Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Princess Mary: The First Modern Princess

Reviewed in Australia on 2 June 2021

This biography is well-written, informative and truly fascinating.
Princess Mary's life and her good work places in a logical context her inter-relationships with the various members of her Royal Family, together with her remarkable experiences across the reigns of six British monarchs. Along with her mother, Queen Mary, she was instrumental in holding together the monarchy following the 1936 abdication crisis of her brother, Edward VIII.
A good selection of photographs, together with a family tree, enhances the detailed narrative.

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Sherralynne

Very Informative

Reviewed in Australia on 2 February 2022

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I knew very little about Princess Mary before I purchased this
book. It's really well written and I highly recommend this book.

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sol roberts

Good read about the life of Princess Mary

Reviewed in Australia on 28 November 2021

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It is a comprehensive story of this almost forgotten aunt of Queen Elizabeth II and her relationship with her siblings and parents. Her married life and children is fascinating read. I would recommend this to all who love royal history

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Elizabeth Dokulil

Very interesting

Reviewed in Australia on 10 March 2021

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Loved it

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Geoff

What a lively discovery.

Reviewed in Australia on 13 August 2021

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Much better lady than Diana. I am glad I discovered this royal whom I knew nothing about. A life lived for people not like Diana who lived for herself.

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Ms Louise Wilford

Well-written, well-researched, very interesting

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 February 2021

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You don't have to be a fan of the royal family to enjoy this biography of Princess Mary, daughter of Queen Mary and George V, and aunt of our current queen. I am not in any way a monarchist and would happily see the whole aristocratic system dismantled, but there is no doubt that within this large and privileged dynasty there are numerous fascinating stories and compelling characters. Their history is a history of our country - or of a particular aspect of our country at any rate - and there is no doubt that stories about engaging and exceptional real people are always worth reading.
Elisabeth Basford has written such a story here. It reminded me of Catherine Bailey's Black Diamonds, the story of a hundred years in the life of Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire - Basford's biography is partly the tale of Harewood House, where Princess Mary lived. I had never really heard of Princess Mary before I read the book, and in fact I thought it was about Queen Mary at first, and the fact that Princess Mary is not a well-known member of the Royal Family makes the book all the more gripping. Princess Mary was in many ways an extraordinary woman - she pops up in the film of Downton Abbey though apparently her character and family situation are misrepresented there. Basford has researched her subject extensively and she has a natural writing talent - the book is beautifully written and securely researched.
I would recommend this book highly if you like well-written biographies, or are interested in the historical period it covers. You don't have to be particularly interested in the royals to enjoy the book, though obviously such an interest would add extra pleasure to the experience.

28 people found this helpful

Kim Schroeder

The first new Biography of Princess Mary the Queen's Aunt-Disappointing photos and cover!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 February 2021

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Although I do not want to appear ungrateful and picky about what is indeed a very welcome biography on Princess Mary who I have wanted to know more about and have a book of her life to add to my collection for many years-having leafed through the new book by Elisabeth Basford having got it in hand earlier than I thought-thank you Amazon!-only to find my anticipation waning considerably as I flicked through the chapters looking at the rather poor quality photographs choice as well as quality-which quite frankly look like poor photocopy reproductions-dark and grainy and not even as in most books of this sort printed on standard paper-not glossy pages as you would expect!
Even the cover itself is disappointing in that if one were to choose a least flattering photo of Princess Mary for the cover of a book on her life Elisabeth Basford and her publishers have done just that.! There are many many more regal looking photographs- even on the Internet- that they could have chosen from-why choose this particular photo as a cover- a pre-pubescent young girl which hardly has any relation to the elegant young woman she became-any other official portrait of Princess Mary mature and older would have been a much better choice for the cover either in uniform or even in Court dress which one would be able to see at first glance here was indeed a Royal Princess biography! With the existing cover I doubt anyone under my grand old age would know who Princess Mary was never mind trying to guess it from the photo on this books cover.!
P.S. I have no wish whatsovever to be particularly scathing about this long awaited new book as I have mentioned remarks purely about its PRODUCTION values-not the writing skill or the narrative-what annoys me more is the overall "look" of the books jacket and the total mish-mash of non-relevant-in my opinion-photos of Mary on what seems quite insignificant trips abroad that pepper the photograph section in the book-where are there pictures of her sons as they grew into adulthood instead?? Much more of interest to the reader would have been their inclusion- not just 2 grainy baby shots of the boys as babes-in-arms,surely? Who edited this section of the book should be told not to do so again as this proved to be the biggest dissapointment for me-again-where are -and there are many-photos of Mary as she aged? Either portraits or even less mass produced postcard shots could have been chosen-but all of this seems to have been ignored and has proved-to me-a wasted oppertunity in a majorly long awaited book such as this biography.A pity.

22 people found this helpful

The daily cook

interesting insight of a private royal

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 March 2021

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While I was already aware of the life of The Princess Royal, she has rather slipped from history and been somewhat forgotten. This was a conscientious Princess who although quite shy in public, nevertheless gritted her teeth and played a significant part in the life of the Royal Family and the Country at a time of great change during and following the Great War, led by her parents George V & Queen Mary. One of the first Princesses to be allowed to marry a commoner she became a champion of the North following her marriage while still supporting her parents and brothers, two of course who became King and indeed, our present Queen. An admirable, modest and unassuming women who led a useful life. I did feel that the story could have been a little better written, but it gave a good overview of the subject.

7 people found this helpful

Alexander Borg

A definitive biography

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2021

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This excellent book fills a gap in the writing of the history of the royal family. I thought I knew a little bit about Princess Mary, including the idea that she was trapped in a difficult marriage. This book dispels any such notion, and the picture of the Princess's marriage painted by Elisabeth Basford is indeed a happy one. Ms Basford has put a great deal of research into her book, which is eminently readable. She demonstrates that Princess Mary was a hard-working, if rather modest, member of the royal family, a champion of the north of England at a time when this area was largely neglected by the royal family, as well as a veteran campaigner for the recognition of women's contributions to the world at large. It should certainly be included in any collection of royal biography.

6 people found this helpful

Christina Rauh Fishburne

Meticulously researched and lovingly, though fairly, written.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2021

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What an inspiring, beautiful, and strong tribute to a woman I had no idea was worthy of such admiration. I was moved to actual tears TWICE. @elisabethbasford , this is a triumph. #princessmarycountessofharewood @princessmaryprincessroyal #biography #newwriting #bookstagram #modernprincess #princessmary #class #herroyalhappiness #sunshineprincess #girlguides #nurselife #chancellor #rolemodel

8 people found this helpful

5 star		53%
4 star		25%
3 star		15%
2 star		4%
1 star		3%

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