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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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IN ROYAL SERVICE TO THE QUEEN

Tessa Arlen

A Novel of the Queen's Governess

The revealing story of Queen Elizabeth II's beloved governess, Marion Crawford, who spent more than sixteen years of her life in loyal service to the royal family and was later shunned by those she loved and served.
Marion Crawford can remember each of the wonderful years when she was governess to the little Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose: included in their lives, confided in, needed, trusted, and loved. These memories will never dim, ever. In Marion's mind, she will always be their Crawfie.

But things become increasingly complicated as the young royals navigate adulthood. It is May 1945 and Princess Elizabeth--the heiress presumptive to the British throne--has fallen in love, and the only member of her family who is happy for her is her governess. No one in the young princess's life thinks that Prince Philip of Greece would be a suitable husband for the future Queen of England. No one that is, except for Marion Crawford.

Crawfie wholeheartedly supports Elizabeth in her determination to marry Philip. She too has fallen in love--and has convinced her fiancée, George, that they must wait for Elizabeth and Philip to receive the King's blessing before she can leave her service to the Crown.

Over the next two years Crawfie is caught between loyalty to Princess Elizabeth; running the risk of alienating her royal employer, Queen Elizabeth; and losing the man she loves. But as Crawfie prevails to marry George and stands with him in Westminster Abbey on Elizabeth and Philip's wedding day, she is unaware that her troubled relationship with Queen Elizabeth is far from over. And just around the corner is a betrayal that will sever her bond with the royal family forever.

Tessa Arlen is the author of the Woman of World War II Mysteries. Born in Singapore, the daughter of a British diplomat, she has lived in Egypt, Germany, the Persian Gulf, China, and India. She now lives with her husband in historic Santa Fe, where she gardens in summer and writes in winter.
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Published 2021-06-29 by Berkley

Comments

A tantalizing and poignant tale of the young royal princesses. Wise, loyal and fierce, Crawfie is a heroine for the ages. Arlen's storytelling should thrill anyone who loved The Crown.

Fans of The Crown will enjoy this poignant look behind the royal curtain, and will celebrate and mourn with Marian Crawford, tutor to the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, as she is forced to choose between sharing the lives of the girls she loves or creating a life and family of her own. It's an emotional story of the struggle between duty to a sovereign and duty to one's heart.

A moving depiction of Crawford... Arlen's vivid descriptions bring the reader into the room. This engaging book will appeal to readers, whether they already know the true story or not. Read more...

An engrossing story... Fans of The Crown will devour this. Read more...