The Windsors at war The King, his brother, and a family divided

Historian Alexander Larman picks up his saga of the Windsor family that began with The Crown in Crisis (2020). Edward VIII has abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson. Little prepared to become sovereign, Edward's younger brother succeeds him as George VI while Britain is bedeviled by the rise of fascism on the continent. Plenty of Britons and their political leaders look with some favor on Adolf Hitler, chief among them the former king, now created Duke of Windsor, who becomes a focus of many intrigues. The arrival of war in 1939 stiffens George VI's resolve to become a true national leader and reveals the dangers of the Duke's consorting with those now Britain's deadly enemies. Working from archival documents, Larman uncovers the machinations of both royals and government leaders and remains deeply critical of the Duke's behaviors. George VI, his wife, and daughters endured the war's hardships despite the King's increasingly fragile health. Meanwhile, the Duke, in essence exiled as Governor of the Bahamas, often appears peevish about his diminished status. Both serious historians and obsessive royal-watchers will revel in the wealth of detail that Larman brings to this chronicle.

Historian Larman follows up Crown in Crisis with an immersive account of what happened after Edward VIII's abdication--namely, "a squabbling and dysfunctional family being tested to the limits under unimaginable pressure." Drawing on diaries, letters, and memoranda, Larman focuses on the "psychodrama of the uneasy relationship" between Edward and his younger brother, George VI, which was exacerbated by the royal family's refusal to attend Edward's wedding to American divorcee Wallis Simpson in 1937, and by Edward's insistence that his wife be given the title of "Her Royal Highness." Seeking proof that he could be "the instrument of peace and harmony between the two countries," Edward toured Germany soon after the wedding, but the visit was seen as a "propaganda coup for the Nazis" and made him and Wallis "persona non grata in the circles in which they wished to move." Larman also sheds light on Winston Churchill's role as an intermediary between George and Edward, details fascist sympathies among the British aristocracy, and notes that Edward's prescient warnings about the weakness of French defenses were ignored by the War Office. Polished and persuasive, it's an incisive study of the interplay between the personal and the political. (Apr.)

British historian/journalist Larman writes a sequel to The Crown in Crisis. His new book focuses on the relationship between George VI and the Duke of Windsor. It incorporates Larman's extensive research and his access to rare and previously unpublished letters, diaries, and memoranda. There's the Duchess of Windsor's correspondence that described events as they occurred to her aunt, and diaries and letters of George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The author recounts events such as the coronation of George VI, the wedding of the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's 1937 controversial meeting with Adolf Hitler, and World War II events. Larman vividly describes the times after George VI's abdication and the viewpoints of those involved. There's an extensive bibliography, notes, and a list of all members of the House of Windsor during that time period. This book was written before Queen Elizabeth's death, but the author pays a poignant tribute to her, praising her dedication and steadfastness. VERDICT A highly recommended, vivid, intriguing book about a memorable time in British history.--Lucy Heckman

The second in a series about the Windsor family follows the hand-wringing over Edward VIII's perfidy courting the Nazis during World War II--and official attempts to contain him. In this follow-up to The Crown in Crisis, British historian Larman uses his access to new letters and diaries to provide a thorough, occasionally poignant consideration of the "fascinating psychodrama of the uneasy relationship between King George VI and the Duke of Windsor," two brothers and kings who didn't want the role. Edward VIII (David to his family and friends) abdicated the crown in favor of his unprepared younger brother, Albert (Bertie); worse, he demonstrated distinct pro-Nazi sympathies that came to haunt the royal family and government. Stepping down from the crown in December 1936 because he could not rule with the woman he loved, American Wallis Simpson, the two caused nothing but headache and anxiety for Britain. They were married in Nazi collaborator Charles Bedaux's French château, roamed Europe with appeasement sympathizers, and even visited Hitler in October 1937. With the outbreak of war and danger of the Windsors being kidnapped by the Germans or manipulated for political use, King George VI arranged with Prime Minister Winston Churchill to coerce the duke to serve as governor of the Bahamas over the course of the war. However, the duke never relented in pressing for a royal title for the duchess and having her invited to court, among other tiresome entreaties. Drawing heavily on accounts by Edward's lawyer, Walter Monckton, and private secretaries Alec Hardinge and Tommy Lascelles, among other close observers, Larman ably portrays the deep layers of emotion and intrigue among the various players--notably, the warming relationship and support between King George VI and Churchill during a time of international crisis. Fully fleshed portraits of royal siblings under duress. Royal watchers will eagerly await a third installment. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.