The Kings and Queens of England

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The club of royal families of Europe that continually intermarried obviously made for some thorough genetic mixing. This is a book that I have had for a long time (1977), and which I have read and also dipped into at different times when I want a history of a time in England.

On a positive note, Crofton smoothly presents the transition of ultimate monarchism to the ceremonial role it holds today; helping the reader understand the modern-day impact of their role. There is as much, if not more, attention paid to the familial and personal aspects of England's kings and queens as there is to their domestic and foreign policies. For each monarch there is a detailed timeline, and the narrative is further amplified by display quotations, feature boxes, and panels of key biographical facts. But after watching The King’s Speech and being also in the midst of working my way through Shakespeare's historical plays (to which this makes an excellent companion), I decided to dive in and read it cover to cover.Ian Crofton provides a similar directory in, “Kings and Queens of England: The Lives and Reigns of the Monarchs of England”. I've thoroughly skimmed through this book, but this year it is my goal to sit down each night and read each chapter (monarch) in its entirety. As a young girl, Elizabeth's life changed for ever when her Papa was crowned King George VI and the family moved into Buckingham Palace. The author is witty and irreverent and his "tell-it-like-it-was" approach keeps you engaged throughout. Brenda Ralph Lewis has written more than 100 books and hundreds of magazine articles, as well as radio and television documentaries, on subjects including history (both ancient and modern), myth and legend, animal and insect life, archaeology and genealogy.

Then we get to the 20th century - and - oh good lord - according to this text, the monarchy did no wrong ever, all the common people loved them, the press are just big old meanies with their modern attitudes of demanding transparency, and Elizabeth II is a goddess on earth. A paperback edition of the official illustrated history of the Crown Jewels, the most famous jewellery collection in the world housed at the Tower of London, incorporating spectacular new photographs with stunning details.

I've always found the homosexual antics of James I particularly amusing, especially given he gave his name to the ever popular version of the Bible – or is it just me who sees this as being somewhat amusingly ironic? Also I liked that it went beyond just the Tudor Monarchs because I wanted to read about James I and VI too as he's Mary, Queen of Scots' son, so that was pretty interesting. Almost always a war going on, and some kings felt obliged to lead their armies or at least make that illusion. The term ‘brief’ is not an exaggeration as the issue with “Kings and Queens of England” is that it is much too summarized and simplified. So, all the monarchs are here if you need to consult a who's who of when different monarchs reigned, but the text is just a wee bit biased in their favor.

I got this volume at a used library sale a number of years ago and have frequently skimmed various parts. Il saw stupid mistakes all over the place which shouldn't be present in a final version for publishing. The big names are of course especially fascinating subjects, of whom there are too many among such a lineage to even begin commenting upon.Includes an accessible guide to the monarchs of both England and Scotland with extensive royal history distilled into a handy, compact format, concise summaries of every English sovereign from Alfred the Great and his Saxon ancestors to King Charles III, a family tree for each of the royal houses and so much more!

He has a pair for every occasion: coronation pants (he can't be crowned without them), organic pants (edible in royal emergencies) and even inflatable space-pants (because one never knows when they might come in handy). The photographs, which span the colours of the rainbow and a century of style, are gloriously accessorised with captions and commentary by. But then again, just how could you convince someone that it would be a good idea to spend a life doing whatever it is that Charles has been doing, without them being dumb as dog's shit? She loves to swim, but can't quite figure out how to get to the water without her devoted subjects glimpsing her swimming suit. Despite its reputation as the longest established in Europe, the history of the English monarchy is punctuated by scandal, murders, betrayals, plots, and treason.Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you.