The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by Her Nanny, Marion Crawford

In 1930s England, Marion Crawford, a twenty-four-year-old from Scotland, was hired as governess to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, daughters of the Duke of York. Dubbed "Crawfie" by young Elizabeth, Crawford remained with the family for sixteen years, beginning when the princesses were five and two years old. When King George V died, the princesses' uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated within a year to marry Wallis Simpson. This made the girls' father King, and ten-year-old Elizabeth became heir to the throne. The family moved to Buckingham Palace, and Crawford continued her role educating the princesses while exposing them to ordinary experiences like underground trains, Girl Guides, and swimming lessons. Crawford's account spans from the family home in Piccadilly through the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948. First published in 1950, The Little Princesses was the first published account of life with the Royal Family and became known as the original "nanny diaries." Though Crawford maintained the Queen Mother had given permission for the book, she was criticized by the press, and the Queen Mother never spoke to her again. This edition includes a new introduction by BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.