Power and Glory

 Power and Glory: Elizabeth II and the Rebirth of Royalty- Alexander Larman

St. Martin's Press

Release Date: April 30, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: When the Royal Family took to the balcony of Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945, they knew that the happiness and excitement of the day was illusory. Britain may have been victorious in a painful war, but the peace would be no easier. Between the abdication crisis, the death of King George VI, and the ascension of young Elizabeth II to the throne, the continued existence of the monarchy seemed uncertain. And the presence of the former Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, conniving and sniping from the sidelines in an attempt to regain relevance, even down to writing a controversial and revelatory memoir, could only make matters worse. Still, the question of whether or not Elizabeth could succeed and make the monarchy something that once again inspired international pride and even love remained.

In Power and Glory, Alexander Larman completes his acclaimed Windsor family trilogy, using rare and previously unseen documents to illuminate their unique family dynamic. Through his chronicling of events like the Royal Wedding, George VI’s death and the discovery of the Duke of Windsor’s treacherous activities in WWII, Larman paints a vivid portrait of the end of one sovereign’s reign and the beginning of another’s that heralded a new Elizabethan Age which would bring power and glory back to a monarchy desperately in need of it.

________________________________________________________

Book 3 in his carefully researched trilogy, "Power and Glory" is Alexander Larman's conclusion to the saga of King Edward VIII and King George VI of England. The first two books followed the death of their father, King George V and the abdication crisis as Edward (David to the family) abdicated his responsibilities to the throne, meaning his younger brother (Bertie in the family) had to become king. It ended up being the best thing that could happen for England, even if the stress and strain of the job probably helped kill him. Book two follows World War 2 and Bertie leading England while David flits around being thoughtless at best, a Nazi sympathizer and possibly quite a bit more. 

Book 3, "Power and Glory" is the immediate aftermath of the war. England is dealing with economic crisis and a shrinking empire, George VI is trying to deal with local crisis as well as the rise of Communist Russia and his own failing health. Elizabeth is growing up, falling in love with Phillip, and marrying him despite some push back. I was saddened by reading exactly how ill George VI was and how much he suffered, but the rest of that part of the story didn't hold my attention too much. What I very much enjoyed was when the story would switch to David and Wallis.

Trying desperately to hold on to some level of power or relevance in the world, David and Wallis try to get the crown to have the former king made a kind of ambassador so he can have social parties and get the government to pay for them (and not pay taxes). Surprisingly, the government declines this offer. So they start trying to see what kind of trouble they can cause.

Probably a tragic-comedy if they weren't so thoroughly dislikable, the detailed research into David and Wallis' actions and how the British government and the Royal family had to deal with them were by far my favorite parts of this book, and I'd recommend it for that alone. If you're interested in Britain post WW2, this is a good place to start. 

As always, thoroughly researched and generally well written, if occasionally given to more "if they only knew then"type of chapter endings than I prefer, Larman's "Power and Glory" is a solid conclusion to his trilogy on the Windsor family and Great Britain and their combined experiences in World War II. 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review