With the coronation only days now, there is no better time to delve into the history of the House of Windsor. And given that the family is somewhat divided right now again, it feels fitting to look at a less-harmonious time in Windsor history. This is the second book in a series, but you can read it as a standalone with no issues. Let’s get into a fantastic new Windsor history, The Windsors at War by Alexander Larman.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC and an Advanced Listening Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Windsors at War: The King, His Brother, and a Family Divided, Alexander Larman
At the beginning of 1937, the British monarchy was in a state of turmoil. The previous king, Edward VIII, had abdicated the throne, leaving his unprepared and terrified brother Bertie to become George VI, surrounded by a gaggle of courtiers and politicians who barely thought him up to the job. Meanwhile, as the now-Duke of Windsor awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress Wallis Simpson, he took an increased interest in the expansionist plans of Adolf Hitler. He may even have gone so far as to betray his country in the process. And as double agents and Nazi spies thronged the corridors of Buckingham Palace, the only man the King could trust was his Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. But they faced a formidable, even unbeatable, adversary: his own brother.
The Windsors at War tells the never-before-told story of World War Two in Britain and America with a fresh focus on the royal family, their conflicted relationships, and the events that rocked the international press. How did this squabbling, dysfunctional family manage to put their differences aside and unite to help win the greatest conflict of their lifetimes? Alexander Larman, author of The Crown in Crisis, now chronicles the Windsor family at war with Germany―and each other.
Why You Should Read This…
The Duke of Windsor’s connections with the Nazis are no longer danced around but point blank discussed by pretty much everyone everywhere. However, few authors are quite as thorough as Larman. He examines the Windsors’ movements and actions beginning with the abdication and ending with the decade following the war. I very much appreciated that while David and Wallis are in focus, he also trains his lens on other key players, like The King, The Queen, and Churchill.
Prior to reading this, I would say that I had a fairly in depth knowledge of David and Wallis’ wartime escapades. However, what I did not know is the extent to which their aristocratic friends both strongly agreed and disagreed with them. There were several jaw-dropping moments while reading this book, and that is something that I did not expect.
Larman’s previous book, The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication, is also a must-read if you have not already.
Larman is a journalist and not an historian, which does make for a different type of book. It also differs from the number of glowing royal biographies that have been released in the last year to mark the Platinum Jubilee and then the late Queen’s passing. All in all, a well-written, fascinating book.
I think that it is incredibly notable that in the weeks prior to the sovereign’s coronation, we have a book publishing on a former sovereign’s Nazi ties- the monarchy no longer holds the same position that it did in the 1950s during the last coronation. Obviously, King Edward VIII abdicated, but it still seems unthinkable that someone would have even conceived of a book like this in 1953.
Sophie Roberts was a fantastic narrator for this audiobook, as well. I find that non-fiction books can have awkward narration but Roberts brought a lot of interest to the book. (And if you are a fan of non-fiction royal history, she also narrated the audiobook for The Little Princesses.)
Is The Windsors at War by Alexander Larman on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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