The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by Her Nanny

by Marion Crawford, Jennie Bond (Foreword)

Once upon a time, in 1930s England, there were two little princesses named Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. Their father was the Duke of York, the second son of King George V, and their Uncle David was the future King of England.

We all know how the fairy tale When King George died, “Uncle David” became King Edward VIII---who abdicated less than a year later to marry the scandalous Wallis Simpson. Suddenly the little princesses’ father was King. The family moved to Buckingham Palace, and ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth became the heir to the crown she would ultimately wear for over fifty years.

The Little Princesses shows us how it all began. In the early thirties, the Duke and Duchess of York were looking for someone to educate their daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, then five- and two-years-old. They already had a nanny---a family retainer who had looked after their mother when she was a child---but it was time to add someone younger and livelier to the household.

Enter Marion Crawford, a twenty-four-year-old from Scotland who was promptly dubbed “Crawfie” by the young Elizabeth and who would stay with the family for sixteen years. Beginning at the quiet family home in Piccadilly and ending with the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948, Crawfie tells how she brought the princesses up to be “Royal,” while attempting to show them a bit of the ordinary world of underground trains, Girl Guides, and swimming lessons.

The Little Princesses was first published in 1950 to a furor we cannot imagine today. It has been called the original “nanny diaries” because it was the first account of life with the Royals ever published. Although hers was a touching account of the childhood of the Queen and Princess Margaret, Crawfie was demonized by the press. The Queen Mother, who had been a great friend and who had, Crawfie maintained, given her permission to write the account, never spoke to her again.

Reading The Little Princesse s now, with a poignant new introduction by BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, offers fascinating insights into the changing lives and times of Britains royal family.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Memoir, Royalty, Biography Memoir, British Literature

230 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Marion Kirk Buthlay CVO (née Crawford; 5 June 1909 – 11 February 1988) was a Scottish educator and governess to Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II). Known then by her maiden name, Elizabeth and Margaret affectionately called her Crawfie. Crawford worked for the Royal Family from 1933 to 1949. Upon her departure, she agreed to author The Little Princesses, a book which told the story of her time with the family. Although she was given tentative approval by the royal family to publish anonymously, Crawford was completely ostracised by them after her writing appeared under her name; she left Nottingham Cottage, her grace and favour house, and no member of the family ever spoke to her again.

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book caused quite a scandal when it was published 50 years ago. It was the first real expose on the royal family. I enjoyed reading about little Queen Elizabeth's upbringing, especially how the royal family coped during WWII. Marion was her nanny up until Elizabeth's wedding day, but she was banished forever from the royal family after she wrote this book, which was sometime after Prince Charles was born. She was able to witness extraordinary events in Britain's history and I think this document is an important record of royal memories from an outsider's point of view.

[Mary Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rosy, shallow view of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's childhoods, but still an interesting and worthwhile book. Crawford was in a rare position to see the inner workings of the royal family, and I have to wonder what she was thinking when she decided to cut ties with the family she was obviously quite fond of by divulging the details of their private lives. Ironic, too, considering the many times she comments on their lack of privacy, and how difficult it must be to have people watching and speculating on all one does. I wonder if, in the end, it was worth it.

This reader, though, was quite interested to learn some things about palace life - how one gets a position as a governess or ladies' maid , for example. Or what it was like living in Windsor Castle during WWII, amid air raids. It was quite something, hearing about the princesses strolling the gardens in their gas masks, or finding the crown jewels stuffed in hat boxes.

There is, of course, also a glimpse into the personalities and characters of the royal family. Despite "Crawfie's" determination to keep things positive, some chinks did show in the armor. None dire (certainly no shenanigans like those we've been treated to since Charles and Diana parted ways), but they do show a humanity and, for some readers, might cause us to wonder why these people were destined - or condemned - to live this life. It's all seems rather silly when examined. Yet one can't help but admire the family's sense of duty, and their tireless work which, while it sometimes seems ludicrous, also represents tradition, history, and seems to provide some sort of pride and comfort to the British people.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4🌟 It was fun to hear how the queen and her sister were just like normal girls growing up. Wanting to do typical things, while still being trained to act properly and wear the right dresses and talk the right way. This was a fun book to listen to, easy to follow.

