Monday Give Away: THE GOWN
For all those suffering withdrawal from The Crown, for this Monday’s give away, I bring you… Jennifer Robson’s The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding
Here’s the official blurb:
From the internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France comes an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century—Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown—and the fascinating women who made it.
“Millions will welcome this joyous event as a flash of color on the long road we have to travel.”
—Sir Winston Churchill on the news of Princess Elizabeth’s forthcoming wedding
London, 1947: Besieged by the harshest winter in living memory, burdened by onerous shortages and rationing, the people of postwar Britain are enduring lives of quiet desperation despite their nation’s recent victory. Among them are Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, embroiderers at the famed Mayfair fashion house of Norman Hartnell. Together they forge an unlikely friendship, but their nascent hopes for a brighter future are tested when they are chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime honor: taking part in the creation of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown.
Toronto, 2016: More than half a century later, Heather Mackenzie seeks to unravel the mystery of a set of embroidered flowers, a legacy from her late grandmother. How did her beloved Nan, a woman who never spoke of her old life in Britain, come to possess the priceless embroideries that so closely resemble the motifs on the stunning gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her wedding almost seventy years before? And what was her Nan’s connection to the celebrated textile artist and holocaust survivor Miriam Dassin?
With The Gown, Jennifer Robson takes us inside the workrooms where one of the most famous wedding gowns in history was created. Balancing behind-the-scenes details with a sweeping portrait of a society left reeling by the calamitous costs of victory, she introduces readers to three unforgettable heroines, their points of view alternating and intersecting throughout its pages, whose lives are woven together by the pain of survival, the bonds of friendship, and the redemptive power of love.
For a chance to win my ARC of The Gown, here’s your question: who’s your favorite royal couple (past or present)?
The winner will be announced on Wednesday.
Hands down Charles and Diana. I know they had a lot of public scandal, but Diana paved the way for her children to have the modern lives they have today. I am sure they face a lot of rules and restrictions, but Diana allowed them to also have their own identities in the midst of all the pressures they face. And just look at them now!
I know the British get the most mention in the American press, but I have a soft spot for Victoria and Daniel of Sweden.
I’d have to say my favorite couple is now Harry and Meghan. I love how they are with each other and their positive public presence, too.
The tv show on PBS has given me a profound appreciation for Victoria and Albert and all they went through together. A well crafted story can be a eye-opening experience!
I’m going to go with George VI and Elizabeth. I’ve always felt bad that they had to lead a much more public life than they wanted to.
That’s a tough one! I love Victoria and Albert, but I think my favorite is William and Kate. They just seem like they enjoy each other and their kids so much!
The ultimate tumultuous romance of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn has always fascinated me.
I love the relationship that we see between William and Kate.
Harry and Meghan, for adding a bit of lighthearted fun to a rather staid family.
Thank you for the summary of The Gown! It sounds like an excellent read.
Such a tough question! Probably William and Kate. William is just a few years younger than I am, so I grew up feeling quite fascinated with him (and possibly dreaming just a teensy bit that maybe I could be a real-life princess someday). It warms my heart to see him and Kate so happy with their little ones. But of course who doesn’t love spunky, adorable Harry?? I adore them both!
Then again, who didn’t love beautiful Princess Grace? What a fairytale (but tragic, of course) story hers was with Prince Rainier!
Oh I couldn’t pick…..I love them all! I’m Royal obsessed! Sooo excited for this book! Love Jennifer’s other novels.
Even though it turned out horribly, I was so in love with Diana. I lived in England at the time of the engagement and wedding, and it was like being in a fairy tale. Now I’m in love with her sons and their wives. Going back in history, I loved Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt.
I love the book Katherine! Great love story!
My heart is with Willem-Alexander and Maxima of the Netherlands but my interest remains with Victoria and Albert.
William and Kate! We are the same age, and so I’ve grown up watching Will. And Kate’s gown was also my favorite!!
Harry and Meghan!
