The Queen and Di

The Untold Story

By: Ingrid Seward

Narrated by: Emily Gray

The Manchester Evening News declared, it took "a biographer like Ingrid Seward to unleash a sober, challenging glimpse into the one relationship of such scrutiny." That relationship is the complex, troubled, and often turbulent association between Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth. According to conventional wisdom, the Queen and Di were at odds almost from the start, but as the author of this "explosive book" ( London Daily Mail) reveals, the Queen was for a long time one of Diana's staunchest defenders, from the moment the future princess set foot on the royal turf of Balmoral Castle as a weekend guest in the 1980s.

In this work, best-selling author Ingrid Seward, the longtime editor of Majesty magazine and perhaps the most authoritative writer on the royal family, takes the listener behind the palace gates of Buckingham, Balmoral, and Sandrigham, and shows us how the royals really live and operate among themselves.

Elizabeth herself as a young bride had to learn how to deal with all sorts of personal problems, including a sometimes difficult and wayward husband, so she was especially sympathetic to Diana's many idiosyncrasies and difficulties. From an insider's perspective, the author charts Di's ups and downs: her difficult childhood, bulimia, depression, and sometimes even paranoia, offset by her innate charm, compassion, and common touch. Diana just wanted to be loved . . . but love isn't part of the royal vocabulary. A few weeks before her death, Princess Diana called and invited Ingrid Seward to come to her house.

Drawing on her long association with Diana and what turned out to be Diana's last conversation with a member of the press, Seward provides astonishing insight into the Camilla Parker Bowles affair, as well as the views and opinions of one of the most adored and vilified women of the 20th century.

©2000, 2011 Ingrid Seward (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Good Audiobook

Learned some new things about the royal family and that’s always a great read for me.

The Queen an Di are so different

Both of these women dealt with husbands who were cheaters. Phillip was a womanizer and had an ongoing affair with an actress for over 20 years. The difference was clear in how each of these women dealt with the problem. Diana became pretty disgusting with many men. I think the Queen was helped by Porchy, the Earl over at the Downton Abbey establishment and the man she should have married. They really cared for each other. The Queen would sneak out in a head scarf and meet him in the back of a close by restaurant.

Not the best or the worst of the Princess Di genre

There are interesting moments in this book, and the speculated comparison between two royal marriages keeps it interesting. The narrator gives some real life to the story with a rather good reading and accurate (though nasal) voice of Queen Elizabeth. Aficionados will appreciate the opportunity to compare the pro-Charles view against similar pro-Diana writings from other sources. Seward attempts to demonstrate a neutral attitude through occasional expressions of sympathy toward Diana, but ends up with the recognizably patronizing tone adapted by many of Prince Charles' biographical apologists. Her empathy for the Queen is more heartfelt and easier to understand, except for the tired assumptions about Prince Philip's supposed infidelities. She is far harder on the Duke of Edinburgh than on the Prince of Wales, offering justifications for confessed infidelity on the part of the Prince versus cold contempt for unproven behavior of the Duke. Still a pleasant listen, though if you indulge in only reading one book on the late Princess, this one is not sufficiently neutral to recommend.

Yet Another Version

There have been so many sides of Diana’s and Charles’ story of what killed their marriage. Welcome to another one. I’m not sure anyone except Charles and the Queen know the reality of it. This version just muddies the waters more. They say you should never speak ill of the dead, but my opinion of Diana dropped considerably after hearing this. She’s gone. Let’s just let all the speculation go with her and let’s wish those well who remain to carry on the monarchy.

Interesting But Polarizing

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a glance behind the curtains in the lives of the well known.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Doesn't really apply to this book.

Which character – as performed by Emily Gray – was your favorite?

Doesn't apply.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

None in particular.

Any additional comments?

This is a fairly interesting look into the private lives of the world's most notable individuals. I cannot ascertain how much is fact or fiction or embellishment. At some points, I get the impression that the basis for some of the events are rooted in hear-say. I also had a difficult time deciding if the author is pro-Elizabeth II or pro- Diana. Overall, not a waste of time, but I wouldn't suggest one go out ofone's way to listen to it.

Good read, but ….

Good book and the narration is excellent. However, the storyline jumps around a bit and is a little too much in favor of Charles and critical of Diana. Doubtless, there were faults on both sides, but the author seems prone to accept the Prince’s version.

The Queen and Di

I found this book to be an engaging narration of the relationship between two remarkable women. In most books on the marriage of Prince Charles and Diana the author has a bias so obvious that you know immediately who's "side" they are on. I think the whole story is tragic and so sad I think it is a case study in how not to. behave in an unfortunate marriage and divorce. Although the princess had endured the trauma of growing up in an unstable family and carried it all her life ironically she seemed to put her own sons through that same trauma. Worst than that she put especially William in the role of confidant and counselor on his young shoulders, children do not need nor should they be placed in such situations.
Charles is also not placed on a pedestal by the author. It seems as if being Prince of Wales is not an enviable position. Edward VII as Prince of Wales was a play boy who seemed to have very loose morals and got involved in scandals all the time. Edward VIII as Prince of Wales was even worse. It is definitely worth your time to listen to this book

Insightful

I really enjoyed that both the Queen and Diana were featured in the book. You get a fuller picture of Diana as she, herself had been interviewed

Besides the porky-pies,..

We now know that much of this is false. Took time to fit stuff to come out.

Quite one sided.

It is not surprising that the Queens legacy will always outshine Diana's. However, I doubt even the palace would want the former Princess' name to be smeared to this level. She was not perfect. But this book offers Diana no allowances, if for nothing else, than for her naivete and youthful antics when first entering the palace gates. I doubt even her worst enemies of Windsor would find this to be a fair and balanced account.