In The Queen, Ben Pimlott creates a richly detailed, compelling portrayal of Elizabeth II - the individual, the institution, and the icon.

Written with the cooperation of Buckingham Palace, this distinguished biography is enriched by unprecedented access to government and palace archives, as well as interviews with dozens of persons close to the queen, including Princess Margaret; the archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Runcie; Lord Charteris, the queen's longtime private secretary; and Hardy Amies, the royal dressmaker, and by access to the private diaries of Jock Colville, who served as private secretary to both the queen and Winston Churchill.

The result is a penetrating examination that goes far beyond the typical royal biography. He explores the social, political, and psychological influences that shaped the queen's personality and the ideas she represents, Pimlott brings an illuminating perspective to the queen's relationship with her prime ministers, and he offers an intriguing view of the phenomenon of the monarchy itself - and of its future.