Before the Crown

Written by Flora Harding

Narrated by Edward Killingback and Imogen Wilde

Before the crown there was a love story…

‘If you’re a fan of The Crown, you’ll love this’ Woman’s Weekly

‘Fascinating…a beautiful love story’ Woman

Windsor Castle, 1943

As war rages across the world, Princess Elizabeth comes face to face with the dashing naval officer she first met in London nine years before.

One of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy, Philip represents everything she has always been taught to avoid. Instability. Audacity. Adventure.

But when the king learns of their relationship, the suitability of the foreign prince is questioned by all at court.

He is the risk she has never been allowed to take. The risk not even the shadow of the crown will stop her from taking…

Step through the palace gates and discover a captivating historical novel of royal secrets and forbidden love exploring the tempestuous courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the wake of WWII.

Readers are LOVING Before the Crown:

‘Magnificent. It carries so much depth and warmness, and closeness to the characters that you do not want to part from them…a page-turner’ Best Historical Fiction Reviews

‘To say that I adored this book is an absolute understatement. Beautifully written, well crafted and researched. A must read for fans of The Crown’ Kim

‘Any fans of The Crown will adore this read…the story is well researched and written so beautifully I didn't want it to end’ Lucy

‘What a pleasure it was to read this charming and heartfelt historical romance… never have I felt so romantically moved’ Jena

‘Magnificent… It carries so much depth and warmness, and closeness to the characters that you do not want to part from them’ Annette

‘I really enjoyed this book… Anyone who loved The Crown series will love this book!’ Pat

‘Perfect for fans of Netflix’s The Crown’ Elizabeth

‘This is the story that we ALL want to read…I loved every single page’ Vicki

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Sep 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9780008406448

Flora Harding

Flora Harding began writing over 30 years ago to fund a PhD on the disposal of waste in Elizabethan York, and has juggled fact and fiction ever since. Under various pseudonyms she has written more than 75 novels, histories and other forms of non-fiction and continues to be fascinated by the relationship between the past and the present, whatever she happens to be writing.

Reviews for Before the Crown

[Mikayla Ellam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written and just as beautifully read. Honestly couldn’t stop listening.

[knittinkitties · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Thank you Netgalley for the Advanced Copy.

I have to say. I didn't particularly love this. I was a bit disappointed by the title--one could get the impression that this would cover the time of their courtship to when Elizabeth become Queen. But the book really just covered the courtship and stopped at the wedding. I was curious about their first few years in Malta too.

Unfortunately this book didn't add anything to what I already knew about the couple.

