Long Live the Queen!

I have always been interested in the royal family, especially the Queen (how can one not love her snappy outfits with her excellent hats and handbags!) so when I saw that a new biography on the life of Elizabeth the second came out this year (in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee coming up!) I immediately got a copy from my local library.  Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith is a wonderful read about a woman who has lived a very long and unique life. Starting with her childhood and going right up to the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the life of the Queen is fully covered and ranges from topics such as politics, family, friendships, and her long time relationship with Prince Phillip.  I really enjoyed the fact that despite it's size (600 pages!) and topic, this biography was very easy to read.  It is written in a style that not only gives us lots of information but also feels personal (Smith adds lots of of entertaining anecdotes which really liven up the story and make the Queen a much more relate able figure).  An added bonus is the number of photographs that are included.  Elizabeth II is amazing; mother, grandmother, wife, woman and monarch are just a few of her titles.  If you are interested in learning more about her and the royal family in general then I really recommend reading this!