When Edward VII's funeral cortege passed through central London in 1910, the thousands that took to the streets little realised that many of the crown heads of Europe who followed the coffin were shortly to face revolution and exile. But the British royal family has shown an instinct for survival that has prompted it to continually feel the pulse of its people, modernising and reinventing along the way. In the meantime, a nation has witnessed a compelling family saga like no other.
Over the last century, a constitution has been thrown into crisis with the abdication of Edward VIII, royal divorces have become commonplace and Queen Elizabeth II faced a serious turn in public sympathy following Princess Diana's death. Yet the dutiful stoicism has always attracted loyalty from the nation, culminating in Diamond Jubilee celebrations whose pomp and splendour was watched enviously around the world.
While this book captures the public moments that have defined the British royal story over the last century, it also reminds us of the quirky fallibility of a family who must live their lives with the spotlight forever on.
