6 New Books About the Royal Family You Might Not Know About — And Why You Need Them

Named one of Real Simple’s best historical fiction novels of 2018, fans of The Crown will enjoy this female-driven and drama-filled read centered around the making of Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress. Readers are taken back to 1947 London to meet Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, two embroiderers that worked on Elizabeth’s dress. Then, it’s back to the future in 2016 Toronto, where Hughes’ granddaughter, Heather Mackenzie, attempts to figure out the mystery behind a set of embroidered flowers that her grandmother, who was very secretive about her past, gave to her before passing away. The Gown offers a behind-the-scenes angle on the royals that will leave you wanting more.

Buy It! $13.59 (orig. $16.99); amazon.com

Get the inside scoop on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal romance with this biography by historian Leslie Carrol. New and old royalists alike can learn all about the modern couple, and have their most burning questions answered: How did they meet, exactly? And how was an American actress able to marry into the royal family? How different were their upbringings, and how does that affect them now? Find all that out and more in this almost textbook-like “crash course” (as deemed by one reader!) on Meghan and Harry’s relationship.

Buy It! $11.59 (orig. $16.99); amazon.com

This New York Times best-seller is anything but a conventional biography. Get a real look into the scandalous and fabulous life of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister through a series of “interviews, parodies, dreams, parallel lives, diaries, announcements, lists, catalogues, and essays,” all strung together to create ninety-nine glimpses of the princess’ world. Craig Brown, who has won Press Awards for best humorist, columnist, and critic, paints Princess Margaret in a less historical light and focuses on her humanity: we feel her pain, her joy; we laugh when she does, but also join her in her loneliness. Anyone looking for a more entertaining royals read, this is the book for you.

Buy It! $17.83 (orig. $28); amazon.com

The Crown watchers may have gotten a taste of the relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret — but this biography lets you in behind the closed doors and deeply explores their personalities. Chock full of history, find out how the sisters really felt about each other, where their loyalties lied, and the feuds that sparked due to sibling rivalry. One reader writes that Royal Sisters is “an absorbing story of sisterly love, ambition and the price you have to pay for being royalty.”

Buy It! $12.56 (orig. $18.95); amazon.com

Alright — you may have heard of this one. Andrew Morton’s Meghan: A Hollywood Princess captivated Meghan fans everywhere when it was released: not only is it incredibly informative about the Duchess’ early life, but it also offers detailed insight about her personality, thanks to exclusive interviews with her family members and closest friends. Andrew Morton, who is no stranger to royal biographies, writes an honest portrait of Meghan, and lets you get to know her for who she really is.

Buy It! $18.78 (orig. $27); amazon.com

The Queen and Prince Philip have been married for over 70 years — how do they do it? This read by royals biographer and editor-in-chief of the United Kingdom’s Majesty Magazine, Ingird Seward, helps us understand this partnership that leads back to 1934, when the young Princess Elizabeth first met the sailor prince. Seward sheds new light on the two, whose relationship has survived four children, family tragedies and even a massive castle fire, while the entire world was watching.

Buy It! $12.78 (orig. $18.99); amazon.com