It was also so interesting to hear how a “commoner” go to be involved in the palace life. Crawfie (her nickname from the princesses), was able to attend quite a few special events, as well as witness all of the Royal family’s personal moments. Her writing this book caused quite the issue when it first came out. Nothing in the book seemed like it was sensitive information, but it was perhaps just the idea of their personal life being displayed for others to read.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inside look at the upbringing of the Princesses Elizabeth (current Queen of England) and Margaret Rose by their governess. This is a charming and intimate narrative of the life of England's royal family both before and after George VII became king, with an emphasis on the warm relationship between the parents and children. The abdication of Edward VIII, the transition to Buckingham Palace, the coronation of George VII, the difficulty of the war years, Elizabeth's engagement to Philip, and other large events are covered, but what is most interesting and touching are the stories of the little princesses' personalities and characters. Elizabeth, called Lilibet in the family, is dutiful and serious while Margaret is a bit spoiled, a brilliant mimic, and a girl with a flair for comedy. Margaret also has a creative side that shows in her talent for fashion, interior decoration, and music. Both girls are highly intelligent and love horses and dogs. How they are limited by their royal roles, how their privacy is impinged upon, and how duties take a toll on the entire family is made clear, yet the the love of the British people for the royal family also comes through. This book, which has not a bad word to say about the royal family, was written in 1950 before those working for the royal household had to sign nondisclosure agreements, so the likes of this book will not come along again.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caused quite a controversy when it was released in 1950. From the standards of today, it is quite tame but from reading it I can understand why it caused upset. This book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the childhood and young adulthood of our current Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret, as well as thoughts on their parents, from their childhood governess Marion Crawford. By making them appear human, the Queen Mother was afraid that they would lose their royal mystique, but I found reading about them as children and their family life made them endearing and shone a light on their personalities. It was a short but informative read. 4 stars.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read from a non-fiction perspective of Queen Elizabeth II's nanny Marion Crawford aka Crawfie.

It's sad that there was so much fallout in regards to Marion Crawford with the publication of this book. Understandably, it would be a breach in privacy but from various accounts due to this book's publication, the Queen and her family never spoke to the author again (even though the contents of this book seemed quite complimentary to the Royal family).

I wouldn't say that there was anything exceptionally informative in this book compared to other biographies of Queen Elizabeth II, except this book was different as it came from a source that was extremely close to the Queen for sixteen years.

The book's ending was quite abrupt and rushed but then again, it concluded with the birth of Prince Charles in 1948 and this book was published in 1950 so it would have had all the information that was available from that time.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1933 Marion Crawford was hired by the Duke and Duchess of York to be a governess for their children, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Crawford served the royal family for 17 years and after she retired, beloved by the royals but apparently not enriched by them, she wrote this memoir. They responded by shunning her for the rest of her life.

The book is undoubtedly a breach of their privacy, but a mild one by today's standards. There's nothing scandalous in it. Crawford appears to have been fond of the King and Queen and of the children, and is steadfastly complimentary about them, even if some of her comments on Margaret are of the sad, "bless her heart" variety. It's possible Crawford intended criticism by writing about the sacrifices she made in her personal life - including postponing her own wedding for years -but it's hard to interpret these confessions. It's not clear if she was anxious to continue serving the royal family or pressured to do so.

The writing is simple and saccharine. Crawford seems overly anxious to ensure the reader of the royal family's regard for her, showing the text of numerous affectionate letters from Princess Elizabeth and Queen Mary. It's enough to make you wonder if she anticipated their reaction to the book or was shocked by it.

The beginning is fairly dull, as it's mostly cute anecdotes about the little girls. It gets more interesting after the Duke of York becomes King and the family moves into the inconveniently enormous Buckingham Palace. During the war Crawford lives at Windsor Castle with the Princesses, where they practice donning gas masks and put on pantomime shows to raise money for the war effort. We get a nice glimpse of the lives of the royal family during WWII. (Connie Willis listed this book in the bibliography for her WWII/time-travel novels Blackout and All Clear, which is how I heard of it.)

