I am making my way through another pile of royal books.
Robert Jobson's Our King Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed (John Blake £22.00) is a quick and easy read. I bought it in London in May and read it in one sitting a few weeks later.
Although it is one of the first books published since Charles' accession, it is not sycophantic or scholarly. Jobson, who has covered the royals for decades, knows his subjects. Our King is a competent effort that is enjoyable to read, a book that sums up the king's life in 289 pages.
A revised British edition, which includes the Coronation.
Recommended
.
From her teenage years, the late Queen Elizabeth II knew that Prince Philip was the one. Her parents had hoped she would cast a wider net, but Elizabeth had other ideas. Dr. Tessa Dunlop, Ph.D., is the author of Elizabeth and Philip (Pegasus Books: $29.95), a book that provides a historical perspective and insight into Elizabeth and Philip's marriage that lasted nearly 75 years.
Many of the Queen and Philip's biographers have spent a chapter or two on their marriage. Tessa's book focuses solely on their relationship from their first meeting through their engagement and wedding and enduring marriage.
However, I found the interviews with other couples who married in the same year as a distraction from the book's premise. There were also a few errors in the book, which I pointed out privately to Dr. Dunlop. I hope the mistakes can be corrected in a future edition.
Elizabeth and Philip is an enjoyable read, and I do recommend the book as it offers an excellent insight into the relationship between the late Queen and her husband, who was absolutely the love of her life.
A Resilient Crown is the sixth book published by the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada. The book is a series of essays, written by Canadian scholars, public servants and historians, and provides context for "Canada's Monarchy at the Platinum Jubilee."
The book is divided into four sections: A Constitutional Monarchy, The Canadian Crown and Indigenous People, Representing the Sovereign and Perspectives on the Crown in Canada.
A Resilient Crown is historical scholarship at its absolute best. One of the contributors is Dr. Carolyn Harris, Ph.D. Her essay is titled Royal Tours in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
The book was published in Canada by Dundurn Press.
Roy Strong's Coronation A History of British Monarchy (William Collins: £25.00) is one of the best books I have read in an extraordinarily long time. It took some time for me to finish it as I would put it down and start another book, then pick it up and read one or two more chapters, before putting it down again. It is heavy reading, and I am not talking about the 439 pages, but what is written on the pages.
Without a doubt, Sir Roy's book is the definitive history of the English/British Coronations. This is a demanding read due to the topic, which was extensively researched including the earliest of primary and original sources.
The book also includes a comprehensive bibliography and index, both of which will help you focus on individual coronations and sovereigns.
If you start reading it now, you might have finished it before the next Coronation.
Here is a list of Coronation magazines you should add to your collection.
Coronation Issue Country Life (April 26, 2023)
This 350-page issue is not available on Amazon, but it is worth tracking down. It was the first thing I grabbed in Smith's in Heathrow as I headed toward the Heathrow Express.
Prince to Monarch King Charles III published by Hello!
The King's Coronation Country Life 100-page Souvenir edition.
Hello! Souvenir Issue God Save the King
This special issue includes all the Coronation articles that were published in the two special issues but excludes the pop star and fashion articles.
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