A timely and revelatory new biography of Queen Elizabeth and her family, this work explores how the Windsors have evolved and thrived as the modern world has changed around them. Clive Irving's stunning new narrative biography The Last Queen probes the question of the British monarchy's longevity. In 2021, the Queen Elizabeth II finally appears to be at ease in the modern world, helped by the new generation of Windsors. But through Irving's unique insight there emerges a more fragile institution, whose extraordinarily dutiful matriarch has managed to persevere with dignity, yet in doing so made a Faustian pact with the media. The Last Queen is not a conventional biography--and the book is therefore not limited by the traditions of that genre. Instead, it follows Elizabeth and her family's struggle to survive in the face of unprecedented changes in our attitudes towards the royal family, with the critical eye of an investigative reporter who is present and involved on a highly personal level.

From the loves of Princess Margaret to the saga of Princess Diana, from the torments of Prince Charles to the arrival of Meghan Markle, tensions have gripped the House of Windsor. Throughout, Elizabeth II remained steadfast in her values and has become one of the most admired people in the world, while remaining one of the least known and understood. The book explores how Queen Elizabeth, uncomfortable with the pace of the social and cultural changes in her nation, and often seeming out of touch, resolutely kept the monarchy stable. Irving examines the pivotal events of Elizabeth's reign and also addresses her role in the royal family's relationship with the media.