The book wraps up with the courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, followed by their wedding (Crawford finally manages to find time for her own wedding, but doesn't yet get to live with her husband!) and the birth of Prince Charles. Rather sadly, Crawford ends by presenting a "cherished" letter from Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) thanking Crawford for her devotion to the Princesses and assuring her of their family's future friendship.

[Mohammed omran · Rating 1 out of 5]

العدوان الثلاثي 16000 قتيل منهم 2500 طفل
لعنه الله عليكي يا ملكه انجلترا
عدوان ثلاثي بعدد وعتاد
المملكة المتحدة
قوات برية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
ألوية: 12، دبابات: 400، مدافع: 1300.

قوات بحرية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
حاملة طائرات: 5، طراد: 6، مدمرة: 14، فرقاطة: 7، غواصة: 7، سفن أخرى: 94.

قوات جوية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
مقاتلات: 10، قاذفات: 34، نقل وإمداد واتصال: 8، استطلاع: 3، هليكوبتر: 2.

فرنسا

قوات برية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
ألوية: 5، دبابات: 100، مدافع: 220.

قوات بحرية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
بارجة: 1، حاملة طائرات: 2، طراد: 2، مدمرة: 4، فرقاطة: 8، غواصة: 2، سفن أخرى: 14.

قوات جوية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
مقاتلات: 9، قاذفات: 3، نقل وإمداد واتصال: 11، استطلاع: 3.

إسرائيل

قوات برية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
ألوية: 21، دبابات: 250، مدافع: 990.

قوات بحرية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
مدمرة: 2، فرقاطة: 5، لنش طوربيد: 22، سفن أخرى: 26.

قوات جوية
اضغط هنا لاستعراض الأعداد
مقاتلات: 9، قاذفات: 11، نقل وإمداد واتصال: 5، استطلاع: 3.

في ثورة التحرير فقط التي استمرت 8 سنوات لقي ما لا يقل عن 10 آلاف شخص مصرعهم في واحدة من أكثر حركات التحرر دموية في عهد الإمبراطورية البريطانية

خلال الاستعمار البريطاني لجنوب إفريقيا الذي بدأ رسميًا سنة 1815، عانى السود (سكان البلاد الأصليون)، كثيرًا من المعاملة القاسية، خاصة بعد تشجيع بريطانيا انتقال المستوطنين إلى المنطقة لتطوير الزراعة والصناعة والتجارة هناك.

حتى البيض من أصل غير بريطاني (البوير)، نالوا نصيبهم من سوء المعاملة، ذلك أن المستوطنين البريطانيين كان لديهم حسّ بالتفوق العرقي، وكانوا يرون أن على الجميع أن يكونوا أقل منهم مكانةً وقدرًا وثروةً، وإن كانوا أوروبيين مثلهم.

من جرائم الاستعمار البريطاني نتذكر قيام القوات البريطانية في المنطقة بقيادة الفيلدمارشال رُبرتس، بإحراق قرى البوير ومصادرة المحاصيل التي تقع في طريقهم خلال حرب البوير، حتى أصبح السكان دون مأوى، وراح نتيجة هذه العمليات مئات القتلى.

وفي يوليو/تموز 1900، أمر الفيلدمارشال رُبرتس قواته باعتقال 2500 من النساء والأطفال ونقلهم كرهائن إلى معسكر اعتقال أقيم في منطقة الترانسفال في جنوب إفريقيا، كما أمر الجنرال سير أرتشيبلد هنتر في أكتوبر/تشرين الأول من نفس السنة بإحراق مدينة بوتهافيل.

لم تتوقف الجرائم هنا، فقد أمر اللورد كتشنر قيادة القوات البريطانية في جنوب إفريقيا بإحراق بلدات عدة من بينها: ريتز وأرميلو وباريز وليندلي وكارولاينا، بدعوى أن بعض البوير لم يقروا بالهزيمة، ما أدى إلى سقوط مئات القتلى.


