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A review by holly2kidsandtired
The Little Princesses by Marion Crawford
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this gem. First published in 1950, it is the story of Marion Crawford, who was the nanny to Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret. It begins in 1932 when Marion, called Crawfie by Princess Elizabeth, joined the royal household of the, then, Duke and Duchess of York. Crawfie was 24, and came to be the princesses' teacher. She stayed with the royal family until the time of Prince Charles' birth in 1948.
The story is tender and revealing. The Duke and Duchess relished their quiet family life. Being the second son, the sensitive Duke never imagined the path his life would take when his brother abdicated the throne. Plunged into the roles of King and Queen, the royals relied on Crawfie to help raise their daughters while maintaining their family life as best they could.
Crawfie's affection for the family, but especially for Princess Elizabeth, or Lilibet as she is referred to, is strong. And, it is apparent that the affection they have for her is equally as strong. She shares details of their daily lives and provides an insight into the life of royalty that is fascinating. A significant portion of the story is told from the WW2 viewpoint and how the struggles and rationing affected the royal family. We also see the changes in Princess Elizabeth as she comes to accept her role as future queen. Her courtship and marriage to Prince Phillip are chronicled as well.
The class system has never left England. Even today. I have no understanding nor respect of "royalty". That of being important simply because of a person's birth, nor the devotion and loyalty that people show them, especially since they're mainly figureheads. Crawfie nearly gave up her chance for marriage, simply to serve the King and Queen. I don't get it. I never will. I don't share the public's fascination with royalty nor celebrity for that matter.
The story, however, is an entertaining one. It's a tender, touching account of the childhood of Britain's current queen by the woman who, perhaps, understood her best.
The story is tender and revealing. The Duke and Duchess relished their quiet family life. Being the second son, the sensitive Duke never imagined the path his life would take when his brother abdicated the throne. Plunged into the roles of King and Queen, the royals relied on Crawfie to help raise their daughters while maintaining their family life as best they could.
Crawfie's affection for the family, but especially for Princess Elizabeth, or Lilibet as she is referred to, is strong. And, it is apparent that the affection they have for her is equally as strong. She shares details of their daily lives and provides an insight into the life of royalty that is fascinating. A significant portion of the story is told from the WW2 viewpoint and how the struggles and rationing affected the royal family. We also see the changes in Princess Elizabeth as she comes to accept her role as future queen. Her courtship and marriage to Prince Phillip are chronicled as well.
The class system has never left England. Even today. I have no understanding nor respect of "royalty". That of being important simply because of a person's birth, nor the devotion and loyalty that people show them, especially since they're mainly figureheads. Crawfie nearly gave up her chance for marriage, simply to serve the King and Queen. I don't get it. I never will. I don't share the public's fascination with royalty nor celebrity for that matter.
The story, however, is an entertaining one. It's a tender, touching account of the childhood of Britain's current queen by the woman who, perhaps, understood her best.