Matriarch
Queen Mary and the House of Windsor
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Matriarch
Buy for $19.77
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Corrie James
-
By:
-
Anne Edwards
About this listen
The life of Princess May of Teck is one of the great Cinderella stories in history. From a family of impoverished nobility, she was chosen by Queen Victoria as the bride for her eldest grandson, the scandalous Duke of Clarence, heir to the throne, who died mysteriously before their marriage. Despite this setback, she became queen, mother of two kings, grandmother of the current queen, and a lasting symbol of the majesty of the British throne. Her pivotal role in the abdication of her eldest son, the Duke of Windsor, is just one of the events that provide the backdrop for both thrilling biography and for narrating the splendors and tragedies of the entire house of Windsor.
©1984 Anne Edwards (P)2017 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Bertie: A Life of Edward VII
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 22 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 579
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 519
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 512
Entertaining and different, this is an enjoyable study of a flawed yet characterful Prince of Wales seen through the eyes of the women in his life. Edward Vll, who gave his name to the Edwardian Age and died in 1911, was King of England for the final 10 years of his life. He was 59 when at last he came to the throne. Known as Bertie, the eldest son of Victoria and Albert, he was bullied by both his parents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried when I finished
- By Silverthorne on 04-22-14
By: Jane Ridley
-
Queen Mary
- The Official Biography
- By: James Pope-Hennessy, Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 93
When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a queen consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers, and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent! UPDATED review after 2nd listen.
- By Geri A on 07-31-21
By: James Pope-Hennessy, and others
-
George V
- Never a Dull Moment
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Joanna David
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 200
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 177
The grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, King George V reigned over the British Empire from 1910 to 1936, a period of unprecedented international turbulence. Yet no one could deny that as a young man, George seemed uninspired. As his biographer Harold Nicolson famously put it, "he did nothing at all but kill animals and stick in stamps.” The contrast between him and his flamboyant, hedonistic, playboy father Edward VII could hardly have been greater.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
great but long listen
- By aleks r on 02-23-22
By: Jane Ridley
-
George, Nicholas and Wilhelm
- Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
- By: Miranda Carter
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 21 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 615
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 513
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 506
In the years before the First World War, the great European powers were ruled by three first cousins: King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Together, they presided over the last years of dynastic Europe and the outbreak of the most destructive war the world had ever seen, a war that set twentieth-century Europe on course to be the most violent continent in the history of the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
interesting and entertaining work of history
- By D. Littman on 01-16-11
By: Miranda Carter
-
The Palace Papers
- Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil
- By: Tina Brown
- Narrated by: Tina Brown
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,434
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,093
Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades, and her sweeping account is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Stylish, witty, and erudite, The Palace Papers will irrevocably change how the world perceives and understands the royal family.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Audible narration is dreadful
- By M M. on 05-03-22
By: Tina Brown
-
The Husband Hunters
- American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy
- By: Anne de Courcy
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 686
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 586
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 583
Towards the end of the 19th century and for the first few years of the 20th, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege, and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, 50 years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known "Dollar Princess", married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bondfide Valuable History Lesson
- By A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. on 09-21-18
By: Anne de Courcy
-
Bertie: A Life of Edward VII
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 22 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 579
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 519
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 512
Entertaining and different, this is an enjoyable study of a flawed yet characterful Prince of Wales seen through the eyes of the women in his life. Edward Vll, who gave his name to the Edwardian Age and died in 1911, was King of England for the final 10 years of his life. He was 59 when at last he came to the throne. Known as Bertie, the eldest son of Victoria and Albert, he was bullied by both his parents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried when I finished
- By Silverthorne on 04-22-14
By: Jane Ridley
-
Queen Mary
- The Official Biography
- By: James Pope-Hennessy, Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 93
When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a queen consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers, and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent! UPDATED review after 2nd listen.
