by Princess Alice

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Ask Sir James by Michaela Reid

    4

    Ask Sir James
    by Michaela Reid

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon by Sir Henry Channon

    5

    Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon
    by Sir Henry Channon

  • The Best Royal Biographies - Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy
  • The Best Royal Biographies - King George V by Kenneth Rose
  • The Best Royal Biographies - The Memoirs of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester by Princess Alice
  • The Best Royal Biographies - Ask Sir James by Michaela Reid
  • The Best Royal Biographies - Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon by Sir Henry Channon

The Best Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers

Hugo Vickers talks about what makes a good royal biography, and how he helped Helena Bonham Carter prepare for her film role as the Queen Mother

The Best Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers

    The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - George VI by Sarah Bradford

    1

    George VI
    by Sarah Bradford

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy by Ben Pimlott

    2

    The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy
    by Ben Pimlott

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    3

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - Shadows of a Princess by Patrick Jephson

    4

    Shadows of a Princess
    by Patrick Jephson

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - England Under the Tudors by G R Elton

    5

    England Under the Tudors
    by G R Elton

  • The best books on British Royalty - George VI by Sarah Bradford
  • The best books on British Royalty - The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy by Ben Pimlott
  • The best books on British Royalty - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
  • The best books on British Royalty - Shadows of a Princess by Patrick Jephson
  • The best books on British Royalty - England Under the Tudors by G R Elton

The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

Bestselling celebrity biographer Andrew Morton recommends the best books on the British royal family and the publishing of his own book, Diana, Her True Story—In Her Own Words, viewed by many as the definitive book on Princess Diana.

The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

Five Books participates in the Amazon Associate program and earns money from qualifying purchases.

Newsletter Contact us Privacy Policy Terms of Service Mastodon Social

© Five Books 2023

Get our newsletter