Alexander Larman

If my first book was a ticking-clock’s suspense thriller set against the backdrop of something thought constitutionally unprecedented, and the second a wartime saga that explored a dysfunctional, squabbling family tested to its limits, so this one too has a simple story at its heart: it is an account of a close and loving father-and-daughter relationship, albeit one where the father is dying and the daughter is facing upheaval and change on an unimaginable scale.

From the Introduction of Power and Glory by Alexander Larman

“I am not a monarchist,” Larman writes in his Introduction to Power and Glory. Yet at their best, the royal family exhibited virtues such that when he finished writing this book, Larman wanted to leap onto a table and shout, “God Save the Queen!”
I have been riveted by all three volumes of Larman’s trilogy, beginning with The Crown in Crisis, about the turmoil created with the abdication of Edward VIII, and continuing with The Windsors at War, set during WWII with the new king juggling the threat of Nazi Germany and keeping his ex-king Nazi sympathizer brother out of trouble. Power and Glory finishes the series with the end of the war, England in economic crisis and the king in failing health and Princess Elizabeth coming into adulthood and assuming the throne.

Sure, I knew the basic facts from other books and television series and such. Yet Larman’s narrative is so compelling and accessible, with some snarky humor tossed in, and the political intrigues so interesting, I couldn’t stop reading. In fact, I would love to spend a week and reread the entire trilogy nonstop.

Throughout this time in history, the Duke of Windsor continued to bemoan and complain about the loss of the perks of being royalty, the lack of funds necessary to keep up the lifestyle to which he had been accustomed, and the lack of a permanent home, preferably where he didn’t need to pay taxes. And, he continued to press for Wallis’ reception by the royal family and given the title Her Royal Highness. He claimed she had made him deliriously happy, without either ever seeming happy with their lot in life. Apparently, love isn’t everything. So, the Duke and Duchess got creative with what was apparently insurance fraud. Then the Duke decided to write his biography for easy money, except he was unable to concentrate on getting it done.

Meanwhile, King George VI had exhausted his health during the war, with additional harm from taking up smoking as self-medication for stress. He was dealing with the end of US financial support and rebuilding the British economy and repairing all the war damage. Churchill was out; Atlee and the Labor party were in and the king’s role in government was diminished. There was some question as to the point of a royal family. The king was pretty cranky, even mistreating a corgi. Meantime, the Duke of Windsor fantasized about assuming the role of regent at the King’s death, for obviously Elizabeth was too young for the job.

His daughter Elizabeth was the king’s main support, but she had fallen for her distant cousin Phillip Mountbatten. Philip was handsome, but was not quite up to standards–brusk, informal, shabby, poor, and a Greek citizen to boot. The family whisked the princess away on a tour which did nothing for the king’s health but showed Elizabeth was firm in her love choice.

I am either very brave or very stupid.
Philip Mountbatten, quoted in Power and Glory by Alexander Larman

Elizabeth got her man. In fact, she ‘got’ several other notable men, including President Truman and Winston Churchill, both love-struck. What a gal! And, she not only took on the mantle of queen with aplomb, she showed herself to be serious and informed and ready.

And so the book ends with the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II, just six months before I was born, and which ended while the author was writing.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.… (more)

I missed reading the first book about the Windsors by Alexander Larman, but this recent book was so full of details that I didn’t feel as if I came in in the middle of a story. Having already read quite a bit about England and Winston Churchill and WWII, I recognized many of the names within the pages of this book.

Having said that, I was hoping for more writing about the two brothers and their relationship, but in this book it seemed their relationship mostly consisted of letters and their staff carrying messages to each brother from the other.

I can understand the problem Edward presented during the war, having abdicated and needing to step aside to let George lead the country. Edward seemed blind to the fact that by abdicating he would lose his power and prestige. It was hard not to feel as if he was the big whiner all through the book, and constantly straddling the fence as to where his true loyalty lay. Personally, I feel he was loyal only to himself.

Reading this over 60 years later in history, it seems so silly that Wallis was treated so badly, yet now they are more willing to accept divorce and other scruples within the royal family. I could not help feeling that had the family accepted the marriage, they could have let Edward remain in England and kept more control over his activities and immediately put an end to his questionable behavior.