I’m a total fan of the current royals- William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan. I even loved everything about Princess Eugenie’s dress. I think that they are all bringing new life into the monarchy.
William and Kate.
I enjoyed hearing the details of Eugenie’s gown recently. I love all the royal weddings!
Charles (Karl) and Zita of Austria. Their love and devotion to one another, their family, and their country was beautiful. I liked Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon’s story until Henry the tyrant emerged in full force. And I love all the more modern fairytale love stories of the current Royal families.
Definitely William and Kate! They are young and fulfilling their roles very nicely in a traditional sense while also bringing in the next generation. Very classy couple!
Edward I and Eleanor of Castile
Love the new royals, but grew up on Princess Grace!
William and Kate
William and Kate
Mary Queen of Scots of Bothwell
Harry and Meghan for sure, they seem so fun.
William and Kate for sure… they are such wonderful people and seem like such attentive parents <3
Elizabeth Tudor and Robert Dudley. Their life long friendship and love saw many ups and downs, but oh how I would love to have been the fly on the wall.
Victoria and Albert. I cannot read and watch enough about this royal couple.
I love seeing Prince William and Catherine and Now Prince Harry and Meghan. I loved Princess Diana and enjoy seeing her sons. They are as old as my own son.
Victoria and Albert. A great love story and family.
Charles XIV John of Sweden (Jean Bernadotte) and Desiree Clary – both commoners in France, who rose to such military distinction that Sweden elected him King when their monarchy was dying out. Such a fascinating story – novelized in Desiree by Anne Marie Selinko.
I also love anything to do with Will and Kate, Harry and Meghan. They seem fairly down-to-earth.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie. They married for love it seems but she was treated as though she was invisible; not of their class. I wonder how history would have changed if they hadn’t been assasinated.
William and Kate are my favourites.
Princess Diane and Prince Charles
Congrats, Shelly! You’re the winner of my ARC of THE GOWN!
I have always been intrigued by Prince Ranier III and Princess Grace of Monaco. There was so much excitement and so many secrets!
Harry and Meghan for sure!!!!!!! I think Diana and Charles could have been as good together if Charles hadn’t been such a pitiful mama’s boy.
Victoria and Albert
Harry and Meghan are my favorite couple right now. Will and Kate aren’t too far behind. I love how they look at each other in love and adoration.
Thanks to THE CROWN, I am loving Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip
I love William and Kate. They seem perfect together, and so relatable since they’re my age and my pregnancies lined up with 2 of Kate’s (so our kids are the same age!).
Hate to flow with the norm 😜 but I LOVE Meghan and Harry. They are so precious!
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. I love seeing them together.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Their union is a testament to commitment and duty. They may be “old school”, but that’s what makes them so grand.
William and Kate are my favorite.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Their union is a testament to commitment, love, and duty. They may be “old school” but that’s what makes them so grand and stately.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Their union is a testament to commitment, love, and duty. They may be “old school” but that’s what makes them so grand and stately.
My favorite is William and Kate. They seem so happy together, and they have beautiful kids.
Victoria and Albert….
Queen Elizabeth & the Duke of Edinburgh get my vote. I don’t think it has been all sunshine and roses for them, but they have forged a true partnership which, to me, is the key to a lasting marriage. Occasionally we get a glimpse beyond the royal facade where it’s plain to see they still get a kick out of each other.
William and Kate!
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
Victoria and Albert
and of course, William and Kate!
Got to be either Victoria and Albert or William and Kate!
Wm & Kate are at the top of my list. Followed by Harry & Megan!!
William and Kate❤
Meghan and Harry!! I’ve always loved Harry’s antics and loved seeing Meghan in Hallmark movies.
Edward Longshanks and his first queen, Eleanor of Castile. The Eleanor crosses he had erected after her death, to mark the nightly resting places along the route where her body was transported back to London, have always seemed such an enduring, extravagant, deeply romantic gesture!
Definitely Harry and Meghan!
And for anyone interested in a similar story, The Pink Suit is a fantastic book by Nicole Kelby. It’s a fictionalized account of the women who made the famous pink suit that Jackie was wearing when JFK was shot.
