Books about the Royal Family
If you have followed us for a while, you know my obsession with the British royal family runs deep. Do you know anyone who has read more books about the royal family than I have? These are my favorites.
From Wallis Simpson to Prince Harry, the drama in the Windsor household is never-ending. Which means these royal family books have plenty of material. Below you’ll find some of my favorite books about the royal family.
The list is a mix of non-fiction and fiction, depending on what you are looking for the most. And I’ve even linked to other lists with books about the royal family if you want to explore this topic further.
The Best Books About The Royal Family
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Nonfiction Book About The Royal Family
The Making of a King by Robert Hardman- Jump to Section
The Best Royal Fashion Book
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style by Elizabeth Holmes- Jump to Section
Best Royal Book About Wallis Simpson
The Duchess by Wendy Holden- Jump to Section
The Best Book About Queen Elizabeth II
Before the Crown by Flora Harding- Jump to Section
The Best Historical Fiction Book About the Royal Family
The Other Windsor Girl by Georgie Blalock- Jump to Section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Nonfiction Books about the Royal Family
Plot
This book covers the illness of the Queen, the day she passed, her funeral, the King’s ascension, and the time between her passing and his coronation. There are lots of details about the very brief period – but this royal family book also paints a picture of the King’s ideals and values.
Why Kirsten loves it
This rebuttals quite a few of the claims made by Prince Harry in Spare – making it a must-read in the world of modern monarchy nonfiction.
Find this book in: Beach Reads 2024 / Books About the Royal Family / Royal Reads / Royal Nonfiction Books
Plot
In revealing his own truths, however, he illuminated the dreadful antics of his family. Wills, Charles, Camilla, and the courtiers do not come out of this book without tarnish – and with good reason. At the end of the day, it’s hard not to judge everyone for lack of compassion but it’s a generational cycle that needs to be broken.
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m still reeling from the revelations and truths woven throughout Prince Harry’s narrative. His candor in taking us from the death of his mother to the death of Queen was refreshingly real and often poetic, no doubt thanks to the incredible skills of his ghostwriter. I was struck by how much I had believed the press’s story of his life; accurate or not. To think that an entire family’s stories could be so fabricated or twisted into untruth was astonishing.
Find this book in: Best Books of 2023 / Beach Reads 2023 / Books About the Royal Family / Best Non-Fiction Books / Royal Reads / Royal Nonfiction Books
The Palace Papers
Author: Tina Brown
Year: 2022
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 15+
Plot
This was like reading a JUMBO issue of People magazine. All gossip in the best way! This book covers every royal scandal from the Duke of Windsor and Wallace Simpson to Megan and Harry leaving, and Everything in between. You get juicy details of everything like Diana’s years and Prince Philip’s racist comments.
It’s perfect for our Beach Reads 2023 list! Tina Brown goes deep into the scandals of the British Royal Family over the past 40 or so years. I didn’t learn anything new, but I loved hearing the hot gossip laid out in book form.
Why Kirsten loves it
You know that I am a royal lover and this book is right up my alley. Is there anything more fun than reading about a real royal scandal?
Find this book in: Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 / 15 Captivating Books about the Royal Family / 14 Delightful Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Royal Nonfiction Books
Plot
Comedian David Mitchell’s hysterical take on the history of the British royal family goes back to the very beginning of the empire. It’s a charming non-fiction royal family book unlike any other.
Why Kirsten loves it
I had no idea about the chaos of the early monarchy or the ruthlessness of the early Kings. It covers until about Elizabeth the 1st, with many Ethelreds and Tudors within the pages.
Find this book in: Books About the Royal Family / Royal Nonfiction Books
Elizabeth the Queen
Author: Sally Bedell Smith
Year: 2012
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 14+
Plot
After reading Prince Harry’s memoir, I was keen to read a book about Queen Elizabeth II. Sally Bedell Smith examines not just the events of the Queen’s life but the people she was surrounded by as a way to explain how Elizabeth was shaped into a beloved monarch.
Why Kirsten loves it
While the book was originally published in 2012, I found the background knowledge within the pages to be helpful in framing the events Harry explores in his own book about the royal family.
Find this book in: Books About the Royal Family / Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Royal Nonfiction Books
Fashion Books about the Royal Family
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style
Author: Elizabeth Holmes
Year: 2020
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Range: 12+
Plot
I’m an avid follower of Elizabeth Holmes’ account (you should be too) where she explains the significance of the Royal Family’s wardrobe. The nuance and attention to detail the Royals use when
Why Kirsten loves it
Elizabeth breaks it down in an accessible and understandable way. I’m thrilled that her book delivers everything I’ve come to expect from her and more. This in-depth look at The Queen, Diana, Catherine, and Meghan is informative and beautiful. It is the perfect coffee table book for any fashion lover.
Find this book in: Good Nonfiction Books for Beginners / Books about the Royal Family / Books about Queen Elizabeth II / Best Nonfiction Books / Royal Nonfiction Books
The Other Side of the Coin
Author: Angela Kelly
Year: 2019
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: Sunday Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Angela Kelly is the Queen’s headdresser and long-time companion. She details her process for dressing the queen, talks about some of her most iconic looks, and even reveals a few personal stories about her time with Her Majesty.
Why Kirsten loves it
I had palace fever this month while working on our Royal Reads post, so it’s no surprise that when my library hold for this autobiographical audiobook came through, I dove right into it. I absolutely loved this inside look about life with the Queen. I really felt like I learned about the Queen’s personality through this book.
