Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain's Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII - Softcover

Cadbury, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1610396340 ISBN 13: 9781610396349

Publisher: PublicAffairs, 2016

Synopsis

In 1936, the British monarchy faced the greatest threats to its survival in the modern era--the crisis of abdication and the menace of Nazism. The fate of the country rested in the hands of George V's sorely unequipped sons:
-a stammering King George VI, terrified that the world might discover he was unfit to rule
-a dull-witted Prince Henry, who wanted only a quiet life in the army
-the too-glamorous Prince George, the Duke of Kent--a reformed hedonist who found new purpose in the RAF and would become the first royal to die in a mysterious plane crash
-the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, deemed a Nazi-sympathizer and traitor to his own country--a man who had given it all up for love

Princes at War is a riveting portrait of these four very different men miscast by fate, one of whom had to save the monarchy at a moment when kings and princes from across Europe were washing up on England's shores as the old order was overturned. Scandal and conspiracy swirled around the palace and its courtiers, among them dangerous cousins from across Europe's royal families, gold-digging American socialite Wallis Simpson, and the King's Lord Steward, upon whose estate Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess parachuted (seemingly by coincidence) as London burned under the Luftwaffe's tireless raids.

Deborah Cadbury draws on new research, personal accounts from the royal archives, and other never-before-revealed sources to create a dazzling sequel to The King's Speech and tell the true and thrilling drama of Great Britain at war and of a staggering transformation for its monarchy.

About this title

Review:

"A spirited historical lesson...Cadbury weaves an engaging portrait of a king resigned to his fate yet honorably resolute, gaining the cooperation of his two loyal brothers, Gloucester and Kent, and keeping his wayward brother at arm's length and out of trouble. A lively tale of monarchical machinations."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"Impeccably researched, and written with all the brio and understanding of a major historical novel, "Princes at War" takes us intimately and even shockingly into the human dynamics of a barely functional family at the time of our greatest peril." --David Kynaston, author of /i>Family Britain" and "Austerity Britain"
"What happened next? After the abdication of Edward VIII, the crown passed to his reluctant and painfully shy younger brother, George, and the royal 'firm' was faced with the task of putting together again the shattered shards of monarchy. This was no easy task given the disparate personalities and life styles of the royal brothers as this fascinating, detailed and often surprising book reveals." --Juliet Gardiner, author of "Wartime: Britain 1939-1945"
"A thrilling account...Cadbury artfully captures the exhilaration of Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk...her nuanced exploration of the king s reticent temperament and the psychic toll taken by his many troubles creates a fuller picture of the man. "Publishers Weekly, " *STARRED*
A spirited historical lessonCadbury weaves an engaging portrait of a king resigned to his fate yet honorably resolute, gaining the cooperation of his two loyal brothers, Gloucester and Kent, and keeping his wayward brother at arm's length and out of trouble. A lively tale of monarchical machinations.""Kirkus Reviews"
Right from the opening vignette of the 1936 abdication, I was absorbed into a world of jealousy and back-biting but also loyalty, courage and sacrifice. What makes this biography so extraordinary is that Cadbury has carefully plotted a timeline, placing each person, and each event in context, building a clear, concise and riveting web of stories into a wondrous book. "Maclean's"
Cadbury s history of the royal family at war reads like a novel, emphasizing the uncertainty of the early years of the hostilities when the outcome was unknown. "Princes at War" is a gripping account of a royal family at war and the lasting consequences of the conflict for the modern monarchy. Carolyn Harris, royal historian
Deborah Cadbury has written a moving and deeply researched account of the relationships between the royal brothers who were at the heart of history before and during the Second World War. Her story is gripping, illuminating and generous in its recognition of the central, dramatic role of the monarchy in Britain's finest years, and particularly of the quiet heroism of King George VI. William Shawcross, author of "THE QUEEN MOTHER"
Impeccably researched, and written with all the brio and understanding of a major historical novel, "Princes at War" takes us intimately and even shockingly into the human dynamics of a barely functional family at the time of our greatest peril. David Kynaston, author of /i>Family Britain" and "Austerity Britain"
What happened next? After the abdication of Edward VIII, the crown passed to his reluctant and painfully shy younger brother, George, and the royal firm was faced with the task of putting together again the shattered shards of monarchy. This was no easy task given the disparate personalities and life styles of the royal brothers as this fascinating, detailed and often surprising book reveals. Juliet Gardiner, author of "Wartime: Britain 19391945""

