The Sunday Times bestseller A Radio 4 Book of the Week, June 2021 ‘Highly readable ... deserves to take its place among the first rank of modern royal biographies’ Daily Mail ‘The narrative is as suspenseful as any thriller. Truly, an excellent read’ Lynn Barber, Sunday Times

Many books have been written about the life of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, yet there always seem to be corners of his long life that have remained unexplored. In this long look back into his early years, Constantinos Lagos and John Carr uncover hitherto unknown aspects of Philip's life as a Greek prince and his gradual transformation from a mere appendage of the troubled Greek royal family to an enduring pillar of the British monarchy. For the first time, Lagos and Carr delve into neglected Greek archives for a fascinating picture of Philip's early Greek life and the constant insecurity that dogged his steps as his father Prince Andrew of Greece and mother Princess Alice struggled to order their own lives in the maelstrom of unstable and often violent Greek politics in a Europe sliding towards world war. The Greek royal family, in which Philip has his roots, is dealt with at length, to bring out the particular family history and circumstances that played no small part in shaping his personality. Anyone curious about how Prince Philip actually grew up will find in this book a wealth of eye-opening, often startling details that will add more brush strokes to the portrait of the often-elusive but real Prince Philip.

This official souvenir publication celebrates the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch. In February 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will mark seventy years as monarch with a celebration known as the Platinum Jubilee. This official publication honors the Queen's reign with a special selection of photographs captured by professional and amateur photographers alike. These photographs document Her Majesty's early life before she acceded to the throne in 1952, her official role as monarch, her travel at home and abroad in support of the Commonwealth, and her fondness for animals and family life. These pictures also demonstrate the Queen's continued efforts to give thanks to those who have served the monarchy and their communities, from official garden parties to the Order of the Garter. These photographs are accompanied by resonant quotations from speeches given by the Queen over the years, including her wartime Children's Hour radio broadcast given at the age of 14, her first televised Christmas Speech in 1957, and her speech welcoming President Obama and the First Lady during their State Visit in 2011. With a varied selection of photographs from Her Majesty's reign, The Queen takes readers on a photographic journey of a remarkable life of duty and service.

The Archbishop of Canterbury called him 'bloody rude', courtiers feared he was 'a foreign interloper out for the goodies', daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson found him 'very frightening' and the Queen Mother labelled him 'the Hun'. Journalists have continually portrayed him as a gaffe-prone serial philanderer, with European outlets going way off-piste and claiming he has fathered 24 illegitimate children. Prince Philip says 'the impression the public has got is unfair', though there is no self-serving autobiography and his interviews with broadcasters or writers are done grudgingly. The Duke sets out to explore the man behind the various myths, drawing on interviews with relations, friends and courtiers and the Duke's own words. It brings to life some rare aspects of his character, from a love of poetry and religion to his fondness for Duke Ellington and his fascination with UFOs. It also explains why for over seven decades he has been the Queen's 'strength and stay' – and why he is regarded by many as a national treasure.