- By Geri A on 07-31-21
By: James Pope-Hennessy, and others
-
George V
- Never a Dull Moment
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Joanna David
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 200
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 177
The grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, King George V reigned over the British Empire from 1910 to 1936, a period of unprecedented international turbulence. Yet no one could deny that as a young man, George seemed uninspired. As his biographer Harold Nicolson famously put it, "he did nothing at all but kill animals and stick in stamps.” The contrast between him and his flamboyant, hedonistic, playboy father Edward VII could hardly have been greater.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
great but long listen
- By aleks r on 02-23-22
By: Jane Ridley
-
George, Nicholas and Wilhelm
- Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
- By: Miranda Carter
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 21 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 615
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 513
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 506
In the years before the First World War, the great European powers were ruled by three first cousins: King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Together, they presided over the last years of dynastic Europe and the outbreak of the most destructive war the world had ever seen, a war that set twentieth-century Europe on course to be the most violent continent in the history of the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
interesting and entertaining work of history
- By D. Littman on 01-16-11
By: Miranda Carter
-
The Palace Papers
- Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil
- By: Tina Brown
- Narrated by: Tina Brown
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,434
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,093
Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades, and her sweeping account is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Stylish, witty, and erudite, The Palace Papers will irrevocably change how the world perceives and understands the royal family.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Audible narration is dreadful
- By M M. on 05-03-22
By: Tina Brown
-
The Husband Hunters
- American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy
- By: Anne de Courcy
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 686
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 586
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 583
Towards the end of the 19th century and for the first few years of the 20th, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege, and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, 50 years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known "Dollar Princess", married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bondfide Valuable History Lesson
- By A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. on 09-21-18
By: Anne de Courcy
-
The Queen Mother
- The Official Biography
- By: William Shawcross
- Narrated by: William Shawcross
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 140
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 143
The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, grandmother of Prince Charles - and the most beloved British monarch of the 20th century. Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon - the ninth of the Earl of Strathmore’s 10 children - was born on August 4, 1900, and, certainly, no one could have imagined that her long life (she died in 2002) would come to reflect a changing nation over the course of an entire century.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Abridged version -
- By LCH on 01-07-16
-
Royal Sisters
- Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret
- By: Anne Edwards
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
In Royal Sisters, Anne Edwards, author of the best-selling Vivien Leigh: A Biography and Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor, has written the first dual biography of Elizabeth, the princess who was to become Queen, and her younger sister, Margaret, who was to be her subject. From birth to maturity, they were the stuff of which dreams are made.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where's The Rest?
- By Simone on 12-19-17
By: Anne Edwards
-
Clementine
- The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill
- By: Sonia Purnell
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 17 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,489
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,327
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,312
By Winston Churchill's own admission, victory in the Second World War would have been "impossible without her". Until now, however, the only existing biography of Churchill's wife, Clementine, was written by her daughter. Sonia Purnell finally gives Clementine her due with a deeply researched account that tells her life story, revealing how she was instrumental in softening FDR's initial dislike of her husband and paving the way for Britain's close relationship with America.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Exasperating At Times But Very Good--
- By Gillian on 04-09-18
By: Sonia Purnell
-
Elizabeth the Queen
- The Life of a Modern Monarch
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 21 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 900
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 784
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 785
From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
The world's longest public relations statement
- By Truth Speaker on 01-30-12
-
George VI and Elizabeth
- The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 22 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
