George V

Never a Dull Moment

By: Jane Ridley

Narrated by: Joanna David

From one of the most beloved and distinguished historians of the British monarchy, here is a lively, intimately detailed biography of a long-overlooked king who reimagined the Crown in the aftermath of World War I and whose marriage to the regal Queen Mary was an epic partnership

The grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, King George V reigned over the British Empire from 1910 to 1936, a period of unprecedented international turbulence. Yet no one could deny that as a young man, George seemed uninspired. As his biographer Harold Nicolson famously put it, "he did nothing at all but kill animals and stick in stamps.” The contrast between him and his flamboyant, hedonistic, playboy father Edward VII could hardly have been greater.

However, though it lasted only a quarter-century, George’s reign was immensely consequential. He faced a constitutional crisis, the First World War, the fall of thirteen European monarchies and the rise of Bolshevism. The suffragette Emily Davison threw herself under his horse at the Derby, he refused asylum to his cousin the Tsar Nicholas II during the Russian Revolution, and he facilitated the first Labour government. And, as Jane Ridley shows, the modern British monarchy would not exist without George; he reinvented the institution, allowing it to survive and thrive when its very existence seemed doomed. The status of the British monarchy today, she argues, is due in large part to him.

How this supposedly limited man managed to steer the crown through so many perils and adapt an essentially Victorian institution to the twentieth century is a great story in itself. But this book is also a riveting portrait of a royal marriage and family life. Queen Mary played a pivotal role in the reign as well as being an important figure in her own right. Under the couple's stewardship, the crown emerged stronger than ever. George V founded the modern monarchy, and yet his disastrous quarrel with his eldest son, the Duke of Windsor, culminated in the existential crisis of the Abdication only months after his death.

Jane Ridley has had unprecedented access to the archives, and for the first time is able to reassess in full the many myths associated with this crucial and dramatic time. She brings us a royal family and world not long vanished, and not so far from our own.

©2022 Jane Ridley (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Superb

Brilliantly written story very well read. Jane Ridley is a terrific author. I recommend anything by her.

Superbly written and narrated

Thoroughly researched and unbiased account of a fascinating family history. A skillful blending of the Monarchy, British and world politicians and history.

Wonderful Biography

Fantastic book. The reading voice was excellent.

I love this author, and the way she breaks down the biography into two or three years at a time.

Learned a great deal about George the Fifth.

An Excellent Biography

I have read many biographies of British monarchs from George III to the present day, including biographies of George V and Queen Mary. It has been a long time since I found new and surprising material, but Ms. Ridley has been given access to archives not available to previous authors. I was sorry when the book ended.

Loved it!

Great writing and narration. 10/10! Highly recommend this life of King George and Queen Mary.

Almost a joint biography with new information

Sources of information were clear. Easy to follow except for reasons behind a few changes in Prime Ministers and what seemed like a murky account of the failure/inability/lack of interest in saving the Czar and his family.

Delightful

From the narration to the narrative, this is brilliant and highly enjoyable. Thoroughly enjoyed the unabridged history that Dr. Ridley was able to build on, painting a much truer and accurate picture of the King that time since his passing and Queen Mary’s allows.

Captivating Biography

I found the book very interesting. The reading was well done. The author captured the personalities throughout King George’s life. Sad he was such a failure as a father.

Well Written and Excellent Performance

The author has a lively style that brings the King and the time in which he lived to life; truly, never a dull moment, though the political quagmires are inevitably a touch heavy. Ms. David is the perfect choice for narrator, as her smooth voice communicates the humor and humanity of the work.

A Surprising Stunner (Much like its subject)

A modern, accessible yet still thorough and well-rounded look at the life of King George V. Due to his nature, and rough early start, it was easy to dismiss him as simple-minded, and ineffective. The author provides a clearer and more well-rounded look at a man who guided a nation through a world war, a depression, and sweep political change, all the while providing a sense of stability and a desire to do the right, not easy, thing.