Review of Craig Brown’s “A Voyage Around the Queen” – A Crown Jewel Biography

Writing about the royal family is akin to traditional craft skills like making barrels or thatching roofs. It’s a task that involves poring over endless yellowing newspaper cuttings and putting a fresh spin on old tropes about “majesty” and “radiance.” Despite the repetitiveness, these books continue to sell, including a recent wave of rather gloomy ones, sometimes penned by the royals themselves. Just when it seems like there’s nothing new to read, a book comes along that makes you reconsider. In this case, it’s a book by humorist Craig Brown, known for his work in the Daily Mail and Private Eye.

Before delving into what Craig Brown has written about Queen Elizabeth II, it’s important to acknowledge the breadth of what he has read about her. It appears he’s consumed virtually every book ever published about her, from The Little Princesses to Prince Harry’s Spare. This effort is akin to the scholarly feats of ancient libraries, except instead of ancient legends, Brown has focused on a modern icon. He humorously compares this reading endeavor to “wading through candyfloss: you emerge pink and queasy, but also undernourished.”

It’s a challenging job, but someone had to do it, and Brown has done us all a favor with his journey through royal biographical works. His main sources are memoirs from courtiers, flunkies, and celebrity encounters, creating a kind of crowdsourced biography. This follows his earlier books about Princess Margaret and the Beatles, forming a 20th-century British triptych. His knack for picking up seemingly trivial details furnishes a vivid and telling study of Queen Elizabeth II and the people she reigned over for 70 years.

Some of the most enjoyable insights in the book come from short chapters, including Tony Benn’s unsuccessful effort to remove the queen’s head from postage stamps. Although he didn’t face dramatic consequences, the queen and her advisors deftly outmaneuvered him. Another amusing anecdote involves the queen’s corgis, as it’s revealed she kept a plate of dog treats on the table at Windsor Castle. Former cabinet minister Alan Johnson once mistook the treats for human food, leading to a humorous revelation.

On the book’s jacket, a portrait of Elizabeth is surrounded by the letter “Q,” symbolizing both her title and a great riddle. Brown doesn’t shy away from the widely held belief that the queen was enigmatic. Rather than being frustrated by this mystery, Brown finds it captivating. He suggests that people see themselves reflected in the queen, almost like looking into a mirror or a well.

Brown has a reputation for his spoof diaries in Private Eye, which often lampoon the self-absorption of his targets. He argues that stories people tell about their encounters with the queen reveal more about them than about her. She had a way of making each person feel personally attended to, even if they couldn’t recall specific things she said.

Brown is keen to find deeper meaning in even the queen’s most mundane comments. For example, when asked novelist Sybille Bedford how long she had been writing and received the reply “All my life,” the queen responded with “Oh dear! Oh well.” Brown interprets this as a profound insight into Bedford’s lifelong struggle with writing.

So, was there more to Queen Elizabeth II than met the eye, or was she simply a master of psychological jujitsu, reflecting the gaze of the world back upon itself? Perhaps the real story lies in how others perceived her, as told by Craig Brown.

A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown is published by 4th Estate (£25).

Source: The Guardian, The Observer