A revelatory account of how the loving marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth saved the monarchy during World War II, and how they raised their daughter to become Queen Elizabeth II, based on exclusive access to the Royal Archives—from the bestselling author of Elizabeth the Queen and Prince Charles.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great telling of their lives
- By Nancy on 04-15-23
-
The Queen Mother
- The Untold Story of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Who Became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
- By: Lady Colin Campbell
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 25 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 172
For the first time, Lady Colin Campbell reveals the fascinating and moving life of The Queen Mother. With unparalleled sources, including members of the Royal Family, aristocrats, and friends and relatives of Elizabeth herself, this mesmerizing account takes us inside the real and sometimes astonishing world of the royal family.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Real Person
- By The Barbster on 01-05-19
-
Queen Victoria's Matchmaking
- The Royal Marriages That Shaped Europe
- By: Deborah Cadbury
- Narrated by: Charlotte Strevens
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 168
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 148
A captivating exploration of the role in which Queen Victoria exerted the most international power and influence: as a matchmaking grandmother. Queen Victoria's Matchmaking travels through the glittering, decadent palaces of Europe from London to Saint Petersburg, weaving in scandals, political machinations, and family tensions. It is at once an intimate portrait of a royal family and an examination of the conflict caused by the marriages the Queen arranged. At the heart of it all is Victoria herself: doting grandmother one moment, determined Queen Empress the next.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautifully written and narrated
- By LitLadyK on 01-08-19
By: Deborah Cadbury
-
Behind the Throne
- A Domestic History of the British Royal Household
- By: Adrian Tinniswood
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 220
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 200
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 199
In Behind the Throne, historian Adrian Tinniswood uncovers the reality of five centuries of life at the English court, taking the listener on a remarkable journey from one Queen Elizabeth to another and exploring life as it was lived by clerks and courtiers and clowns and crowned heads: the power struggles and petty rivalries, the tension between duty and desire, the practicalities of cooking dinner for thousands and of ensuring the king always won when he played a game of tennis.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Worthwhile
- By G. Cole on 12-13-18
-
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 22 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,052
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,722
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,701
This acclaimed best seller from popular historian Alison Weir is a fascinating look at the Tudor family dynasty and its most infamous ruler. The Six Wives of Henry VIII brings to life England’s oft-married monarch and the six wildly different but equally fascinating women who married him. Gripping from the first sentence to the last and loaded with fascinating details, Weir’s rich history is a perfect blend of scholarship and entertainment.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Overview AND Sordid Details
- By Troy on 10-29-13
By: Alison Weir
-
Vanderbilt
- The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty
- By: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
- Narrated by: Anderson Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,921
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,141
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,114
New York Times best-selling author and journalist Anderson Cooper teams with New York Times best-selling historian and novelist Katherine Howe to chronicle the rise and fall of a legendary American dynasty - his mother’s family, the Vanderbilts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting Approach to a Well Known History
- By HistoryNerd on 09-24-21
By: Anderson Cooper, and others
-
Traitor King
- The Scandalous Exile of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor
- By: Andrew Lownie
- Narrated by: Andrew Lownie
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 316
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 256
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 255
December 11, 1936. The King of England, Edward VIII, has given up his crown, foregoing his duty for the love of Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Their courtship has been dogged by controversy and scandal, but with Edward's abdication, they can live happily ever after.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
All That is Glamour can be Rotten
- By Joe France on 08-26-22
By: Andrew Lownie
-
Daughter of Empire
- My Life as a Mountbatten
- By: Pamela Hicks
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 240
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 242
Few families can boast of not one but two saints among their ancestors, a great-aunt who was the last tsarina of Russia, a father who was Grace Kelly's pinup, and a grandmother who was not only a princess but could also argue the finer points of naval law. Pamela Mountbatten entered a remarkable family when she was born at the very end of the Roaring Twenties.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautifully Impressive Narrative of Aristocracy
- By Robert W Bruso on 08-31-17
By: Pamela Hicks
Critic reviews
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Queen Mary
- The Official Biography
- By: James Pope-Hennessy, Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 93
When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a queen consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers, and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent! UPDATED review after 2nd listen.
