Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II

The Amazon No. 1 Bestseller and Sunday Times Bestseller

The definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth II by one of Britain’s leading royal authorities.

'Sensational' - Kirsty Young, BBC1's The Platinum Pageant

'This is a beautifully-crafted, deeply informed and rounded portrait of the gold standard monarch and the age to which she has given her name. Queen of Our Times has depth, feel and insight in abundance’ - historian Peter Hennessy

With original insights from those who knew her best, new interviews with world leaders and access to unseen papers, bestselling author Robert Hardman explores the full, astonishing life of our longest reigning monarch in this compellingly authoritative yet intimate biography.

Elizabeth II was not born to be queen. Yet from her accession as a young mother of two in 1952 to the age of Covid-19, she proved an astute and quietly determined figure, leading her family and her people through more than seventy years of unprecedented social change. She faced constitutional crises, confronted threats against her life, rescued the Commonwealth, saw her prime ministers come and go, charmed world leaders, was criticised as well as feted by the media, and steered her family through a lifetime in the public eye.

Queen of Our Times is a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal, spanning abdication, war, romance, danger and tragedy. It is a compelling portrait of a leader who will remain an icon for generations to come.