The Queen Mother: The Untold Story of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Who Became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

It is a dirty bit of gossip to be sure however I have a real hard time thinking it to be truth. I have not read the whole book yet even though I am over half way through. First of all Queen mother very much resembles her mother so I am very inclined to think Elizabeth is indeed her daughter not the cooks. Also the Duke of Windsors support of the Nazis is really glossed over and not given the attention it should have been given. It is apparent by the photos that exist of him and Wallis that something was a little less than favorable to British interests. Now I guess I get it that things are never so simple but I think the Queen mother is really getting the shaft in this gossipy rendition of he said and she said testimonial. Do I think she was without ambition? No of course not but this is a really a unkind rendition of her from her unsuitable fashion to her less than perfect figure and smile. Easy to write such stuff after someone is passed on.

This is a hatchet job by a woman who spends every other paragraph reminding us she's a member of the aristocracy (by marriage) and therefore must be privy to information that others don't have. Her primary source seems to be the Duke of Windsor who hated the Queen Mother and of course a bunch of horrid lies that she waits until the poor woman can't defend herself to spread. I'm sorry I purchased this and contributed to the woman's royalties.

I was not familiar with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, other than how she became Queen because of King Edward VIII's abdication, but she ended up wielding an enormous amount of power - partially because her husband was willing to give up much of his. It was very interesting how she figured into so much of the intrigue and pettiness that went on at Court, although she also played a very important role during World War II, so much so that she was considered public enemy number 1 to the Germans.

While this book overall is informative about the workings of the royal family, I found it cumbersome at times. This author spends so much time bringing in stories about royalty throughout Europe that I couldn't keep up with the narrative. She lists countless other royals and their history to the point I couldn't begin to figure out the story lines. But, then, the book would have been a lot shorter had she left out those lineages. At times it felt like she was just showing off her intimate knowledge of European history.Her obvious disdain for the Queen Mother is palpable but when all was said and done, I figured out that, had King George not been married to Elizabeth, England may have not survived World War II. She really was the power behind the throne that kept the country grounded.

Good grief! It's like one big tabloid story that never ends! I bought it for a penny because I was thinking, "hey! Something other than the official biography might be fun!" But instead, it's like being cornered at a cocktail party with someone hell-bent on making the guest of honor look like a jerk. Now, I'm sure that the Queen Mother wasn't all smiles and sweets, but droning on and on about nonsense starts to feel like LCC is trying a bit too hard (and, after reading the author's own brief bio online after starting this book, one begins to really question her credibility!). If you enjoy the garbage in the supermarket checkout line or if you want to read some utter nonsense, then this is the book for you. But, if you think the QM might actually be the progeny of her parents' French cook, despite the fact that she and her mother are carbon copies of one another, then have at it! Just don't pay more than 1¢ for the book. Even that was a bit overpriced.

Reading this is really like listening to a well-informed and well-placed insider gossiping about someone famous. It was a bit hard to follow at times since some of the less-known personalities mentioned required a quick online search, but for folks who know the history and the folks they might be able to breeze through.I enjoyed this enough that I ordered other books by Lady Colin Campbell.

This is a longggggg book, but interesting (for the most part). The author, a minor member of the Royal family (during a five month marriage years and years ago), seems to have an axe to grind and makes a lot of snide comments and rude insights. Very gossipy, but there are enough nuggets of truth to keep you reading.

I just finished this book and was not aware of the undercurrents surrounding the "Royal Family" and the abdication of Edward VIII. I knew he was ostracized, but had so idea of the manipulative nature of his sister-in law. After reading this book, and assuming that the Queen Mother was as she is pictured, which I feel the author documented, it is a very sad story of no accountability on the part of others who could have done the right thing. The Queen Mother as portrayed was a very manipulative,vain, person who was narcissistic to the extreme with family and friends. No wonder Margaret had such a sad life with a mother like her, and her daughter Elizabeth II, so young when she came to the throne, was no match at the time for this crafty woman.

I have enjoyed other books about the royal family by Lady Colin Campbell, but I found this one very hard going. There is certainly plenty of reading it but to be honest I'm still not at the end and I'm not sure whether I can make it as I am struggling with the sheer length of it and the wordy way it is written. The author spends far too much time on the lineage and antecedence of her sources that the text becomes quite difficult to follow in places. Most of us common folk have never heard of these people, and neither know nor care about them however high and mighty they might be. A good editor could've given this a damn good pruning and we could've ended up with a really good book that was half the size and twice as interesting. Pity.

I have read other books by Lady Colin Campbell, and I like her candour, honesty and integrity. This book does not disappoint. It is well written by a person ingrained in High Society, and therefore I trust the authenticity of the subject matter.This book defines the true history and character of the late Queen Mother and not a marshmallow, contrived, fairy dust concoction of false propoganda.One 'spoiler' is the revelation surrounding her birth, and who her true birth mother is supposed to be.For lovers of royalty and autobiographies, I highly recommend this book. One of the best I have read in a long time.

Delighted with book it arrived late but it was well worth waiting for.

Brilliantly written and very fast delivery.

I am a very interested Royal watcher, and have my own opinions. I am also interested in early history, Tudor times, the Romanovs, etc. I found this book riveting!!! My grandfather was born in 1890, and thought David would have made a wonderful king. He had always told me about the Queen Mother's parentage, so I was fascinated with the book and all its claims. The Royals are only human, after all, with their different personalities and appetites. Lady Colin is to be congratulated on an absolutely fascinating book!!!!