Our current Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip , It has been an enduring love and committment to their work
William & Kate
Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville – what a legacy!!
How to choose just one couple?
My modern favorite is Wills and Kate, mostly because their children are royally entertaining.
My favorite British royal couple is Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Nothing says I love you quite like founding a new religion just to marry you.
The royal couple I find the most interesting are Nicholas II of Russia and Alix of Hesse. Their relationship was so complex (and literally ruined all of Queen Victoria’s plans). They adored their family, much to the detriment of their country, and met such a horrific end that I can’t help but read everything I can about them.
Harry has always been my favorite. Now, with Meghan, they are definitely a super royal couple! So, yes it’s Harry and Meghan!👑👑
Harry and Meghan!
Diana but not Charles.
I’m a big fan of the British royal family and I LOVE anything to do with Victoria and Albert. If I had to choose a favorite couple, I would probably say Nicholas and Alexandra.
Harry and Meghan, they are too cute.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip definitely have something special! Also, William and Kate are too cute together! 💖
The Swedish royals, no doubt.
I loved Charles & Diana hands down.I watched when I was young with my family and still.love it to this day.
Will and Kate
Harry and Meghan
William and Kate.
I’m obsessed with Harry and Meghan. I think they are the cutest and they look at each other with such love in their eyes. I also think they show such kindness in the world.
William & Kate!
William and Kate
My favorite royal couple is Harry and Meghan! 😁
The Queen and Prince Phillip
William and Kate are my favorite!!! Followed by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Edward!
William & Kate
Love Harry and Meghan.
Love Kate & William!
Victoria and Albert, hands down! Their love was a force to be reckoned with! On a similar note, if you are suffering from withdrawals from “The Crown”, I definitely recommend watching “Victoria”. If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch all of the past seasons there!
I loved Diana. Charles no so much. My new favorites are Harry and Meghan. They are an adorable couple and they are clearly in love.
I love Kate and William. I think Kate is so classy and beautiful. She just wants to be a normal mom to her kids. I’m sure they have a ton of help, but there’s also tons of photos of her and William interacting with the kids (not fake interaction, either).
Charles and Diana. I remember watching their wedding as a little girl. Thanks for the chance!
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. They have been so great with their family and continue to keep the younger ones in line.
My favorite royal couple is Harry and Meghan. They look so happy and comfortable with each other.
Victoria and Albert
From history it would be Victoria & Albert. From present time William & Kate.
Victoria and Albert. Their love was so pure.
So many fascinating royal couples to choose from! I guess right now I would say my favoite is Achduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg an intriguing and tragic love story.
I’ve got to go with Charles and Diana. It was a long running reality show before there were what we know as reality shows. From the awkward photo calls to The Dress and the wedding on tv, I was glued to it all. I’m almost 44 and I still have my Diana paper dolls.
William and Kate because even though they are Royals they are raising their kids like any other family.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
King George VI and Elizabeth! ❤️
William and Mary!
So hard to choose! Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip, Harry & Meghan, and Queen Victoria & Prince Albert are probably my top three.
Cleopatra and Julius Caesar…what a powerhouse!
Very close second, King Henry II of England and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was Queen of France, but she gave it up for her true heart’s desire: a dashing, younger man 🙂 Both were fiery and intelligent!
My favourite Present Royal Couple is Kate and William. They are so finely tuned with each other and are loving parents.
Past Royal Couple is Maria Feodorovna and Alexander III of Russia. I recently read a novel on the Dowager Empress’ life by C. W. Gortner and I loved that despite whatever disagrrements they had they never let it affect their conjugal life. Alexander ruled the empire with an iron fist but at the bottom of his heart he cared for his nation very much and Maria was adored by commoners and aristocracy alike for her caring, open, kind nature.
So this two royal couples are my favourite.
William and Catherine
I guess, ever since I’ve watch the film, I’ve been amazed by Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly’s love story!!