A novel about Queen Elizabeth II (fictional though it may be) um, yes please! I just recently got around to finally being able to watch season three of The Crown (I know right, its about time), along with a bunch of documentaries about the English Monarchy (one of the perks about being in quarantine? I guess?) so i’ve been eager for some more British royalty related content.

From the Tudors to the Windsors and all of the monarchs in between, I have long been fascinated with English Royalty, and love reading and watching things about them, whether it be fictional or non-fictional.

As soon as I set eyes on the gorgeous cover for Before the Crown I couldn’t click request fast enough, nor could I have the arc downloaded onto my iPad quickly enough.

This novel is about the love story between Queen Elizabeth and Phillip of Greece. Though a fictional story about their courtship, it was beautifully written, and I was captivated from the very first pages.

I loved the feeling I got as I was reading, as if I had stepped into the halls of Windsor Palace through the pages of the book, feeling as if I was really there, mingling among the royals in the palace, watching the courtship between Elizabeth and Philip unfold right before my eyes.

And as Elizabeth’s and Phillip’s courtship progressed, WWII raged on outside of the palace walls, and that important sense of history could be felt while I read, something I really appreciated, as it was a vital piece of history that took place during that time, despite this being a fictional tale.

Philip’s family has been in exile for years, he basically has been raised by his Mountbatten relatives since he was younger. His uncle Dickie Mountbatten sees marriage to the heir to the throne as a goal to be pursued and constantly pushes this narrative onto the young Philip, even before he really gets to know Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, not yet the queen during this story, still a princess, is the heir to the throne, is well aware of her importance within her family and her country, even while she is besotted with the young Philip. She has made no secret of her early attraction to Philip, but what was Philip’s motivation? Did he come to love her? Or did he see Elizabeth as his way into a secure future?

This is a captivating, whirlwind story that casts a spotlight on two people coming to know each other during a time when a world war was raging around them, and society was still bound by a certain set of tightly bound rules.

The author obviously did her research, and the story was very entertaining. I was engrossed from the very start!

I would recommend this for anyone who has any interest in Queen Elizabeth II (for obvious reasons) and the tv show The Crown!

I loved this book! I've always been fascinated by the royal family, and this book gave great insight into the courting of Queen Elizabeth and Philip before she was queen. It was very well researched and really entertaining. If you like watching The Crown, you will love this book. I look forward to more from this author. I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.

If I’m really honest this book has left me confused. I could rate it 1 star but also 5. It was compelling but cringy. It felt very much like well written bad fan fiction from someone just a bit too obsessed with The Queen. I couldn’t put it down and if you loved The Crown you’ll love this too.

Thankyou to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author, Flora Harding, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Before The Crown in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such a beautifully written and detailed book. It was such a good read. 3.5 stars.
Worth a read,

This novel was just so beautifully written. A forbidden love story between Princess Elizabeth and First Lieutenant Philip. The storyline truly shows the ultimate sacrifice a completely besotted couple would go for love. The words were so captivating and it was as if I was in their timeline.

I highly recommend this novel to those who love forbidden romance and brilliant writing.

Before the Crown is a fictional story of the courtship of Princess Elizabeth of England and Prince Philip of Greece. The author has researched her subject well and the account she has written seems immensely plausible. Philip’s family has been in exile for years and he basically has been raised by his Mountbatten relatives since he was a youngster. His uncle Dickie Mountbatten sees marriage to the heir to the British throne as a goal to be pursued and he constantly pushes this narrative to young Philip. This couple now has been married for 73 years. Queen Elizabeth has made no secret of her early attraction to her husband, but what was Philip’s motivation? Did he come to love her or did he see Elizabeth as his way into a secure future? This is a lovely, well written read shining a spotlight on two people coming to know each other during a world at war and a society still bound by stringent class rules. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

This was beautifully written historical fiction that I literally couldn’t put down. The characters were beautifully depicted, and the storyline was well developed. Highly recommended!

Elizabeth is thirteen when she is charmed by the handsome young man playing croquet with her and her sister Margaret.
When she is 17 she is surprised to see him again at a play she is performing in. However she is excited.
Elizabeth knows who she is, she is a princess. Heir to the throne of England. She has no qualms about what that means. She will marry a prince who will be her consort. Love has nothing to do with it. She knows her duty and she will perform it to the best of her abilities.
Deep inside she asks herself this question, what if live has a little to do with it. It would make being Queen that much easier.
This is beautiful story of Elizabeth and Phillip. How they met how they became engaged. A story of a lifetime. Well written!!