فضلًا عن ذلك، اعتمد نظام الاستعمار البريطاني، إقامة معسكرات اعتقال في جنوب إفريقيا، للتنكيل بسكان البلاد الأصليين والأوربيين من غير البريطانيين، وسجلت تلك المعسكرات عمليات إجرامية كبرى بحق المعتقلين، بمن فيهم الأطفال والنساء.

خلال حرب البوير الثانية (1899-1902)، اعتقل البريطانيون نحو سدس سكان البوير - معظمهم من النساء والأطفال - واحتجزوهم في معسكرات مكتظة، مع القليل من الطعام، وفي عام واحد توفي 10% من مجموع سكان البوير في المخيمات، بما في ذلك 22000 طفل.

كينيا.. تعذيب ومعسكرات اعتقال
جرائم المستعمر البريطاني وصلت كينيا أيضًا، فالدولة التي نالت استقلالها عن الإمبراطورية التي لا تغيب عنها الشمس سنة 1963، شهدت جرائم كبرى في حق شعبها، إذ تميزت فترة الاستعمار البريطاني لكينيا بانتهاكات مروعة من العساكر البريطانيين ضد سكان البلاد.

ففي ثورة التحرير فقط التي استمرت 8 سنوات لقي ما لا يقل عن 10 آلاف شخص مصرعهم في واحدة من أكثر حركات التحرر دموية في عهد الإمبراطورية البريطانية، بما فيهم القائد في حركة "ماو ماو" ديدان كيماثي، كما تعرض الآلاف لصنوف عديدة من التعذيب والتنكيل والسجن.

ذنب هؤلاء أنهم طالبوا باستقلال بلادهم، فما كان مصيرهم إلا القتل الممنهج والوحشي على يد القوات البريطانية، وإلى الآن لم يعتذر النظام البريطاني عن هذه المجازر رغم موافقة الحكومة سنة 2013 على تعويض خمسة آلاف كيني عانوا من تجاوزات خلال انتفاضة ماو ماو، في صفقة قيمتها نحو 23 مليون دولار.

كما هو الحال في جنوب إفريقيا أقامت بريطانيا معسكرات اعتقال في كينيا، وأُجبر ما يقرب من 1.5 مليون شخص على البقاء في معسكرات الاعتقال حيث تعرضوا للتعذيب والاغتصاب وانتهاكات أخرى، وأظهرت تقارير في وقت لاحق أن البريطانيين بذلوا جهودًا كبيرةً لتدمير وإخفاء السجلات الرسمية لحملات القمع الوحشية التي ارتكبوها.

لا همّ للبريطانيين إلا إعلاء العرق البريطاني الأبيض وإخضاع الشعوب والسيطرة على ثروات بلدانهم وتطوير دولتهم

من جرائم الاستعمار أيضًا، تحويل جزء كبير من المعتقلين في المعسكرات ونزلاء السجون والمرضى داخل المستشفيات العقلية، إلى فئران تجارب لدراسة عقل الأفارقة وتحويلهم إلى مجرد أدوات لإحكام سيطرته على القارة السمراء.

إلى جانب ذلك، استولى البريطانيون على الأراضي الخصبة بقوة السلاح وخصصوها للبريطانيين البيض، وبعد الاستقلال باع هؤلاء المستوطنون هذه الأراضي إلى الحكومة الكينية مقابل المال، التي باعتها بدورها إلى مشترين جدد بعيدًا عن أصحابها الحقيقيين، وهو السبب في تواصل الخلافات على الأراضي في كينيا إلى اليوم.


فضلًا عن الاستيلاء على الأراضي الخصبة وحرمان سكان البلاد الأصليين من خيراتها، استولى البريطانيون على ثروات البلاد الباطنية كالذهب والألماس، ما أدى إلى تفقير البلاد وتهميش الجزء الأكبر من السكان.

نيجيريا.. قتل مروع ونهب للتراث
لم تترك بريطانيا دولةً إفريقيةً إلا وتفننت بإهانة شعبها وإذلاله، من ذلك نيجيريا التي مارست فيها بريطانيا أنواعًا عدة من التعذيب بحق سكان البلاد، قصد السيطرة عليهم ونهب ثروات بلادهم، حتى بعد الاستقلال تورطت بريطانيا في الحرب الأهلية التي عرفتها نيجيريا.

