It’s 1943. The war rages across Europe. Princess Elizabeth and her family are at Windsor Castle and she and sister Margaret are set to perform Aladdin for her parents. Sneaking a peak around the curtain she is looking for someone, Prince Philip of Greece. Disappointed that he is not in the audience, but knowing the show must always go on, she takes a deep breath, the music starts, the curtains part, and there he is. Sitting in the front row, Prince Philip is staring right at her. She isn’t the little girl she used to be when she first met the prince, and Prince Philip realizes this now with a start. And so begins one of the greatest love stories of our time, that of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. Flora Harding takes us behind the scenes and inside the royal gates to get a fictional look at the couple from their first meeting to the day of their royal wedding.

BEFORE THE CROWN is a must-read for any fan of historical fiction, royal watchers, and especially for those fans of Netflix’s The Crown. Flora Harding expertly writes and has researched this novel from Elizabeth’s and Philip’s points of view. It is intriguing to see the business side of this royal marriage. How Elizabeth, with the weight of crown and country resting on her shoulders, must marry the right man. How Elizabeth chooses love over duty in the aftermath of war. How Philip, with haste, agrees to marry Elizabeth at the urging of his uncle. Philip must come to terms with giving up his life as he knows it. How Philip must fight for Elizabeth with her own family against the marriage; and even some members of his own family are not welcome in this new royal circle. His life, as he knows it is over. But will it be worth it?

BEFORE THE CROWN delves into the world of these two icons from a personal perspective that we don’t often see, or even think about. We see Elizabeth’s responsible side collide with her personal feelings. We see Philip struggle with what started as a promising idea of marrying the world’s most eligible bachelorette turn to that of a battle of wills against the monarchy and government. In the end, love always wins. BEFORE THE CROWN is a love story for the ages and with a sigh of contentment, I anxiously await more from Ms. Harding.