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World » Europe » Britain » The Royal Family

Most Recommended Books

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

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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

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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 the current Queen. For a picture of the Queen's younger sister, Craig Brown's recent 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, we have the best Diana books and  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.

Robert Lacey recommends the biography of George V (the current Queen’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.

Memoirs actually authored by members of the royal family are few and far between. But the current Queen’s aunt, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, did write her memoirs, and royal biographer Hugo Vickers recommends them as both 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

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

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

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

    2

    The Housekeeper's Diary
    by Wendy Berry

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

    3

    Kate
    by Claudia Joseph

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    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

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    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, 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 The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

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

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    The English Constitution
    by Walter Bagehot

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

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

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

    3

    Edward VIII
    by Frances Donaldson

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

    4

    Crown and People
    by Philip Ziegler

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    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, recommended by Robert Lacey

The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Queen Elizabeth II, her legacy, her family history, and her ambivalent relationship with Princess Diana.

    The Best Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers

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

    1

    Queen Mary
    by James Pope-Hennessy

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    The Best Royal Biographies - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

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    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

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    The Best Royal Biographies - Ask Sir James by Michaela Reid

    4

    Ask Sir James
    by Michaela Reid

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    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, 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 books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

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

    1

    George VI
    by Sarah Bradford

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    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

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

    3

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

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

    4

    Shadows of a Princess
    by Patrick Jephson

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    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, 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.

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