In the wake of Prince Philip’s death, we have seen countless photographs of a younger Philip and Princess Elizabeth. While his death is sad and very much feels like the end of an era, it has certainly turned people’s attention to the young couple. If you are interested in it, Before the Crown by Flora Harding needs to be your next read! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Before the Crown, Flora Harding
Before the crown there was a love story…
Windsor Castle, 1943
As war rages across the world, Princess Elizabeth comes face to face with the dashing naval officer she first met in London nine years before.
One of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy, Philip represents everything she has always been taught to avoid. Instability. Audacity. Adventure.
But when the king learns of their relationship, the suitability of the foreign prince is questioned by all at court.
He is the risk she has never been allowed to take. The risk not even the shadow of the crown will stop her from taking…
Step through the palace gates and discover a captivating historical novel of royal secrets and forbidden love exploring the tempestuous courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the wake of WWII.
Why You Should Read This…
Royal/royal-ish fiction is a quickly growing genre, with more and more books featuring 19th and 20th century royals. And Before the Crown is one of the best that I’ve read! Harding does an excellent job of building a fictional world around very real people, and a realistic fictional world. While we will never know exactly how Elizabeth and Philip started their relationship, this is a wonderful and thoughtful imagining of it. I loved the King and Queen, and Margaret, as well- their personalities in Before the Crown ring true with what we know, and it made for a more developed and complex story. This is the perfect read for any fans of The Crown!
Have you read Before the Crown by Flora Harding?
Cheers,
The Historian
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