Readers who love History and WWII will find this interesting. I plan to read his first book at some point, just to get more background on the time when Edward abdicated.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy.… (more)

The Windsors at War offers a highly readable, carefully researched exploration of the relationship during WWII between George VI and his brother, who ruled as Edward VIII before abdicating in order to marry U.S. divorcee Wallis Simpson. This title follows up on Alexander Larman's previous volume, The Crown in Crisis (I have not yet read this), which examines the lives of the Windsors during Edward VIII's years as the adult Prince of Wales, during his reign, and his ultimate decision to abdicate.

If you've seen The King's Speech, you know some of the backstory (at least the Hollywood version). Edward (called David by his family, but we'll stick with titular names for the sake of simplicity), the oldest of the Windsor sons, had been raised as a king-to-be. He was a dilettante, but he also knew what to expect in terms of his obligations to the nation and empire. He was gregarious and well-prepared to take on the role of King before courtiers, representatives of other governments, and the English people. George (called Bertie by his family, but again, we're sticking with titular names) was quite content as the second son. He was shy, tended to be awkward around people he didn't know, and stuttered, as well as having other nervous tics. For George, the abdication was devastating. He didn't want to be king; he wasn't trained to be king. But he was king—and at a time when war with Germany was becoming increasingly inevitable.

Larman's book reads like a novel—a very precise, historically accurate novel. He's a gifted story-teller always ready with an apt turn of phrase, but he sticks to facts and does little in the way of surmising. I'd expected reading The Windsors at War would be something of a slog—a task I was willing to take on and knew would yield information of a sort I enjoy—but I hadn't anticipated how engaging it would be and the difficulty I would have putting it down to attend to other responsibilities.

I gather that Edward's biographers tend to fall into one of two camps (perhaps I exaggerate just a little here): those who present his life as one ill-chosen conspiracy after another and those determined to exculpate him in the face of such accusations. Larman does neither. He is honest that he finds Edward thoroughly unlikable as an individual, but doesn't press readers to embrace that view. Instead, his depiction of Edward shows him to be rather self-centered, impractical, and unable to grasp the ramifications of his decision to abdicate.

Larman's depiction of George has a certain vagueness to it. He tells us what George did, cites excerpts from George's diaries and correspondence, but George never comes across as a personality in the way Edward does. This may be a result of George being exactly the sort of man he was: one not eager to share intimacies or to step into the limelight, who was utterly rigid in his expectations for himself in his role as war-time king.

If you're interested in WWII history, British history, or even historical scandals, you'll find The Windsors at War and excellent read. I was delighted to receive an electronic review copy of of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; my enthusiastic response to the book is genuine.… (more)

This book was sent to me by the publishers St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you.

The Windsors at War by Alexander Larman

What distinguishes this book from many of the books about the Windsors is the meticulous quoting of sources. When the author quotes an ourtageous statement by the Duke of Windsor, he backs it up with letter from Edward, a diary entry from a witness, a newspaper article etc. Was the Duke a traitor? Larman does not give definitive proof that he was actively colluding with Nazi Germany.

Was he does show is that the Duke was a selfish, egoist who could kept bothering Churchill and George VI during the height of the blitz about the recognition of Wallis as HRH the Duchess of Windsor. He seems at times to forget that he was a "former" king and expected Churchill and George VI to listen to and act upon his suggestions. He certainly demanded George VI defer to him as the older and wiser brother. There are veiled threats which amount to nothing, although the gorvernment kept having to try to appease him so he didn't do something stupid like declare himself a roving ambassaor for peace and muddy the diplomatic waters.

While the Duke was acting like a spoiled child, George VI was follownig the advice of the government preparing for war while still exploring the possibility of peace. He, supported by his wife, never faltered in his duty as king. The contrast between the two brothers is very clear: A rock and quicksand.

So was the Duke a traitor who actively worked against his country so he could be reenthroned as Edward VIII? The truth will only emerge if more records are released in the decades to come.… (more)