Crown & Sceptre

A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II

De: Tracy Borman

Narrado por: Tracy Borman

The author of The Private Lives of the Tudors illuminates the almost thousand-year history of the British monarchy.

Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England’s various kingdoms, 41 kings and queens have sat on Britain’s throne. “Shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue’s gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs,” as Tracy Borman describes them in her sparkling chronicle, Crown & Sceptre. Ironically, during very few of these 955 years has the throne’s occupant been unambiguously English - whether Norman French, the Welsh-born Tudors, the Scottish Stuarts, and the Hanoverians and their German successors to the present day.

Acknowledging the intrinsic fascination with British royalty, Borman lifts the veil to reveal the remarkable characters and personalities who have ruled and, since the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, more ceremonially reigned. It is a crucial distinction explaining the staying power of the monarchy as the royal family has evolved and adapted to the needs and opinions of its people, avoiding the storms of rebellion that brought many of Europe’s royals to an abrupt end. Richard II; Henry VIII; Elizabeth I; George III; Victoria; Elizabeth II: their names evoke eras and the dramatic events Borman recounts. She is equally attuned to the fabric of monarchy: royal palaces; the way monarchs have been portrayed in art, on coins, in the media; the ceremony and pageantry surrounding the crown.

Elizabeth II is already one of the longest reigning monarchs in history. Crown & Sceptre is a fitting tribute to her remarkable longevity and that of the magnificent institution she represents.

©2021 Tracy Borman (P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Better than I hoped

I wondered if I’d made a mistake in getting this book,,, buyer’s remorse? It was in fact VERY worthwhile, filled w facts, but also deeply personal.

l Love ❤️ It

This was an amazing audible experience. Over 1000 years of monarchy and their great design to keep it in tack. I had no idea how many, Rex' and Regina's there had been until I devoured this outstanding chronicle of their lives. An audible journey 📚 with grit and intrigue. I look forward to listening to it, again and again..... Highly recommend Crown and Scepter.

One of my favorites!!!

Tracy Borman doesn’t dissappoint. I Loved this audiobook! Historically accurate but reads more like a novel rather than a long, tiresome list of facts. The narration was excellent. I actually wanted my commute to work & home to be longer so I could keep listening ! I’m sure I will come back to it again.

Love Tracy’s work!

You can never go wrong with a book from Tracy. I love that she narrated it also.

Superb overview of the English royal family.

Over the last few months, I've been getting every book I can about the English royal family from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II. This book provides a superb overview of this time period.
The narrator does a nice job at pacing the story and keeping the delivery of the story coherent and intact.
The author does an excellent job of humanizing the story and not just regurgitating facts. I found the information provided fascinating and entertaining.
Get this book. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Worth your time & money

Excellent and very interesting. High quality work. Timely. As Elizabeth I passed away the story was updated.

Great history lesson

Loved her ability to make every monarch’s tale engaging. She paints a portrait of each to give you the distinct experience they had on the throne, but she also leaves you wanting to learn more after their chapter is complete. I also appreciated how each monarch was one chapter. It made it very easy to start and stop without being too confused upon my return to the material.

extremely enjoyable review of the English monarchy from William to Elizabeth

Poignantly accurate but necessarily shallow descriptions of English rulers from William the first to Elizabeth the second… Most enjoyable Listen by a delightful speaker…

Outstanding read of the English Monarchy

Tracy has a way of telling the highlights of the monarchs from William the Conqueror in 1066 to Queen Elizabeth II. If English history is your interest, this is a must have! I recommend the audio because she is such a good speaker.

Excellent and comprehensive account!

This is the book I’ve been looking for! Individual biographies of the royals that stand alone leave it to the reader to make the historical connections. Ms Borman gives a chronological overview of every king and queen since the concept of royalty in England. Her biographical accounts are concise yet comprehensive in a way that only someone with vast historical knowledge of the country could put together. Finally I have an understanding of the civil wars that brought about the execution of a king and the years without a reigning royal. Oliver Cromwell was a far more complex man than I had realized. And I finally found out how the Hanovarians came to be royal in England! If only history textbooks were written by Ms Borman, the majority of students would not only grasp the concepts, they would love to go to history class! Thank you, Ms B!!!