The Little Princesses - by Marion Crawford (Paperback)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>"Once upon a time, in 1930s England, there were two little princesses named Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. Their father was the Duke of York, the second son of King George V, and their Uncle David was the future King of England. We all know how the fairy tale ended: When King George died, "Uncle David" became King Edward VIII---who abdicated less than a year later to marry the scandalous Wallis Simpson. Suddenly the little princesses' father was King. The family moved to Buckingham Palace, and ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth became the heir to the crown she would ultimately wear for over fifty years. The Little Princesses shows us how it all began. In the early thirties, the Duke and Duchess of York were looking for someone to educate their daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, then five- and two-years-old. They already had a nanny---a family retainer who had looked after their mother when she was a child---but it was time to add someone younger and livelier to the household. Enter Marion Crawford, a twenty-four-year-old from Scotland who was promptly dubbed "Crawfie" by the young Elizabeth and who would stay with the family for sixteen years. Beginning at the quiet family home in Piccadilly and ending with the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948, Crawfie tells how she brought the princesses up to be "Royal," while attempting to show them a bit of the ordinary world of underground trains, Girl Guides, and swimming lessons. The Little Princesses was first published in 1950 to a furor we cannot imagine today. It has been called the original "nanny diaries" because it was the first account of life with the Royals ever published. Although hers was a touching account of the childhood of the Queen and Princess Margaret, Crawfie was demonized by the press. The Queen Mother, who had been a great friend and who had, Crawfie maintained, given her permission to write the account, never spoke to her again. Reading The Little Princesses now, with a poignant new introduction by BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, offers fascinating insights into the changing lives and times of Britains royal family."--<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p><b>Originally published in 1950, <i>The Little Princesses</i> was the first account of British Royal life inside Buckingham Palace as revealed by Marion Crawford, who served as governess to princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. </b> <p/>A twenty-two year old teacher recruited to look after the Duke and Duchess of York's young daughters in 1931, Marion Crawford--affectionately known as "Crawfie" by her charges--spent sixteen years with the Royal family as the children's governess. From King Edward VIII's abdication of the throne in order to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson and King George VI's subsequent crowning, through World War II, and all the way to Elizabeth's courtship and marriage to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Crawfie's memoir offers an intimate and revelatory perspective of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood during one of the most momentous eras in British history. <p/> Initially honored as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for her loyal service to the crown, Crawfie was later demonized by the press and ostracized by the royal family for the rest of her life as a result of <i>The Little Princesses</i>' publication. When compared to the modern media's relentless obsession with the House of Windsor, Crawfie's touching account of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's youth presents a poignant reminder of how much life has changed for the British Royals. <p/><b>Includes Two 16-Page Inserts of Black-and-White Photographs <p/>And an Introduction by Jennie Bond, BBC Royal Correspondent</b></p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><p>Comprises a sweet account of the girls' life before and after the abdication that would irrevocably change their lives - and showcases the early foundations of their radically different characters. --<i>Vogue</i> <p/>A truly one-of-a-kind perspective on the Queen's formative years. --<i>Town & Country</i> <p/>A fascinating period piece, as well as a treasure trove of beady little insights into the characters of two sharply contrasting sisters, written with a keen eye by the Royal servant who knew them best. --Craig Brown, New York Times bestselling author of <i>Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret <p/></i>If you really want to find out the true story of the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, you must read this account. Written with affection, respect, and above all, love. --Brian Hoey, distinguished Royal journalist and author of more than twenty books on the Royals including <i>Not in Front of the Corgis <p/></i>It's well worth a read to hear the details about taking care of a young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret; the time they spent at Windsor Castle during WWII is especially interesting. --<i>Royal Central<br></i></p><br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><p><b>Marion Crawford</b>, or Crawfie, as she was known to young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, was born in the Scottish countryside and studied teaching at the Moray House Training College in Edinburgh. In the early 1930s, she became governess to the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York, little suspecting that she would devote the next sixteen years to nurturing her future Queen. Her account of life as a royal governess originally appeared in American magazines, but soon became a front-page sensation on both sides of the Atlantic. The first edition of <i>The Little Princesses</i> was published in 1950, and although it created a scandal, it was nonetheless a valuable social history and the first inside account of life at Buckingham Palace. Crawford died in 1988, having never been forgiven by the royal family for writing her book. <p/><b>Jennie Bond</b> is an English journalist and television presenter who followed the Royal Family as the BBC's Royal correspondent for fourteen years. In that time, she covered many momentous events---among them, three marriage breakdowns, Camillagate, the Queen's annus horribilis, and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Bond is also the author of <i>Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years </i>and <i>Reporting Royalty: Behind the Scenes with the BBC's Royal Correspondent</i>.</p>
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