موّلت بريطانيا النظام القمعي النيجري نهاية ستينيات القرن الماضي في حربه ضد سكان المنطقة الشرقية الساعين للاستقلال، إذ تدفقت الذخيرة والأسلحة والفرق السرية لحكومة لاغوس وأدى ذلك إلى مقتل مئات آلاف المدنيين أغلبهم من الأطفال.

كما نهبت بريطانيا الاستعمارية تراث البلاد مثل الأعمال البرونزية التي تعتبر من بين أفضل الأعمال الفنية التي أُنتجت في القارة الإفريقية - وهي أعمال فنية مصنوعة من البرونز والنحاس الأصفر والعاج صُنعت بدقة لتزين القصر الملكي للأوبا أوفونراموين نوجبيسي في مملكة بنين - وتم نهبها في عهد الاستعمار وإلى الآن تطالب نيجيريا باستعادتها.


الماسونيه الشر في وجه برىء

يعود تاريخ العديد من هذه المنحوتات إلى القرن الثالث عشر، فيما يعود جزء مهم منها إلى القرنين الخامس عشر والسادس عشر، صنعها شعب إيدو وقد زينت - قبل نهبها - القصر الملكي بمملكة بنين.

رغم ادعائهم محاربة تجارة العبيد، فقد أشرف البريطانيون على هذه التجارة بأنفسهم وتمكن التجار وأصحاب المزارع من امتلاك ثروات هائلة بفضل العبيد، ثروات مولت حياة البذخ التي كانوا يعيشونها، من شراء المنازل الفخمة إلى اقتناء المجموعات الفنية القيمة.

هذا جزء بسيط من جرائم بريطانيا الكثيرة في حق الأفارقة التي ارتكبت أغلبها بمباركة العائلة الحاكمة بما فيهم الملكة إليزابيث الثانية، التي ترحل اليوم بدون كلمة اعتذار واحدة أو حتى مراجعة لإرثها وإرث بلادها الدامي في بقع ممتدة من العالم.

[sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a weirdly fun read! i was really excited to read this, as im sorta interested in this topic. this book didnt disappoint! it gave a lot of useful info, while also being intriguing in a way.

[Maribeth Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marion Crawford's controversial memoirs as a royal governess provide a very interesting, inside look into the private lives/childhoods of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. It's a bit slow-moving, though. There comes a point where you can only read so many letters from Queen Mary, or hear so many times how "Lilibet" was an awkward and gangly child in the mid-1930's, or swallow another description of the daily school schedule. That said, the book does humanize the Royal Family, showing them at their best and their worst, and proves that when it's all said and done, royals and non-royals experience many of the same triumphs, amusements, traumas, and joys.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet book. I found it interesting with all the insight into the life of royals and the descriptions of the different residences of the royal family.
However, I find it disgusting that the girl's parents got bent out shape and disowned the governess for writing such a sweet, loving book, that humanized the royals far more than the parents deserved, obviously!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book ends when the princesses are 18 and 22, and now I'm so intrigued I must find more books about them! If possible, I want to evaluate just how biased their governess's opinion is.

[Mary Prather · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There is nothing in the world so attractive as gentleness and good manners. I have often thought that the young people who copy the Princesses’ hats and frocks, and shoes, and ways of dressing, would do well also to copy their beautiful manners. To me, gentleness and lovely manners are far more important than clothes. For good manners are a charm that never goes out of fashion, and requires no capital outlay.” ~ Marion Crawford

This book was first of the “royal tell all” variety. Written in 1950 by the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret’s governess, it is actually a sweet telling of the girls’ growing up years. It offers an interesting glimpse into their daily life and education, and also provides interesting history about them during WWII.

It’s amazing to me that “Crawfie” was never spoken to again after articles written about the royals - when it seems so innocuous compared to the books that are written now!

