A Message for the Royals Extra Community, With Gratitude
"George VI and Elizabeth" is now out in paperback, and I'll be taking a brief break from Royals Extra to spend time with family
Dear Friends of Royals Extra,
Today marks the publication of the paperback edition of George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy. As you might imagine, this is an exciting moment for me. I hope those of you who want to know more about this remarkable couple, who were the parents of Queen Elizabeth II, will take a look at the lovely new edition issued by Random House. I’ve given over 50 talks about the book around the United States and in Britain, with still more scheduled for the months ahead.
I only belatedly realized that Royals Extra passed a milestone on March 20, which was the first anniversary of its launch shortly before the hardcover publication of my George VI and Elizabeth biography. In my first post, I promised to “take readers behind the scenes of the British royal family over the last century,” drawing on two decades of research for four best-selling books about the monarchy.
My aim was to “trace the trials and triumphs of the modern monarchy and explain traditions and values that have made it an object of fascination around the world.” I also wanted Royals Extra “to convey new information and fresh contexts and to broaden understanding of the world’s most famous family.”
It was gratifying to see scores of people take the leap and sign on as subscribers based on that initial post. The Royals Extra subscriber base has since grown to more than 6,000. This is my 83rd post, and I am committed to publishing at least that many in the year ahead. Royals Extra has become my passion as well as my vocation.
More than I anticipated, I have linked current developments in the royal family with events in the past. One example of that was my most recent post, “How Two Kings Have Dealt With Serious Illness: Transparency meant something entirely different to Charles III and his great-grandfather George V.” Most of the photos in that post hadn’t been seen since they were published in 1928 and 1929.
I am winding up nearly a month in England, where I’ve been talking to sources close to the royal family as it deals with the cancer diagnoses afflicting both the King and Princess of Wales. I’ve already written about these worrying developments and will continue to do so, providing insights and perspectives from people I know and trust.
For the next several weeks, I’ll be taking time off from Royals Extra to be with my family, as I did last August and December. I’ll still have my antennae ready for anything that’s newsworthy, and I’ll gin up my laptop any time I see something that would be of interest to you.
With best wishes and much gratitude,
Sally Bedell Smith