Elizabeth the Queen - Sally Bedell Smith - A Short Summary & Review
Elizabeth the Queen - The Life of a Modern Monarch By Sally Bedell Smith - A Short Summary & Review
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review
The life of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
A short summary:
This biography traces the extraordinary life of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, from a childhood never intended for the crown to decades of steady leadership through war, social upheaval, political transformation, and cultural change. Sally Bedell Smith presents a portrait of a woman shaped by duty, discipline, and a profound sense of service, one who understood the weight of the institution she carried.
The book explores how continuity, restraint, and personal sacrifice became the Queen’s defining tools in preserving the monarchy through the modern age.
My favorite quote from the book:
Questions to ponder while reading:
My review:
This is an engaging read about a genuinely engaging monarch. Queen Elizabeth II emerges as someone whose quiet consistency was not accidental, but intentional, a lifelong commitment to responsibility over personal preference.
I do not envy the Queen’s responsibilities. The relentless scrutiny, the obligation to remain neutral, and the impossibility of ever being fully private make the crown a heavy inheritance.
I do, however, envy the stables and the cars. (Sigh.)
And yet, one suspects you can’t have the pleasures without the burdens. This biography makes clear that the privileges of monarchy are inseparable from its constraints, and that Elizabeth II accepted both with remarkable steadiness. It’s a portrait of leadership defined not by charisma or force, but by endurance, discipline, and an unwavering sense of duty.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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