Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor

Rating:
Summary: Royal Watchers will love it.
Review: Anne Edwards is terrific and this book is no exception. It tells the story Queen Mary, the grandmother of the current queen Elizabeth, who rose from a minor royal relative to the queen consort of England. The path was difficult and almost lost - like Catherine of Aragon, she was betrothed to the heir who died prematurely (Edward, the whispered would-be Jack the Ripper) but married his brother instead. One of the most interesting episodes in the book is when her son, Edward VIII, chose love over duty, devastating his mother who had raised him to chose duty to the country over all else.

For real royal watchers, one of the things that sets this work above others in the genre, is the details of the clothing and jewelry worn by Queen Mary and the other royals. Mary was apparently not shy about wearing jewels that befit her station and these details are revealed to the reader. For every royal wedding, funeral and other occasion, Edwards takes time to desribe the clothing worn by the principals. If you've bought People Magazine to see the fashions of Diana, you need to read this book. It's much better that People magazine. Photos (b&w) are included as well.

Rating:
Summary: Royal Watchers will love it.
Review: Anne Edwards is terrific and this book is no exception. It tells the story Queen Mary, the grandmother of the current queen Elizabeth, who rose from a minor royal relative to the queen consort of England. The path was difficult and almost lost - like Catherine of Aragon, she was betrothed to the heir who died prematurely (Edward, the whispered would-be Jack the Ripper) but married his brother instead. One of the most interesting episodes in the book is when her son, Edward VIII, chose love over duty, devastating his mother who had raised him to chose duty to the country over all else.

For real royal watchers, one of the things that sets this work above others in the genre, is the details of the clothing and jewelry worn by Queen Mary and the other royals. Mary was apparently not shy about wearing jewels that befit her station and these details are revealed to the reader. For every royal wedding, funeral and other occasion, Edwards takes time to desribe the clothing worn by the principals. If you've bought People Magazine to see the fashions of Diana, you need to read this book. It's much better that People magazine. Photos (b&w) are included as well.

Rating:
Summary: This is a very well researched and most interesting read.
Review: Queen Mary was the consort of King George V and the paternal grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. She was a great influence on Queen Elizabeth II and the resemblance between Queen Mary and her famous granddaughter is uncanny. Queen Mary was the daughter of one of Queen Victoria's cousins, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. Queen Mary's father was the Duke of Teck (a morganatic son of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg - now part of modern Germany). Queen Mary was destined to marry Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (eldest son of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) but he died before any marriage could take place. Queen Victoria wanted this marriage badly. Queen Mary at this time was Her Serene Highness, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. To have lost the heir to the throne of England was a great loss. Queen Victoria knew that this Princess was worth keeping and soon Prince Albert Victor's younger brother George was married off to his late brother's fiancee. They eventually became King George V and Queen Mary on the death of King Edward VII in 1910. The marriage was a success and for Princess Victoria Mary of Teck it was a great rise from Serene Highness to Royal Highness and eventually Queen Consort. Queen Mary herself had a very interesting early family life. Her brothers were interesting characters as well as her parents. One of her brothers married King George V's cousin HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone while another caused Queen Mary much embarrassment with his gambling and other dubious activities. Queen Mary came from German stock and it is interesting to read about her German relatives. Her own married life is of much interest and of course her children are well known. She was the granddaughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, the daughter-in-law of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the wife of George V and the mother of King Edward VIII and King George VI. Her life spanned a most turbulent period and she was a solid rock in the life of the British Royal family, providing a sense of security to the British Monarchy particularly during the abdication crisis. This is a very well researched book. It is well worth the read.