[life2reinvent · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Historical fiction often addresses figures from centuries past, allowing us to imagine what life was like in King Henry VIII’s court or what would happen if a modern woman traveled back centuries into a sweeping love story. TV shows like Downton Abbey, Victoria, and The Crown capture our imaginations with their tales of British royalty and upper class.In Before the Crown, Flora Harding tells the story of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s courtship. Since they’re both in their 90’s, it’s a refreshing take to meet a teenaged Elizabeth with a crush on Philip, an exiled Greek prince serving in the British navy. They seem like total opposites – a shy, reserved girl and a young man eagerly sowing his wild oats. But each has their own reasons for making a match.For those two royals, their lives – and future prospects – changed drastically while they were children. Elizabeth suddenly became the heir presumptive when her uncle abdicated and her father unexpectedly ascended to the throne. Philip was born into the line of succession for both Greece and Denmark. He and his family were exiled from Greece when he was an infant. Philip’s uncle, Lord Mountbatten, knew that marriage to Elizabeth would return Philip to a royal future that had been taken away when he was an infant. Mountbatten was also politically savvy enough to recognize the obstacles that lay in Philip’s path to the throne. Although Philip was a Naval hero, he held Greek and Danish citizenship, not British. Philip fought for Britain, but his much-loved sisters married and were living in Nazi Germany. He was also a young man who enjoyed drinking with his friends and spending time with beautiful women. Could he overcome these obstacles and convince King George VI he was a worthy consort for his daughter?A royal wedding is never as simple as boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl get married. The prospective spouse is put under a microscope, and any flaws are magnified. Their family is scrutinized. Even politics are examined, since a foreigner from the wrong country could lead to disaster. The closer to the throne, the higher the expectations. Love is not a requirement for a royal coupling but is an unexpected treat if it’s part of the transaction. The fairy tale is not the priority. The expectation is that the heir to the throne marries and tolerates an adequate consort.A challenge in historical fiction is presenting a story where the reader already knows before opening the book. Philip and Elizabeth get married, so there’s no surprise that they were going to overcome any differences or challenges they faced. Here’s where Before the Crown shines. The question isn’t whether a royal marriage will happen, but what kind of marriage it will be. How do they really feel about each other? Do their feelings matter? Will they talk about their relationship or just make assumptions? Harding does an excellent job getting into the heads of the couple as they each wrestle with what a marriage would mean to them. She brings her main characters alive by examining their assumptions and insecurities. At times, I wanted to scream “just talk to each other!” A book is frustrating – in the best way – when the reader is invested to that deep of a level.Historical fiction novels and series like The Crown are popular because they offer a fly-on-the-wall view inside the cocoon of royal life. Before the Crown is an excellent addition for royal watchers.Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. This review was initially published on NetGalley on 10/27/2020.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book was an interesting look into the meeting, relationship, and engagement that might have been between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. It would be best if you remembered, though, that this is historical *fiction*, and we can never honestly know what happened between them word for word. I imagine most of their relationship logistics are correct since there have been many other works devoted to the couple.Unfortunately, unlike many others, I found this an arid and unemotional look into what might have been. I didn't expect to connect with the couple because they are so far out of my league. However, I did expect to be somewhat entertained. I was not. After a while, because of the repetitiveness, I found myself skimming the pages looking for something that piqued my curiosity.This is a perfectly lovely read and underlines that this was a coldly political marriage that turned into something a little bit more.*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Before the Crown by Flora Harding allows readers to get a behind the scenes look at the courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. I found the book easy to read, but I did feel it had slow pacing and it lacked depth. Before the Crown seemed to be aimed at a younger audience. The point-of-view alternates between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. We get to see what each one thought and how they felt as the relationship progressed. We get to see different moments of their relationship. It is small snippets of time. I was disappointed that their original meeting was not included. The story builds up to the wedding, but the actual event is not included. I found the ending to be dissatisfying. I like how it made Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and the other members of the royal family seem like real people. Queen Elizabeth is so confident and poised, but she was not always this way. I liked seeing how she felt about being queen and dealing with her shyness. There is some mild foul language in the book. It is wise to remember that this is a fictionalized account of events. It would have been helpful if the author had added an afterward on what was fact and what was fiction. Before the Crown is a book that will appeal to those who are fascinated by the royal family and enjoy watching “The Crown”.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 Stars for this light historical fiction of what it could have been like when Elizabeth was a princess and Philip renounced his title for her. Quite a few historical facts thrown in for all history buffs. This book gave a lighter side to the formidable Queen we all see today on TV. I would love to think there was a little spark between these two, and not just what was best for the Commonwealth as an arranged marriage. For once, Margaret is in the background and Elizabeth shines front and center. Quick read giving a ‘human’ side to the royal family and life in Buckingham Palace and England during a tumultuous time. Thanks to Ms. Harding, Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you have ever wondered about the courtship of Elizabeth and Phillip "before the crown," then you will enjoy this historical fiction novel about just that topic. The action takes place from the first times these two royals met, culminating with their wedding day. I learned quite a lot about Elizabeth and Phillip by reading this book. For example, I did not know Phillip was such a wild and adventuresome man in his young days. I also liked learning about his family and his sisters, and what he had to give up to become Elizabeth's husband. It is also interesting to note the opposition to the marriage by her family.One thing I disliked was the writing in present tense, which to me made this book seem like a movie script. That is personal preference on my part.This is a great gossipy sort of book, and the author has done her research well. The viewpoints switch between Elizabeth and Phillip to keep the readers interest and balance the story. She creates a realistic and believable picture of the courtship of these two well-known royal individuals. I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[barbaras2016 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There seem to be a lot of books about the Windsors right now but with the Queen at 94 years old and Prince Phillip about to turn 99 years old, there is much to write about. This was a nice sweet book about this couple's courtship up to the wedding and I enjoyed it. They have been married for so long you forget how much opposition her family had for the marriage with his sisters married to German soldiers in the nazi machine, his royal but eccentric mother, royal but wastrel father, then there was always the Greek politics and he had no money. He had to basically give up everything to marry Elizabeth. Phillip gave up his title, his place in the Greek and Danish succession, his Greek citizenship, and became British with the surname Mountbatten. The story goes between Elizabeth and Philip chapter by chapter. I especially enjoyed Philip's chapters with his family. They were just tiny tidbits but I really enjoyed them especially those scenes with his sisters. They were touching. I also enjoyed Margaret. So lively. All in all an excellent read for me on a rainy afternoon with a pot of tea. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this pleasant interlude in exchange for a review.