Find this book in: Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Books about the Royal Family / Good Nonfiction Books for Beginners / Royal Nonfiction Books
Historical Books Featuring Wallis Simpson
Plot
This intimate look at Wallis Simpson was wonderfully written. Never have I had compassion for the Duchess of Windsor in the way I did when I read this historical fiction biography.
Holden’s portrayal of this controversial historical figure focused on the time period when Wallis and King Edward fell in love, but also the time period after his death.
Trigger Warnings
Abuse, Infidelity
Why Kirsten loves it
I actually felt bad for both the king, who clearly didn’t want the crown, and the woman he both loved and used to get out of his royal duties. There is so much to talk about it this book about Wallis Simpson, which is why I love this book for book clubs.
Find this book in: Biographical Fiction Novels / Books About the Royal Family
Another Woman’s Husband
Author: Gill Paul
Year: 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor’s love story changed the trajectory of the British royal family, and this story dives into Wallis’s biography.
I had only a vague understanding of who Wallis Simpson was going into this royal novel, and boy was she a pistol. Cold, calculating, and selfish, I loved to hate her. It was so interesting to see her machinations from another point of view.
Why Kirsten loves it
Wallis was ruthless in her pursuit of what she wanted, as this story conveys well. Gill Paul also wove in a mystery set in London at the time of Princess Diana’s death, which I found to be well done, too. This is one of our favorite historical fiction books about the royal family in more recent parts of history.
Find this book in: Books About the Royal Family / Royal Reads
The Woman Before Wallis
Author: Bryn Turnbull
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Lady Thelma Furness was the woman before Wallis Simpson. History remembers Wallis as the woman for whom King Edward VIII gave up his throne. In this book, we get to see King Edward’s relationship with Thelma and why it unraveled, leading him into Wallis’s arms.
Why Kirsten loves it
Thelma is herself the aunt of Gloria Vanderbilt and a great-aunt to Anderson Cooper. There was a lot of juicy info in this historical fiction. It is one of my favorite books about royals.
Find this book in: Books About the Royal Family / Beach Reads 2021 / Royal Reads / Royal Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction Books Featuring Queen Elizabeth II
Before the Crown
Author: Flora Harding
Year: 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I was wondering about how Philip won the heart of then Princess Elizabeth, and this fictional story filled in some fun details. Think of it as a prequel to the first episode of The Crown in the best way!
Why Kirsten loves it
After all the royal reads I’ve read over the years, I can’t believe this is my first story about The Queen’s romance with Prince Philip. With the Jubilee coming up now in England, this was a perfect fictionalized biography to read!
Find this book in: Best Biographical Fiction Novels / Books About the Royal Family / Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Books Like the Crown / Royal Historical Fiction
The Royal Governess
Author: Wendy Holden
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Royal Outsiders #1
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Well, this was a juicy bit of royal historical fiction!!! I had no idea that Crawfie, Queen Elizabeth II’s governess, wrote a book about their time together later in her life, essentially banning her from the royal fold.
This work of historical fiction is based on the information gleaned from that book as well as Mary Crawford’s own history.
Why Kirsten loves it
It was so interesting to see the lives of the Queen and her sister through the eyes of their governess. This is perfect for royal lovers!
Find this book in: Books About the Royal Family / Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Fiction Books About Writers
Historical Fiction Books about The Royal Family
The Other Windsor Girl
Author: Georgie Blalock
Year: 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I knew a little about Princess Margaret from what I gleaned from
Why Kirsten loves it
She was most definitely a royal rebel. She’s still not my favorite royal but this historical fiction biography helped me understand her life, personality, and pressures. This book will give you a different perspective on being a royal.
Find this book in: Books Like The Crown / Books About Queen Elizabeth II / Books Like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo / Books About the Royal Family / Biographical Fiction Novels
Plot
I don’t think enough is written about Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She was a dynamic lady who was a guiding light for her husband, King George, as well as Queen Elizabeth. This biographical novel focuses on her work behind-the-scenes during WWII.
Trigger Warnings
Sexual Assault
Why Kirsten loves it
We get an inside look at the issues between her husband and his brother, King Edward, who abdicated to be with Wallis Simpson. Churchill’s relationship with the then Queen consort is also examined. We love the unique perspective of this pick from books about WWII.
Find this book in: Books With Secret in the Title / Best Biographical Fiction Novels / Books About the Royal Family / Books about WWII / Royal Reads / Books like the Crown / Beach Reads 2021
An Indiscreet Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Defiant Daughter
Author: Georgie Blalock
Year: 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Well before Princess Diana, Meghan Markle, and Wallis Simpson, there was another royal rebel – Lady Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. And what a rebel she was! Why are there not more royal reads about her?
In the late 1800s, Louise, an artist and sculptor, was seen as quite rebellious. She took courses for the arts at a public school, talked back to the queen, and even had pre- and extramarital affairs! Quite the scandal for the time.
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved getting a look at one of the lesser-known (to me) royal figures. I hope to learn about more of Queen Victoria’s offspring in the future.
Find this book in: Biographical Fiction Novels / Books About the Royal Family / Royal Reads / Royal Historical Fiction
Expert Tip
If you are looking for the best books about the royal family, consider if you want fiction or non-fiction.
- If you are looking for fiction, think about which royal family member you want to read about.
- If you are looking for fiction, I divided the books into different eras from Wallis Simpson to QEII, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best books about the royal family?
I love the book Making of a King by Robert Hardman. It gave me such a great glimpse into what royalty looks like today.
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Epilogue
Did you find any books about the Royal Family to read this year?