- By Geri A on 07-31-21
By: James Pope-Hennessy, and others
-
George VI and Elizabeth
- The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 22 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
A revelatory account of how the loving marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth saved the monarchy during World War II, and how they raised their daughter to become Queen Elizabeth II, based on exclusive access to the Royal Archives—from the bestselling author of Elizabeth the Queen and Prince Charles.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great telling of their lives
- By Nancy on 04-15-23
-
Princess Mary
- The First Modern Princess
- By: Elisabeth Basford, Hugo Vickers - foreword
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Princess Diana is seen as the first member of the British royal family to tear up the rulebook, and the duchess of Cambridge is modernizing the monarchy in strides. But before them was another who paved the way: Princess Mary.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So many things I didn't know
- By Etoile NEOhio on 01-28-22
By: Elisabeth Basford, and others
-
Bertie: A Life of Edward VII
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 22 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 579
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 519
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 512
Entertaining and different, this is an enjoyable study of a flawed yet characterful Prince of Wales seen through the eyes of the women in his life. Edward Vll, who gave his name to the Edwardian Age and died in 1911, was King of England for the final 10 years of his life. He was 59 when at last he came to the throne. Known as Bertie, the eldest son of Victoria and Albert, he was bullied by both his parents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried when I finished
- By Silverthorne on 04-22-14
By: Jane Ridley
-
The Sphinx
- The Life of Gladys Deacon - Duchess of Marlborough
- By: Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Hugo Vickers
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
One of the most beautiful and brilliant women of her time, Gladys Deacon dazzled as much as she puzzled the glittering social circles in which she moved. Born in Paris to American parents in 1881, she suffered a traumatic childhood after her father shot her mother's lover dead. Educated in America, she returned to Europe, where she captivated and inspired some of the greatest literary and artistic names of the Belle Époque.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lovely and compelling.
- By Gudrun D Whitehead on 03-25-20
By: Hugo Vickers
-
Royal Sisters
- Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret
- By: Anne Edwards
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
In Royal Sisters, Anne Edwards, author of the best-selling Vivien Leigh: A Biography and Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor, has written the first dual biography of Elizabeth, the princess who was to become Queen, and her younger sister, Margaret, who was to be her subject. From birth to maturity, they were the stuff of which dreams are made.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where's The Rest?
- By Simone on 12-19-17
By: Anne Edwards
-
Queen Mary
- The Official Biography
- By: James Pope-Hennessy, Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 93
When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a queen consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers, and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent! UPDATED review after 2nd listen.
- By Geri A on 07-31-21
By: James Pope-Hennessy, and others
-
George VI and Elizabeth
- The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 22 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
A revelatory account of how the loving marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth saved the monarchy during World War II, and how they raised their daughter to become Queen Elizabeth II, based on exclusive access to the Royal Archives—from the bestselling author of Elizabeth the Queen and Prince Charles.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great telling of their lives
- By Nancy on 04-15-23
-
Princess Mary
- The First Modern Princess
- By: Elisabeth Basford, Hugo Vickers - foreword
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Princess Diana is seen as the first member of the British royal family to tear up the rulebook, and the duchess of Cambridge is modernizing the monarchy in strides. But before them was another who paved the way: Princess Mary.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So many things I didn't know
- By Etoile NEOhio on 01-28-22
By: Elisabeth Basford, and others
-
Bertie: A Life of Edward VII
- By: Jane Ridley
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 22 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 579
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 519
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 512
Entertaining and different, this is an enjoyable study of a flawed yet characterful Prince of Wales seen through the eyes of the women in his life. Edward Vll, who gave his name to the Edwardian Age and died in 1911, was King of England for the final 10 years of his life. He was 59 when at last he came to the throne. Known as Bertie, the eldest son of Victoria and Albert, he was bullied by both his parents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried when I finished
- By Silverthorne on 04-22-14
By: Jane Ridley
-
The Sphinx
- The Life of Gladys Deacon - Duchess of Marlborough
- By: Hugo Vickers
- Narrated by: Hugo Vickers
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
One of the most beautiful and brilliant women of her time, Gladys Deacon dazzled as much as she puzzled the glittering social circles in which she moved. Born in Paris to American parents in 1881, she suffered a traumatic childhood after her father shot her mother's lover dead. Educated in America, she returned to Europe, where she captivated and inspired some of the greatest literary and artistic names of the Belle Époque.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lovely and compelling.
- By Gudrun D Whitehead on 03-25-20
By: Hugo Vickers
-
Royal Sisters
- Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret
- By: Anne Edwards
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
In Royal Sisters, Anne Edwards, author of the best-selling Vivien Leigh: A Biography and Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor, has written the first dual biography of Elizabeth, the princess who was to become Queen, and her younger sister, Margaret, who was to be her subject. From birth to maturity, they were the stuff of which dreams are made.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where's The Rest?
