Jane Ridley

The lasting reputation of George V is for dullness. He was a crack shot, and an outstanding stamp collector, but that’s about it. The flamboyance and hedonism of his father, Edward VII, defined an era whose influence and magnetism are still felt today. The contrast between the two could hardly be greater. But is that really all there was to King George, a monarch who faced a series of crises thought to be the most testing faced by any twentieth-century British sovereign? As Tommy Lascelles, one of the most perceptive royal advisors, put it: ‘He was dull, beyond dispute ‒ but my God, his reign never had a dull moment.’

Celebrated biographer Jane Ridley is renowned for her immaculate research, highly entertaining style and piercing insights. George V breaks important new ground that was previously inaccessible. With it comes a timely, riveting portrait of a royal marriage and family life that challenges myths and lets us see George, Mary and their children more fully and clearly than ever before.