When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, it sent shockwaves around the world. The longest reigning and oldest monarch, at ninety-six years of age, she had just publicly celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Queen’s death meant the passing of the Crown to her son, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, her controversial, earnest, and outspoken heir, who had long lived in the shadow of her mystique.

King Charles III’s own life has been marred by scandal and myth, but who is the real man behind the Crown? In this revelatory book, renowned royal correspondent and author Robert Jobson examines the life of our new King, and his passions, purpose, and motivations. On the eve of his landmark coronation, Our King considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role.

Our King: Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed (Amazon US) (Amazon UK) (Audible.com) (AbeBooks Used Book Marketplace)

Happy Coronation Day! Who knew, when I first started following the royal family at age four with Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee that I would have to wait almost 50 years to see the coronation of King Charles III. Just in time for the coronation comes a new book that looks back on the life of Charles and the events leading up to his accession to the British throne.

As I noted in my review of King Charles: The Man, the Monarch, and the Future of Britain by Robert Jobson #BookReview #HouseofWindsor #KingCharlesIII a few weeks ago, Robert Jobson is a royal historian who has very strong opinions on what makes a good biography. The ability to interview one’s subject is one criteria, and as The Sunday Times royal correspondent, Jobson has had the opportunity to interview King Charles more than once over the years. This does not make him an expert by any means, but it does mean that some quotes directly attributed to the new King came directly from conversations with the author.

There’s nothing incredibly revelatory about this book for anyone that’s read anything about Charles in the past. However, with the gift of hindsight, many of the incidents leading up to his ascension to the throne are seen with new perspective. His strengths and weaknesses are catalogued, and his first decisions and duties as king are explored.

This book is far more balanced than the other book I read from Jobson, and the reader comes away with a clear portrait of who Charles the man is behind the crown. But, as I said, all this information has previously been covered in other books. The only new information is from the past few years and the whole Sussex situation with quotes from Spare by #PrinceHarry.

If you’ve never tackled a biography of King Charles III before, this is a good overall look at the new king and the major and minor events of his life. If you are familiar with Charles’ life, then I’d give this book a pass.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

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