Showing Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother by William Shawcross

‘Enchanting, often moving and sometimes hilarious’ Daily Mail

Full of wit, hilarity, acute observation and a deeply held sense of duty, the Queen Mother’s letters give readers a vivid insight into the person behind the public face.

Here, in her own words, is her grief at the tragically early death of the King in 1952 and her determination to rise above that terrible blow and, despite her sadness, to find a new role for herself during the long years of widowhood.

‘The warm personality and humour of the late, much-loved Queen Mother shines through in her letters, as does her affection for all, whether below or above stairs’ Scotsman

‘Recaptures her effervescent charm, and the simple fact that she was a good egg’ Spectator

‘How one warms to her!’ Evening Standard