I enjoyed this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FYI - this book paired nicely with “In Royal Service to the Queen”.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 2002 edition of The Little Princesses with a foreword by BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond. Crawford writes affectionately about Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret and admires certain members of the royal family, particularly Queen Mary, who took a strong interest in her grandchildren's education. There is a bit of implied criticism of Queen Elizabeth the Mother, however, who objected to the publication of the book. There are a number of references to Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) interrupting lessons to take the children out of doors and later objecting to Crawford's own efforts to resign her post and get married as the children grew older. The wartime chapters are the most interesting with descriptions of how the Windsor Castle dungeons became bomb shelters and how food and clothing rationing affected the royal household. I thought this edition would have been enhanced by more supplementary material, such as annotations including a variety of perspectives on the events described by Crawford.

[Maggie Burita · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
Super interesting to hear how Queen Elizabeth grew up from her nanny’s perspective. Funny too that she lived most of her childhood as a normal person because no one ever thought she would be the heir, since her uncle was the heir and not her father. I would’ve given it 5 stars had it gone into her becoming queen, but I guess Croffie was no longer needed to raise the kids so that’s when she stopped writing her book.

[Oliwia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I liked the book because I like TEA.
But if I were a member of the royal family and the governess pulled something like that I'd be pissed and I wouldn't talk to her after that either.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really interesting! A very loving but insightful perspective onto a very unusual family. I'd have been interested in some more detail about their lessons actually, but I think I'm grateful for the honestly quite small selection of anecdotes provided.

Very sad that they cut Crawfie out of their lives after she wrote this - it really does provide an 100% pro-royal, rose-tinted view of the royal family. But I do wonder why she didn't wait another 5 to 10 years before publishing it! The book goes up till 1948, then she published this basically straight after! I wonder if she was really stuck about what to do with her life now she'd finished teaching Lilibet & Margaret. She could probably have stuck around to teach Charles surely... I'd like to believe the story that her husband was greedy and wanted the money. Very sad really.

(some editions on GR have a subtitle that it's by her Nanny; it's actually by the Governess)

[Fanny ♡ (fanny_priceyre) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho es breve pero muy interesante. Marion es una mujer que se dedicó a la familia real y su final fue muy triste e injusto.
Consideró que debería volver a darse a conocer actualmente con toda la fama de The Crown, este tipo de historias reales llaman mucho la atención. Este libro que en algún momento fue mal visto por la realeza podría ser actualmente algo beneficioso ya que nos permite conocer a una la inocencia y juventud de la monarca Elizabeth II antes de ascender al trono.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Queen Elizabeth II’s governess provides a glimpse at the now-Queen’s childhood and that of her sister, Margaret’s. Brought on to provide a younger companion and teacher for the royal siblings, Marion Crawford stayed with the family until after the birth of Prince Charles.

When this was published in 1950, it was a scandalous tell-all, a breach of trust and privacy. Some seventy years later, I read this and think “Well, that was mild and not at all a 'tell all' of today’s standards.” I can see why Marion Crawford was ostracized and cut-off by the family: she shared details about the Elizabeth & Margaret’s homelife, childhood, and upbringing that we generally believe we would never learn. It is a “behind closed doors” reveal. But it is oh-so-tame. So tame. So, so, so tame.

My biggest “hang-up” with the book was not the details it offered (or didn’t offer) but rather the manner of the writing and telling. I felt like “Crawfie” was jumping from story to story without any clear transitions. Worse, she would be talking about one event, jump to another, and then back to the initial story; again, without transitions.

If you are looking to learn some hidden secret about Elizabeth, there wasn’t anything here. She seems to have had the standard childhood of privilege. She was loved. She was guarded and protected. There may have been glimpses of “normal” given by Crawfie (with the Tube ride and Girl-Scout-type troop experience) but it is a childhood of privilege. The book does reinforce the very caring nature of Elizabeth, as well as underlining just how different Elizabeth looked at everything, probably with an eye to knowing she’d be wearing the crown one day. The book also shined a light on the playfulness and prone to jokes & pranks aspect of Margaret.

