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The Queen Mother

By: Lady Colin Campbell
Narrated by: Jennifer M. Campbell
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Summary

Packed with stunning revelations, this is the inside story of The Queen Mother from the New York Times best-selling author who first revealed the truth about Princess Diana.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother has been called the 'most successful queen since Cleopatra'. Her personality was so captivating that even her arch-enemy, Wallis Simpson, wrote about 'her legendary charm'.

Portrayed as a selfless partner to the king in the Oscar-winning movie The King's Speech, The Queen Mother is most often remembered from her later years as the smiling granny with the pastel hats. When she died in 2002, just short of her 102nd birthday, she was praised for a long life well lived. But there was another side to her story.

For the first time, Lady Colin Campbell shows us that the untold life of The Queen Mother is far more fascinating and moving than the official version that has been peddled ever since she became royal in 1923. With unparalleled sources - including members of the royal family, aristocrats and friends and relatives of Elizabeth herself, this mesmerising account takes us inside the real and sometimes astonishing world of the royal family.

©2012 Lady Colin Campbell (P)2018 Tantor
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What listeners say about The Queen Mother

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  • Overall
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Very interesting

A very interesting and eye opening listen just proves how much we don’t know about the history of the royal family’s

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining malicious gossip

Well known facts of a well known life but slanted to show the scheming unpleasant side of the Queen Mum.
The narrator is flat voiced and mispronounces so many easy names and places that it grates. ForFAR, Balcarres, Southesk, capercaillie, Castle of Mey (Mai ?) etc. Does no-one check these ?

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not up to standard.

It is a pity Lady C.never,thought to ask different people to comment,on the character,of The,Queen Mother..
The Duke of Windso..and The Duchess Of Argyll..Both of whome were of very bad character,the Duke a Nazi sympathvisor and The Duchess of Argyl W
ell a woman who had her photo taken sucking a naked man,s penis...I must admit I was very surprised when I read their comments... and lets not forget the Duke was debatable a German spy.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

THE AWFUL NARRATION !

The story itself was interesting but whoever chose this narrator must have never heard her speak ! Utterly boring delivery often fell asleep listening to the drone and the awful mispronunciation of various foreign titles along with French words - everything was mangled badly .
I’d listen to it again because I’ve missed huge passages due to falling asleep during it - but I’d need to know who was reading it . This “old dear” was no doubt chosen as someone who was relatable as an older lady herself but it was just drone, drone , drone .
I think it’s easier to read the book !

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting perspective.

Interesting insight into a royal life par from the inside. At times, too much date detail detracts from the story. Would have been all the more engaging if read by the author who has a distinctive and engaging voice, fitting for the ‘story’.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A revealing expose

The sheer vindictiveness of this person is most revealing particularly with regard to her younger daughter. A most unpleasant person

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A bit of an eye opener

Having lived through WW2, my mother adored ‘The Queen Mum’. Not sure what she’d have made of this book, which portrays her icon as having been an unpleasant narcissistic manipulator whose public face of charm was merely an act (the first of several such women to enter the Royal Family in recent years).

One gets the feeling that there is no love lost between the author and her subject in this well researched, detailed and deep-digging biography which covers Elizabeth’s long life from conception to death. Lady Colin Campbell has not shied away from the use of court gossip but it is, for the most part, bolstered by fact or viable reasoning.

The narrator falls short, being monotone and at times sounding like she’s reading a shopping list.
Nevertheless, I stuck with it to the end, partly with my eyes popping at some of the details revealed and partly because it was, overall, an interesting book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Narration so awfulness Narration, unlistenable

Story interesting. Narration too awful to listen to. Is it the author? The voice is crucial, especially for older listeners

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Riveting

Whilst I never thought the Quern Mother was such a “sweet” person and the old expression so frequently trotted out as “Britain’s Favourite Grandmother “which the press constantly made her out to be was much over used. It was such an interesting read but I was dismayed to learn that she was apparently so detrimental towards HRH King Edward VIII. What chance did he have against such Machiavelliam tactics wrapped up in saccharine? It is a tragedy. At the same time, Lady Colon Campbell takes trouble to point out her formidable force for good. What an amazing life she led. Such privilege. Who’d have thought it? I recommend this book very highly., infact, could not be higher. Brilliantly written and with such detail and accurate sources. You are in for a great ride!

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fabulous insight into the unseen Royal

Well written book and constant insight into different aspects of Royal life as it used to be .
Certainly opened my eyes to the woman we know as the Queen Mother !!

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5 people found this helpful