Meticulous and measured analysis of the Windsor saga Cadbury deftly weaves the stories of the royal dukes into the unfolding national crisis as appeasement gives way to war.[She] covers the war yearsDunkirk, the Blitz, the Normandy invasionin moving detail "Wall Street Journal"
A gripping account of love and war at this most perilous passage in modern European history.This story of war and remembranceaided by the rediscovery of documentsis one of the most riveting tales of the nonfiction season, rendered with novelistic drama but deliberate detachment. The inner tensions of the palace during wartime and the inner tensions of a remarkable family make for one of the best, and ultimately most uplifting, stories of the war years. "The Boston Globe"
Right from the opening vignette of the 1936 abdication, I was absorbed into a world of jealousy and back-biting but also loyalty, courage and sacrifice. What makes this biography so extraordinary is that Cadbury has carefully plotted a timeline, placing each person, and each event in context, building a clear, concise and riveting web of stories into a wondrous book. "Maclean's"
Ms. Cadbury has written a riveting book that underlines the tragedy of an infinitely powerful family tainted by a scandal as sordid as the duchess could make it. "Washington Times"
A thrilling account of the fallout after Prince Edward, heir to the throne, abdicated to marry his American loveras his brother, Prince Albert, became King George VI and attempted to save Europe from Nazi Germany. Cadbury artfully captures the exhilaration of Operation Dynamo at Dunkirkthe devastation of the London blitz, and the suspenseful planning and execution of the Normandy invasion. Her nuanced exploration of the king s reticent temperament and the psychic toll taken by his many troubles creates a fuller picture of the man, who was destined to lead during a spectacular downfall in British power. "Publishers Weekly, " *STARRED*
A spirited historical lessonCadbury weaves an engaging portrait of a king resigned to his fate yet honorably resolute, gaining the cooperation of his two loyal brothers, Gloucester and Kent, and keeping his wayward brother at arm's length and out of trouble. A lively tale of monarchical machinations. "Kirkus Reviews"
The contrast between the two brothersone dutiful and earnest struggling to deal with the responsibilities that had been forced upon him, the other blithe and solipsisticis drawn with great dramatic effect in "Princes at War" Deborah Cadbury combines the family drama against the backdrop of the war with terrific narrative verve. "The Times" (UK)
"Princes at War" is a well-researched and entertaining account of a particularly poignant period in history Cadbury writes uncommonly well and her book is definitely worth reading. "The Telegraph" (UK)
This is a highly readable and finely written account of the drama which threatened to bring king and country crashing down. Only stammering Bertie emerges as a hero. "Daily Express" (UK)
Cadbury s history of the royal family at war reads like a novel, emphasizing the uncertainty of the early years of the hostilities when the outcome was unknown. "Princes at War" is a gripping account of a royal family at war and the lasting consequences of the conflict for the modern monarchy. Carolyn Harris, royal historian
Deborah Cadbury has written a moving and deeply researched account of the relationships between the royal brothers who were at the heart of history before and during the Second World War. Her story is gripping, illuminating and generous in its recognition of the central, dramatic role of the monarchy in Britain's finest years, and particularly of the quiet heroism of King George VI. William Shawcross, author of "THE QUEEN MOTHER"
Impeccably researched, and written with all the brio and understanding of a major historical novel, "Princes at War" takes us intimately and even shockingly into the human dynamics of a barely functional family at the time of our greatest peril. David Kynaston, author of /i>Family Britain" and "Austerity Britain"
What happened next? After the abdication of Edward VIII, the crown passed to his reluctant and painfully shy younger brother, George, and the royal firm was faced with the task of putting together again the shattered shards of monarchy. This was no easy task given the disparate personalities and life styles of the royal brothers as this fascinating, detailed and often surprising book reveals. Juliet Gardiner, author of "Wartime: Britain 19391945""

"Meticulous and measured analysis of the Windsor saga... Cadbury deftly weaves the stories of the royal dukes into the unfolding national crisis as appeasement gives way to war....[She] covers the war years--Dunkirk, the Blitz, the Normandy invasion--in moving detail"--Wall Street Journal
"A gripping account of love and war at this most perilous passage in modern European history....This story of war and remembrance--aided by the rediscovery of documents--is one of the most riveting tales of the nonfiction season, rendered with novelistic drama but deliberate detachment. The inner tensions of the palace during wartime and the inner tensions of a remarkable family make for one of the best, and ultimately most uplifting, stories of the war years."--The Boston Globe
"Right from the opening vignette of the 1936 abdication, I was absorbed into a world of jealousy and back-biting but also loyalty, courage and sacrifice.... What makes this biography so extraordinary is that Cadbury has carefully plotted a timeline, placing each person, and each event in context, building a clear, concise and riveting web of stories into a wondrous book."--Maclean's

"Ms. Cadbury has written a riveting book that underlines the tragedy of an infinitely powerful family tainted by a scandal as sordid as the duchess could make it."--Washington Times
"A thrilling account of the fallout after Prince Edward, heir to the throne, abdicated to marry his American lover--as his brother, Prince Albert, became King George VI and attempted to save Europe from Nazi Germany.... Cadbury artfully captures the exhilaration of Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk...the devastation of the London blitz, and the suspenseful planning and execution of the Normandy invasion. Her nuanced exploration of the king's reticent temperament and the psychic toll taken by his many troubles creates a fuller picture of the man, who was destined to lead during a 'spectacular downfall' in British power."--Publishers Weekly, *STARRED*
"A spirited historical lesson...Cadbury weaves an engaging portrait of a king resigned to his fate yet honorably resolute, gaining the cooperation of his two loyal brothers, Gloucester and Kent, and keeping his wayward brother at arm's length and out of trouble. A lively tale of monarchical machinations."--Kirkus Reviews

"The contrast between the two brothers--one dutiful and earnest struggling to deal with the responsibilities that had been forced upon him, the other blithe and solipsistic--is drawn with great dramatic effect in Princes at War... Deborah Cadbury combines the family drama against the backdrop of the war with terrific narrative verve."--The Times (UK)
"Princes at War is a well-researched and entertaining account of a particularly poignant period in history ... Cadbury writes uncommonly well and her book is definitely worth reading."--The Telegraph (UK)
"This is a highly readable and finely written account of the drama which threatened to bring king and country crashing down. Only stammering Bertie emerges as a hero."--Daily Express (UK)
"Cadbury's history of the royal family at war reads like a novel, emphasizing the uncertainty of the early years of the hostilities when the outcome was unknown. ... Princes at War is a gripping account of a royal family at war and the lasting consequences of the conflict for the modern monarchy."--Carolyn Harris, royal historian

About the Author:

Deborah Cadbury is the author of seven acclaimed books including Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, for which the accompanying series received a BAFTA nomination for Best Series; The Feminization of Nature; The Dinosaur Hunters; The Lost King of France; Space Race; and Chocolate Wars. Before turning to writing full time, she worked for thirty years as a BBC TV producer and executive producer and has won numerous international awards, including an Emmy Award. She lives in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1610396340
• ISBN 13: 9781610396349
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400