So, a new biography, trying to assess the late Queen’s reign overall, is very welcome, especially one written by a professional historian at the height of his game. Commissioned originally for The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, David Cannadine’s entry on Elizabeth now appears separately in a much more accessible format. Nor is there hagiography; aware of the criticisms sometimes made of the late Queen’s handling of family matters, Cannadine is judicious in his discussion of them. Reading almost like a survey of our own times, this is an admirable introduction to the life and reign of the late Queen. Queen Elizabeth II: A concise biography of an exceptional sovereignDavid CannadineOUP £12.99(978-0-19-890230-0)Church Times Bookshop £11.69

Source: The Times December 12, 2025 06:16 UTC