A biography of Prince Philip, who just turned 99, examines how he modernized the monarchy and dealt with a life consigned to walking two steps behind his wife. Photo: Hulton Archive/Stringer/Getty Images
> Royal Pages
Royal Relationships Are Scrutinized in a Trio of New Books
The focus is on Prince Philip and the Queen, princes Harry and William and, of course, Harry and Meghan / BY Kim Honey / July 22nd, 2020
It’s open season on the Royal Family who, let’s just say, have had a turbulant year. With biographies coming fast and furious, here are the ones from credible monarchy scribes and, therefore, the ones to watch.
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>Prince Philip: A Portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh(Oct. 6)
This 320-page tome from Ingrid Seward, the editor-in-chief of the U.K.’s Majesty magazine, promises to explain how Philip modernized the monarchy and “helped his young wife progress from being a shy 21-year-old princess to the commanding monarch she is today.” Seward, who has written more than a dozen books on the Royal Family, first met the prince in the late ’70s and describes him as a macho multi-faceted personality.
(Oct. 6)
This 320-page tome from Ingrid Seward, the editor-in-chief of the U.K.’s Majesty magazine, promises to explain how Philip modernized the monarchy and “helped his young wife progress from being a shy 21-year-old princess to the commanding monarch she is today.” Seward, who has written more than a dozen books on the Royal Family, first met the prince in the late ’70s and describes him as a macho multi-faceted personality.
>Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family(Aug. 11)
Billed as “the first, epic and true story of the Duke and Duchess’s life together,” it is co-authored by Omid Scobie, the young, hip royal editor for Harper’s Bazaar and ABC News, and Carolyn Durand, royal contributor for Oprah and Elle magazines, who have been “behind the scenes.”
(Aug. 11)
Billed as “the first, epic and true story of the Duke and Duchess’s life together,” it is co-authored by Omid Scobie, the young, hip royal editor for Harper’s Bazaar and ABC News, and Carolyn Durand, royal contributor for Oprah and Elle magazines, who have been “behind the scenes.”
>Battle of Brothers: William and Harry(Oct. 20)
Robert Lacey is the fact-checker for the Emmy-winning Netflix drama The Crown, so we can assume this is the definitive account of the princes’ sibling bond – and rivalry. With “unrivalled access to court life and impeccable sources,” it will put the age-old “heir and the spare” trope in historical context.
(Oct. 20)
Robert Lacey is the fact-checker for the Emmy-winning Netflix drama The Crown, so we can assume this is the definitive account of the princes’ sibling bond – and rivalry. With “unrivalled access to court life and impeccable sources,” it will put the age-old “heir and the spare” trope in historical context.