Having read this just after the passing of Prince Philip, I read the parts about him meeting Elizabeth and the bits of their courtship with increasing interest. But, again, if you are looking for “dish” and “tell all,” this is not the place to look. It was an interesting read – but the choppy and uneven delivery really dimmed the overall impression.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the fictionalized version of the royal governess, Marion Crawford, that I read just prior to this book. It is very sad knowing how Marion was vilified by the press and totally cut off by the royal family she gave most of her younger life to because of this book. It is a very loving, but insightful look into how this woman, who would become Queen Elizabeth II, and her family lived during some of the hardest times in English history.

[Nancy Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would've given 5 stars, but the narrative seemed a bit disjointed/stream-of-consciousness at times, which was somewhat disorienting. Otherwise, a fun peek behind the scenes of the various castles, educational activities and social occasions involved in Queen Elizabeth's and Princess Margaret's upbringings. Just wish it would've been written a bit later to include her ascent to the throne.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting in parts, dragged in others…

[Brooke Drahos · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an intriguing read, providing an interesting look into the royal family, child-rearing, and education in that time period. It was such a stark contrast between the two girls’ upbringing and children’s today. The girls seemed to be constantly outside playing and riding horses, writing letters, taking care of their toys and school supplies (at 17 she still had the same pencil case), learning skills in Girl Scouts, and reading a lot of books. Kids today spend so much of their time watching TV, playing video games, on social media, cell phones, etc. The princess’s lives seemed so vibrant, healthy, with a good routine and rhythm. They took notice of people around them and nature and animals
because there was nothing else to distract them. I was jealous of their childhood that would seem boring or slow-moving to us today. However, it seemed beautiful in its simplicity. How many children are asked to write in a journal at the end of the day? Or are read to an hour a day by an adult? This was such a heart wrenching reminder of what our children are missing out on with the invasion of screens.

The princess’s education didn’t seem rigorous, but was constant and allowed for quietness of mind that gave birth to true creativity and depth of thought. Based on the author’s memories their childhood seemed in all ways a happy, serene one thanks in large part to their faithful and devoted governess.

I’m saddened that “Crawfie” died unforgiven and shunned by the royal family. I do wonder though what her motivation was in writing such a personal account of the queen’s upbringing. I, for one, am happy it was like glimpsing inside the castle window. But I often questioned throughout the book if it was really Crawfie’s story to tell? She clearly loved them by the way she wrote so affectionately about them. But why write the book? For money? Notoriety? Was she
mad at them? She had to have known what writing the book would mean— a split from the girls she raised as her own daughters.

I rated it a 3 mostly because it was disjointed and hard to follow. The author jumps from story to story, and I would
have to pause and reread it. I wish it flowed more smoothly.

It’s not good writing, ends abruptly, but the unique personal look into child rearing, the stresses of wartime, and the royal family makes it worth the read.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marion Crawford was governess to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret throughout their childhood and up until the time of Elizabeth's marriage. In 1950, she published this account of her years working for the royal family.

It is a charming book, full of interesting details about the family life of the royal family, and the characters of the two princesses. There are endearing pictures of the princesses at play, and enjoying a quiet and happy childhood with their parents when they were still just a duke and duchess, leading a relatively quiet family life. Then there is the drama of the abdication of Edward VIII, and the move to Buckingham Palace. Here Marion Crawford describes how the girls prepared their toy horses for the move:

'Though sad to leave 145 Piccadilly, the little girls, like children the world over, were excited over the move. They spent a lot of time getting their fine stud of horses ready. The saddles all had to be strapped on, the grooming brushes and polishing cloths packed up into their big basket. I began to wonder if the little girls would want to wheel them all the way over to the Palace themselves, but in the end they went with other treasures in a furniture van. There they took up their stand in a long row down the corridor in the Palace outside the children's room. They were still there on Lilibet's wedding morning.'

Reading it, it is at first a little difficult to understand why the publication of this book should have caused the offence that it did to the royal family. But on reflection you can see that, although there is almost nothing within its pages that is critical of the family (except a very little criticism of the frviolity of Princess Margaret's teenage years), there is a lot of personal detail that the royal family may not have wanted to see publicised. As Andrew Marr points outin his recent excellent book The Diamond Queen, they have little privacy, and this book was the first to be published giving away such details. One also might wonder why, if Miss Crawford was really as fond of the royal family as she says she is in this book, she didn't ask them first before publishing.

