Power and Glory: Elizabeth II and the Rebirth of Royalty

British historian and journalist Larman brings his trilogy about the House of Windsor to a close with this offering that draws on previously unpublished primary sources. The first two books—The Crown in Crisis and The Windsors at War—related the events leading up to and including the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII, who renounced his royal role to marry Wallis Simpson. The third installment picks up where those two left off and takes readers through the end of World War II. Larman shows how Edward VIII, who later became the Duke of Windsor, tried to find a role for himself post-abdication, which led to the duke’s publishing (with the help of a ghostwriter) his memoirs. Larman also narrates notable events in the monarchy, from the celebration of VE Day in 1945 to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. He portrays Elizabeth as a kind of heroine who, as princess, took on more royal duties to help out her father (King George VI) when he fell ill. The book also discusses the discovery of the Duke of Windsor’s treacherous activities in WWII, which revealed his seeming sympathies with fascism and Hitler.