CROWN & SCEPTRE

An authoritative biography of the British monarchy

Author: Tracy Borman Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Price: £25 Released: Out now

There have been many biographies of British monarchs, but in Crown & Sceptre Tracy Borman has set out to achieve what might seem like the impossible: a biography of the British monarchy itself, from William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning in 1066 and ending in the modern era, this timely work is a fascinating exploration of an ever-changing and evolving institution and a portrait of the world around it.

Borman has divided the book by dynasty, and each individual dynasty into chapters.

Each of these chapters is a potted biography of a monarch, leading to a comprehensive compendium of royal life stories. These biographies are equally fascinating taken individually or as part of Borman’s impressive tapestry that tells the story of the British monarchy and its continual evolution. Crown & Sceptre is not only a book about British royalty but also a fascinating study of the identity of the nation itself, from culture to religion and beyond.

This could easily have become an unwieldy book, sinking under the weight of its own ambition and the sheer number of players, but in Borman’s capable hands Crown &

Sceptre is anything but overwhelming. It is a masterfully crafted work that will fascinate anyone with an interest in the history of the monarchy or Great Britain as a whole. It delves beneath the mystique and ancient protocol to examine the deeper meaning of monarchy and the sometimes gritty realities faced by those who wear the crown. Readers will be richly rewarded by this splendid book.