But still, the book is fascinating, and should be enjoyed by anyone who has any interest in the British royal family.

[Gail Sacharski · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the often unsavory role the press has played in the lives of the Royal Family, it's understandable why they would have been upset at Ms. Crawford's writing a book & sharing many private moments & opinions of the Royal Household, particularly of the young princesses (& this was before the press became the rude, intusive, & agressive entity it is today). She was a trusted caregiver & employee, treated as a confidante & part of the family; expected to protect her charges & the privacy of the family. They felt betrayed when she chose to share her experiences with the public. Yet this book is a loving portrait of two young girls & their adoring parents, of tender, gentle moments, of new & exciting experiences, of the worries & fears during the war years, of the graciousness with which they accepted the drastic change in their quiet, happy lives when duty called--of the interest, compassion, growth & development of two young girls, one of which would become the Queen of the British Empire. It allows us "commoners" to peek inside what royal life was like during this era--not all champagne & cavier-- & is done respectfully & with affection. I found nothing offensive or denigrating & Ms. Crawford's candid comments were quite honest, but not insulting in any way. Queen Elizabeth is one of my heroes, well-loved & admired, & I so enjoyed reading about her early years of childhood right up to the birth of her first child told by someone who was there to observe it all & who cared deeply for her & her family. It makes me sad that Ms. Crawford was ostracized by the Royal Family when she clearly loved them & continued to do so until she died. I hope they have all made up in heaven & are together again. I miss the Queen & this book gave me great comfort.

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know the Royal Family never forgave Crawford for writing this book - and I can see the reasons why - I still found it delightful. And I'm not sure if I should feel guilty about it enjoying it so much when they never wanted this book written!

This is a charming look at the young Princesses as shared by their nanny, Marion Crawford. She is nothing but complimentary towards the Royal Family and was beyond kind in her descriptions. Still. They trusted her to keep their private life which was shared with her exactly that - private. Might history appreciate this look at Queen Elizabeth's childhood? Yes. But it cost Crawford a great deal, relationally, to have written it. Did she end up finding it worthwhile to break confidence? I would be curious to know. From what I read online, it's arguable that she regretted putting pen to paper and would rather have loved and been loved by her former charges until the end of her life. Alas. She gave up her rights to fellowship with Elizabeth and her family and so I have to question whether the book was worth it myself!

(But I did enjoy it all the same.)

[Amy Isham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 'tell all' exclusive about the royal family was very tasteful and not at all salacious. The governess of the then Princess 'Lillibet' and Princess Margaret reveals the life in the fishbowl of royal children. I was interested in what sort of education a future queen of England receives and this didn't disappoint, as well as a cautious revelation of the little girls' characters. Also fascinating was the war time life of royalty, although referred to as 'frugal' by the governess as they moved from palace to victorian country house( in need of renovating), the girls enjoyed a lot of time outdoors, games and freedom after spending the morning in study.

[Mary Playford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful insight into Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret’s childhood. It was sad to see how cold they were towards their governess in the end. Her account about their upbringing was beautifully written. If this book was frown upon, I guess, the hint about Princess Margaret not being as smart as her sister is what the royals don’t want us to know. I don’t think that is a big deal.

I liked the bit during the war. I am not from that time period, so it was great to take a ride with the author to see what was happening back then.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating insider observations of Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret's childhood as told by their nanny. I really enjoyed hearing how the girls' lives were like prior to their uncle David's abdication and WW2, and how the family handled the abdication and subsequent responsibility of being the new monarch as well as the lead up to and survival of WW2. Highly recommend for anyone interested in English history or the monarchy!

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. I had no idea of how "royalty" lived and this tells the tale. It is hugely adoring yet still the author was ostracized for it. That is also amazing. Details like castles being cold without central heat, for example, are fascinating. And the courtship of Elizabeth by Philip. Or Margaret's tempestuous personality. Just fascinating.