- By Simone on 12-19-17
By: Anne Edwards
-
Society's Queen
- The Life of Edith, Marchioness of Londonderry
- By: Anne de Courcy
- Narrated by: Charlotte Strevens
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 14
At the age of 21, Edith Chaplin married one of the most eligible bachelors of the day, the eldest son of the sixth marquess of Londonderry. Her husband served in the Ulster cabinet and was air minister in the National Government of 1934-5. Edith founded the Women's Legion during the First World War and was also an early campaigner for women's suffrage. She created the renowned Mount Stewart Gardens in County Down that are now owned by the National Trust.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Disappointing
- By Etoile NEOhio on 02-02-22
By: Anne de Courcy
-
We Two
- Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals
- By: Gillian Gill
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 18 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 326
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 251
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 251
It was the most influential marriage of the 19th Century - and one of history’s most enduring love stories. Traditional biographies tell us that Queen Victoria inherited the throne as a naïve teenager, when the British Empire was at the height of its power, and seemed doomed to find failure as a monarch and misery as a woman until she married her German cousin Albert and accepted him as her lord and master. Now renowned chronicler Gillian Gill turns this familiar story on its head, revealing a strong, feisty queen, and a brilliant, fragile prince working together to build a family.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I found it extremely moving.
- By Cheryl on 08-07-09
By: Gillian Gill
-
Jennie
- The Life of the American Beauty Who Became the Toast—and Scandal—of Two Continents, Ruled an Age and Raised a Son—Winston Churchill—Who Shaped History
- By: Ralph G. Martin
- Narrated by: Pearl Hewitt
- Length: 26 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 19
Sourcebooks is bringing the internationally acclaimed New York Times bestseller back for a new generation of listeners. Jennie Churchill was not merely Winston’s mother. She was the most captivating and desired woman of her age. Originally from Brooklyn, Jennie became the reigning queen of British society. Beautiful and defiant, she lived with an honesty that made her the talk of two continents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By appreciative reader on 02-13-23
By: Ralph G. Martin
-
The Queen Mother
- The Untold Story of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Who Became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
- By: Lady Colin Campbell
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 25 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 172
For the first time, Lady Colin Campbell reveals the fascinating and moving life of The Queen Mother. With unparalleled sources, including members of the Royal Family, aristocrats, and friends and relatives of Elizabeth herself, this mesmerizing account takes us inside the real and sometimes astonishing world of the royal family.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Real Person
- By The Barbster on 01-05-19
-
Crown & Sceptre
- A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Tracy Borman
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 148
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 147
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book for those new to the monarchy
- By Chris Corsini on 04-05-22
By: Tracy Borman
-
Madness Under the Royal Palms
- Love and Death Behind the Gates of Palm Beach
- By: Laurence Leamer
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 79
In March 1999, a Palm Beach matron and her socially ambitious husband invited the elite of the island for a dinner dance honoring Prince Edward. Among those dancing to the string orchestra that evening would be those accused of murder and spousal abuse, and others who would suffer fates both unseemly and unspeakable. Among the outer circle there would be murders, suicides, and fatal fires.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just what I've been waiting for
- By kk on 09-29-09
By: Laurence Leamer
-
The Rival Queens
- Catherine de' Medici, Her Daughter Marguerite de Valois, and the Betrayal That Ignited a Kingdom
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 805
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 725
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 722
Catherine de' Medici was a ruthless pragmatist and powerbroker who dominated the throne for 30 years. Her youngest daughter, Marguerite, the glamorous "Queen Margot," was a passionate free spirit, the only adversary whom her mother could neither intimidate nor control.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Definitely not a dull bio!
