Publisher's Synopsis
From Alfred's burning of the cakes to Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, here is the definitive account of a unique institution, one that has shaped the Britain of today.
There's a reason why schoolchildren still learn about the Kings and Queens: it's their power struggles and subtle compromises that have shaped the nation we inhabit today. When members of the Royal family go on 'walkabouts', they do so because monarchs stretching back to King Alfred understood the need to be seen by their subjects, and the dire consequences of remaining aloof (or abroad). When they give interviews, or accept taxes, they do so as part of a long series of engagements with other, almost-equally powerful operators: Church, Parliament, the nobility.
Stephen Bates explores the history of the Crown with wit and incision, telling the stories behind the symbols and brining to life the individuals behind the individuals behind the legends. And as the curtain falls of Queen Elizabeth's remarkable reign, he asks what the future might hold for the world's best-known monarchy.
