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Princes at War

The British Royal Family's Private Battle in the Second World War

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Princes at War

By: Deborah Cadbury
Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
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About this listen

King George V predicted that his son, Edward VIII, would destroy himself within a year of succeeding to the throne. In December 1936 he was proved right, and the world’s press revealed the king was abandoning his throne to marry Wallis Simpson.

A life spent in the shadow of his charismatic elder brother left the new king, George VI, magnificently unprepared for the demands of ruling the kingdom and empire.

Drawing on personal accounts from the royal archives, Deborah Cadbury uncovers the very private conflict between George VI and his older brother.

©2015 Deborah Cadbury (P)2015 Oakhill Publishing Essays Europe Great Britain Politics & Activism Royalty Western Europe England War Inspiring Nonfiction Imperialism Winston Churchill Military Middle Ages

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Critic reviews

"Gripping.... One of the most riveting tales of the nonfiction season, rendered with novelistic drama but deliberate detachment. The inner tensions of the palace during wartime and the inner tensions of a remarkable family make for one of the best, and ultimately most uplifting, stories of the war years." ( The Boston Globe)
"A moving and deeply researched account.... Her story is gripping, illuminating and generous in its recognition of the central, dramatic role of the monarchy in Britain’s finest years, and particularly the quiet heroism of King George VI." (William Shawcross, author of The Queen Mother)
"Impeccably researched, and written with all the brio and understanding of a major historical novel, Princes at War takes us intimately and even shockingly into the human dynamics of a barely functional family at the time of our greatest peril." (David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain)
"Meticulous and measured analysis of the Windsor saga.... Hovering over the drama is the question of whether the Windsors endangered the monarchy itself at a perilous time in history. The strenuous attempts to suppress sensitive files touching on the collaboration between the Windsors and the Nazis reveal the anxieties at the heart of the British establishment.... Cadbury deftly weaves the stories of the royal dukes into the unfolding national crisis as appeasement gives way to war.... [She] covers the war years - Dunkirk, the Blitz, the Normandy invasion - in moving detail." ( Wall Street Journal)
"Does the author provide a fresh and original view of the Duke of Windsor? Slightly to my surprise, my answer to this question must be 'Yes'.... Princes at War is a well-researched and entertaining account of a particularly poignant period in history .... Cadbury writes uncommonly well and her book is definitely worth reading." (Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph.)
"The contrast between the two brothers - one dutiful and earnest struggling to deal with the responsibilities that had been forced upon him, the other blithe and solipsistic - is drawn with great dramatic effect in Princes at War.... Deborah Cadbury combines the family drama against the backdrop of the war with terrific narrative verve." (Daisy Goodwin, The Times)
"Cadbury has given it all a fresh analysis, cleverly unveiling in much detail the deep anguish of the brothers. This is a highly readable and finely written account of the drama which threatened to bring king and country crashing down. Only stammering Bertie emerges as a hero." ( Daily Express)
All stars
Most relevant
Thoroughly enjoyable listen to the insights of the familial tensions of four brothers at this perilous time in history.

Enlightening

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really enjoyed listening to this. completely new perspective on ww2. Wallis what a horror and her husband too..

fascinating

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Having read so much about this period and topic of history there were details in this book that I have not found elsewhere. Meticulously researched and extremely well narrated. A worthy read or listen.

Gripping narrative

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A nd history repeats its self ,?some persons are missing in present day not available and remain irreplaceable

Certain newspapers of the storey seem familiar

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Have you listened to any of Cameron Stewart’s other performances? How does this one compare?

At the start of the book I found the narrators style rather old fashioned. But as I got used to it I found it suited the story. So much of this is set in the 1930's and 1940's and people did speak a bit differently then.
This is the only book I have listened to read by this narrator, so I don't know if his style would be different for a different book.

Any additional comments?

I have read other books covering the abdication, but I found this interesting in the way this book compared and contrasted the behaviour of the the 4 brothers during WWII. It was good to find out more about the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester. I felt the author was even-handed as he told the story and let the actions of the brothers reveal their characters. George VI, Gloucester and Kent all rose to the challenge and worked for the good of the country, accepting the sacrifices they had to make. All spent less time with their families then they would have liked. The Duke of Windsor, on the other hand put his wife first, himself second, and didn't seem to worry about anyone or anything else. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Royal Family and especially the Duke of Windsor.

Interesting angle on a well known story

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