- By Nella on 07-04-15
By: Nancy Goldstone
-
The Husband Hunters
- American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy
- By: Anne de Courcy
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 686
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 586
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 583
Towards the end of the 19th century and for the first few years of the 20th, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege, and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, 50 years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known "Dollar Princess", married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bondfide Valuable History Lesson
- By A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. on 09-21-18
By: Anne de Courcy
-
Victoria
- A Life
- By: A. N. Wilson
- Narrated by: Clive Chafer
- Length: 21 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 208
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 192
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 192
The longest reigning British monarch and female sovereign in history, Queen Victoria was a figure of profound paradox who has mystified historians for over a century. Now in this magisterial biography, A.N. Wilson rebukes the conventional wisdom about her life - that she was merely a "funny little woman in a bonnet" who did next to nothing - to show she was in fact intensely involved in state affairs despite a public façade of inaction.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This book has old and new info
- By Dr. A. on 10-29-14
By: A. N. Wilson
-
The Palace Papers
- Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil
- By: Tina Brown
- Narrated by: Tina Brown
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,434
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,093
Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades, and her sweeping account is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Stylish, witty, and erudite, The Palace Papers will irrevocably change how the world perceives and understands the royal family.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Audible narration is dreadful
- By M M. on 05-03-22
By: Tina Brown
-
The Habsburgs
- To Rule the World
- By: Martyn Rady
- Narrated by: Simon Boughey
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 425
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 362
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 358
The definitive history of a powerful family dynasty who dominated Europe for centuries - from their rise to power to their eventual downfall.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An Excellent and Interesting History
- By Darrel Bishop on 09-14-20
By: Martyn Rady
-
In the Shadow of the Empress
- The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Emma Newman
- Length: 23 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 141
The vibrant, sprawling saga of Empress Maria Theresa - one of the most renowned women rulers in history - and three of her extraordinary daughters, including Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen of France.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Awful narration!
- By Suanne Laqueur on 09-27-21
By: Nancy Goldstone
What listeners say about Matriarch
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deborah Jacob
- 04-26-18
A Fascinating Story Superbly Narrated
This is not your typical royal story. Although it is a biography of Queen Mary, which touches on the royal family from Queen it is the unstated conflict of personal happiness vs. duty that makes this book so intriguing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Lori
- 08-06-18
Royal Approach to a biography
I loved that it still felt as though we are treating the family as Royalty. Not dishy, even though there was plenty to sound smarky about. It took you alongside their journey without bias, but with enough color to help you choose your own sides.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- skiefferteacher
- 09-18-20
Fantastic Book
This book was truly extraordinary. I am fascinated by the English monarchy, and this book helped me to fill in some of the blanks.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lani Ichikawa-ennis
- 07-08-21
What great insight to the royals
Really explains why they were so screwed up. I say were as William seems more empathetic and down to earth. Harry too, although he seems a bit out of sorts from not having the support he needed from his family. Didn't realize how interbred they were.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kym
- 04-16-18
Fantastic read
I absolutely loved this book. It was a wonderful recounting of history, well read, and fascinating.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shawna
- 11-27-17
Great Biography
Loved it. As another reviewer mentioned, I didn't want it to end. Very interesting and informative.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hermione
- 07-10-22
Fascinating story, great reader
The story moves right along, never boring. Interesting account of not just Queen Mary but also her whole family and the time she lived in. Highly recommend this great listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- lbsouth
- 07-22-18
Wow!
As an avid Crown fan, I decided to give this a try. I love Queen Mary's portrayal on the show and new nothing of her story. This book did not disappoint. My only complaint is it is so hard to keep track of all the figures. If I had an actual hard copy I could reference back much easier. Since people are often referred to by title and those change over a persons life time, and many characters have the same first names, it does get a bit confusing. I will say it made me open up my tablet and try to figure out the royal connections through Europe, it is astounding how related everyone was.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- F. P. Gorman
- 08-23-18
Different perspective on familiar history
I enjoyed getting to know this Queen beyond the usual photographs and historical facts. It was interesting to see events unfold from her perspective.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Terri Driscoll
- 07-16-19
Great Historical Book!
If you love British history, you will enjoy this book. It is read beautifully. I would highly recommend it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!