It's taken me a long time to finish this 943-page bio. I read the first 300 pages or so in June, amidst other books, then decided to read it exclusively through to the end. I had started reading Follett's "Fall of Giants", and after a hundred pages or so, thought Shawcross had done a better, more-informed job of the First World War, so I turned to QE full-time.
This is sub-titled "The Official Biography", and Shawcross evidently took that very seriously, because it is so detailed in every aspect of QE's public life, and it does paint an extremely flattering picture of her.
I have great admiration for Royals - their job is not an easy one, and George VI and Elizabeth were the ultimate, I'd say, in meeting and visiting people, keeping in touch, becoming patrons and so on. The rigours of royal tours became very evident in this book - there would be complaints from people around them, but rarely from the main attractions themselves. Right up to the year she died, QE was out visiting, trooping the colours, travelling, entertaining. I'd have been gasping for some time to myself!
King George V's biographer called her " one of the most amazing Queens since Cleopatra". Her smile was infectious, and she never lost the warmth and grace of her childhood years, living in Glamis, Scotland.
Her smile, her unwavering faith and her love of surprises were, for me, the most notable things about QE. She took a lot of delight when things went awry at events. For example, on one visit to Canada, poor weather forced her plane down in Cold Lake, Alberta. She sat in the officer's mess and talked happily with the officers and their wives until her plane could continue its journey.
After her 90th birthday, her daughter Margaret mentioned how much they were now looking forward to her 100th birthday. She replied:" Oh, you mustn't say that. It's unlucky. I mean, I might be run over by a big red bus". When someone mentioned that this was highly unlikely, she replied:"No, it's the principle of the thing. Wouldn't it be terrible if you'd spent all your life doing everything you were supposed to do, didn't drink, didn't smoke, took lots of exercise, all the things you didn't want to do, and suddenly one day you were run over by a big red bus, and as the wheels were crunching into you, you'd say "Oh, my God, I could have got so drunk last night" That's the way you should live your life, as if tomorrow you'll be run over by a big red bus"
And that's exactly how she did live!
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