- "Victory in Europe Day, which everyone's calling VE Day, is tomorrow, and Mr. Churchill will officially announce the end of the war in Europe. Lilibet said it'll be a day of celebration like we haven't seen since Papa and Mummy's coronation. How exciting!"
- —Princess Margaret[2]
Wartime Princess is a My Story book written by Valerie Wilding. It is Wilding's fifth book for the series and the forty-eighth overall. It was first published in March 2012 and reissued in January 2016. The book is sometimes included in the My Story spin-off, My Royal Story. It was followed by the anthology book, London Stories by Jim Eldridge.
Young Princess Margaret starts a diary chronicling her experiences during World War II and the romance between her sister Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Dedication[]
- "For my grandson, Eddie with all my love"
Book description[]
- "It's 1939, Europe is on the verge of war and Princess Margaret begins a diary to record her wartime experiences. But more exciting than blackouts, evacuees, and doodlebugs is her sister Elizabeth's blossoming romance with Prince Philip of Greece. Margaret dreams of a royal wedding, but Philip is sent to serve in the navy and Elizabeth longs to join the army. Will there be a fairy tale ending?"
It's 1939, and young Princess Margaret has started a secret diary. But Europe is on the brink of war and her tales of life with older sister Elizabeth soon darken when Germany invades Poland. Everything changes–even more so when Elizabeth meets an exciting young prince called Philip. Margaret begins to dream of a royal wedding, but with war separating the young couple, can there still be a fairytale ending?"
Plot[]
Princess Margaret begins a diary in June 1939 and starts by introducing herself and her sister, Elizabeth. She writes that Elizabeth is "not a bit like [her]" and will one day be queen. A few weeks later, the girls greet their parents, King George and Queen Elizabeth, whom have just returned from touring Canada and America. The following month, they meet a young cadet and distant relation, Prince Philip. Elizabeth develops a crush on him, which Margaret teases her about. In September, after Germany invades Poland, the United Kingdom declares war. The King and Queen are compelled to go to London, leaving the princesses in Scotland. Elizabeth begins corresponding with Philip after he joins the Royal Navy.
Before Christmas, Margaret and Elizabeth are sent to Norfolk for the holidays and later to Windsor. However, as the war rages on, it is suggested for the princesses to be sent to Canada, which the Queen refuses. That summer, Italy declares war on the United Kingdom while Germany begins attacking by air. Many places are bombed, including Buckingham Palace. Meanwhile, Margaret begins worrying about German spies and decides to keep her eyes peeled. In the spring of 1941, Philip has a short visit with the royal family. Elizabeth gets to see Philip again later that year, while visiting her uncle George and aunt Marina. In December, the United States joins the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
By 1942, Elizabeth is extremely interested in war work but her father is against it. Her sixteenth birthday does bring her more royal responsibilities, leading her to spend less time with Margaret. Feeling lonely, Margaret wishes to be "grown up too." In August, the princesses are devastated by the death of their uncle George in a plane crash, just a few months after the birth of his son and their cousin Michael. Over the next two years, Elizabeth continues to harbor a wish to "do [her] bit." Margaret, on the other hand, is uninterested in working. Their father finally allows Elizabeth to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service in January 1945. Margaret still feels lonely but has matured over the past few years.
In April 1945, the war begins to reach its end after the death of Adolf Hitler. May 8 is declared Victory in Europe Day. Margaret and Elizabeth join the celebrations, going incognito among the crowds. The war officially ends after Japan surrenders. After the war, Elizabeth continues to be busy and Margaret has her first engagement, speaking at the opening of a play centre. Elizabeth and Philip are engaged in August 1946, but her parents are reluctant to make a formal announcement. In early 1947, the royal family go on a tour of South Africa. After their return, the King still remains hesitant about the engagement, leading to Margaret stepping in to convince him. He makes the announcement a few days later.
Afterword[]
Elizabeth and Philip married on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. King George passed away five years later on 6 February 1952. Now Queen, Elizabeth moved into Buckingham Palace with her husband and two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. The couple had four children in total, eight grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. In 2012, Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, becoming the second British monarch to do so after Queen Victoria.
Characters[]
- Main article: List of Wartime Princess characters
- Princess Margaret, the younger sister of the future Queen Elizabeth. Starting the war at nine-years-old, Margaret develops into an empathetic fifteen-year-old.
- Princess Elizabeth is the serious and responsible older sister of Margaret. She takes her role as future queen seriously, and always wants to do her part for the war.
Author[]
- Main article: Valerie Wilding
Valerie Wilding is a British author of children's fiction. She has written a large number of fictional and historical fiction books for children and young adults. Wilding is the author of six books in the My Story series, including Bloody Tower, The Queen's Spies, Road to War, Highway Girl, and No Way Back. About Wartime Princess, Wilding described the lives of the royals as "fascinating" and was particularly interested in Elizabeth's and Philip's long-lasting marriage.[3]
Editions[]
![Wartime Princess Canadian edition 9781443119450 (September 2012)[4]](/wiki/File:Wartime-Princess-Ca.jpg "Wartime-Princess-Ca.jpg (79 KB)")
![Wartime Princess My Story reprint 9781407164007 (January 2016)[5]](/wiki/File:Wartime-Princess2.jpg "Wartime-Princess2.jpg (80 KB)")
![Wartime Princess My Story eBook B007FFDGLS (March 2012)[6]](/wiki/File:Wartime-Princess.jpg "Wartime-Princess.jpg (141 KB)")
Notes[]
- The cover of the first edition was illustrated by Richard Jones. Despite the book being told from Margaret's point-of-view, the cover bears Elizabeth's name and the illustration is based on her likeness.
- The cover of the second edition uses a 1946 photograph of Elizabeth taken by Lisa Sheridan.[7]
- Wartime Princess was published to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. It was also initially included in the My Story spin-off My Royal Story.[8]
References[]
- ↑ https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/78385
- ↑ Wartime Princess, Valerie Wilding, page 153
- ↑ http://www.valeriewilding.co.uk/historical.html
- ↑ https://www.amazon.ca/My-Story-Princess-Valerie-Wilding/dp/1443119458/
- ↑ https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/103122
- ↑ https://www.overdrive.com/media/1092939/wartime-princess
- ↑ https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw169846/Queen-Elizabeth-II?LinkID=mp60252&displayNo=60&role=art&rNo=32
- ↑ http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/downloads/gbevents_presenter-2012.pdf (archive)
See also[]