In Royal Service to the Queen, Tessa Arlen
In Royal Service to the Queen, Tessa Arlen
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In Royal Service to the Queen
A Novel of the Queen's Governess

Author: Tessa Arlen

Narrator: Mhairi Morrison

Unabridged: 11 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 06/29/2021


Synopsis

Now a USA TODAY Bestseller!

“Engrossing. Fans of The Crown will devour this.”--Publishers Weekly

The revealing story of Queen Elizabeth II's beloved governess, Marion Crawford, who spent more than sixteen years of her life in loyal service to the royal family and was later shunned by those she has loved and served.

Marion Crawford can remember each of the wonderful years when she was governess to the little Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose: included in their lives, confided in, needed, trusted, and loved. These memories will never dim, ever. In Marion's mind, she will always be their Crawfie.

But things become increasingly complicated as the young royals navigate adulthood. It is May 1945 and Princess Elizabeth--the heiress presumptive to the British throne--has fallen in love, and the only member of her family who is happy for her is her governess. No one in the young princess's life thinks that Prince Philip of Greece would be a suitable husband for the future Queen of England. No one that is, except for Marion Crawford.

Crawfie wholeheartedly supports Elizabeth in her determination to marry Philip. She too has fallen in love--and has convinced her fiancé, George, that they must wait for Elizabeth and Philip to receive the King's blessing before she can leave her service to the Crown.

Over the next two years Crawfie is caught between loyalty to Princess Elizabeth; running the risk of alienating her royal employer, Queen Elizabeth; and losing the man she loves. But as Crawfie prevails to marry George and stands with him in Westminster Abbey on Elizabeth and Philip's wedding day, she is unaware that her troubled relationship with Queen Elizabeth is far from over. And just around the corner is a betrayal that will sever her bond with the royal family forever.

About The Author

Tessa Arlen is the author of the Woman of World War II Mysteries. Born in Singapore, the daughter of a British diplomat, she has lived in Egypt, Germany, the Persian Gulf, China, and India. She now lives with her husband in historic Santa Fe, where she gardens in summer and writes in winter.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bonnie on August 11, 2021

This is a fascinating novel that gives us an insider's view of life as a Princess, as told through the eyes of Marion Crawford, who was governess to Elizabeth and Margaret for 16 years. This book takes us not only through the early years of Elizabeth's life, but also through British history, includi......more

Goodreads review by Deanne on July 10, 2022

Engrossing book. Though being an American I don't closely follow the Royal family I always appreciate a well researched book. This is a fictionalized story told by the governess of the queen-to-be, Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret Rose. It tells of their formative years as girls and follows......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on January 02, 2023

Marion Crawford was the governess to princesses Elizabeth and Margaret for seventeen years. She sacrificed her dreams to take on this job and has wonderful memories but also had her own story to tell… dun dun dun! I thoroughly enjoyed this precious ride of seeing the girls grow up and learn a differ......more

Goodreads review by Amy on September 24, 2024

In my year to read on Elizabeth II, there just seem to be a lot of books that focus on the time of relationship and courtship of Elizabeth and Philip, and this is one of the better ones. But the book is more than that. Its really about the life and experiences of Marion (Crawfie) Crawford who raised......more

Goodreads review by Gail on February 10, 2022

It is pure coincidence that I was reading this book about Queen Elizabeth's childhood and coming of age as she passed the monumental milestone of her platinum jubilee, but it was a very fitting time to read it. This novel focuses on the life of Marion Crawford, who served as governess to the then Pr......more


Quotes

Praise for In Royal Service to the Queen

“Tessa’s story of Princess Elizabeth’s governess gives us a fascinating, meticulously researched, insight into the workings of the royal family. It is a story that resonates particularly today.”--New York Times Bestselling author Rhys Bowen

"Fans of The Crown will enjoy this poignant look behind the royal curtain, and will celebrate and mourn with Marian Crawford, tutor to the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, as she is forced to choose between sharing the lives of the girls she loves or creating a life and family of her own. It’s an emotional story of the struggle between duty to a sovereign and duty to one’s heart."--Georgie Blalock, Author of The Last Debutantes
 
 
"A tantalizing and poignant tale of the young royal princesses. Wise, loyal and fierce, Crawfie is a heroine for the ages. Arlen's storytelling should thrill anyone who loved The Crown."--Stephanie Barron, author of That Churchill Woman