A VOYAGE AROUND THE QUEEN

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER THE TIMES and SUNDAY TIMES BEST MEMOIR OF 2024 GENIUS A BOOK OF THE YEAR for theSPECTATOR MAIL ON SUNDAY NEW STATESMAN FINANCIAL TIMES INDEPENDENT TELEGRAPH SUNDAY EXPRESSand THE TABLET From one of the funniest writers of our time the award winning author of One Two Three Four and Ma am Darling turns his attention to Queen Elizabeth II in an unforgettable and fascinating biography A crown jewel among royal biographies OBSERVER Extraordinarily original enlightening and fresh SPECTATOR Absolutely fascinating Ruth Langsford LOOSE WOMEN A very unusual masterpiece SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Brilliantly funny and well researched FINANCIAL TIMESVirginia Woolf compared her to a caterpillar Anne Frank kept pictures of her on the wall of her annex Jimi Hendrix played her tune Haile Selassie gave her a gold tiara Dirk Bogarde watched Death in Venice with her Andy Warhol envied her fame Donald Trump offended her E M Forster confessed he would have married her if only she had been a boy Queen Elizabeth II was famous for longer than anyone who has ever lived When people spoke of her they spoke of themselves when they dreamed of her they dreamed of themselves She mirrored their hopes and anxieties To the optimist she seem