The Last Queen

The smooth-sounding Simon Vance employs an authoritative and engaging narration of Clive Irving's gossipy yet highly articulate biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Irving argues that the Queen's discomfort with significant social changes during her reign is the reason she likely believes she will be the final queen of the British monarchy. Vance applies a pleasing melding of a contemporary and a more traditional British accent. Loyalties, rivalries, and foibles of familiar and unfamiliar people are explored, and an overview of the larger history of the monarchy is included. Irving maintains that Elizabeth II is a benign enigma and, accordingly, she only occasionally becomes the focus of the text. Listeners who enjoy gossipy stories will likely enjoy an audio performance that raises the level of the work itself. W.A.G. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine