Standing out gloriously even from this colorful cast is Queen Elizabeth, by far Holden’s most winning fictional creation in these pages. Holden obviously relishes bringing to life her famous cast of characters, from the nervous, stuttering Duke of York to the tall, imperious Queen Mary, to strong-willed daughter Elizabeth (who would go on to reign longer than any monarch in English history), to her saucy, free-spirited sister, Margaret, to the Duke’s brother David (who would make history as King Edward VIII for abdicating to marry Wallis Simpson). Once “The Royal Governess” gets to the Windsors, it takes off like a grand parade. Marion gets a job in the household of Lady Rose Leveson-Gower and quickly comes to the attention of Lady Rose’s sister, the Duchess of York, and finds herself installed as governess to the two little princesses. Those years are the playground of Holden’s novel, which begins with Marion studying at a teacher training college in her native Scotland and falling in love with a handsome young communist named Valentine whose impetuous anti-imperialist sloganeering is the author’s first gesture at foreshadowing but certainly not her last. The girls, who referred to her as “Crawfie,” cherished her energy and honesty, and she retained her position even when the duke and duchess became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1936 and their elder daughter, “Lilibet,” was suddenly heir to the throne.

Although perhaps the bulk of Wendy Holden’s readers in 2020 won’t recognize the name Marion Crawford, the main character of her new book, “The Royal Governess,” once upon a time, Crawford was a bestselling author and the center of a controversy that fascinated readers on both sides of the Atlantic.Ĭrawford was governess to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York.

The royal governess book