Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0Fascination with the royal family seems to be everywhere you look and if I’m honest, I’m no exception. Whether it’s the dream of always wanting to be a princess or a deep admiration for a monarchy that has stood the test of time, it’s easy to fall in love with their story. In Blalock’s new book, “The Other Windsor Girl”, we get a glimpse into the life of Princess Margaret. Despite being the second daughter with somewhat of a backseat role, Margaret was determined to “not be a passenger in life”. Told from the perspective of her second lady-in-waiting, Vera, this book recounts Princess Margaret’s life as she struggles with attempting to balance royal duty with her “unroyal” desires all while under constant scrutiny. Vera will narrate the journey of both a royal and commoner dealing with youthful fun, family struggles, loyalty verses duty and most of all deciding if following your heart is worth the risk and/or regret that may come with it.
The Honorable Vera Strathmore’s life was turned upside down when her fiancé was one of the many who didn’t return home from war. With constant reminders from her mother of money running out and that she is on the path to becoming branded an old spinster, Vera struggles with what to do with the rest of her life. Her undercover writing has been her only respite until an encounter with Princess Margaret and the “Set” takes her life in a direction she never imagined. Vera gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to become the second lady-in-waiting and a chance to finally belong and feel important. However, this opportunity is not without a downside when Vera must put her own dreams aside and quickly learns that being royal isn’t always so glamorous. After years of service, Vera wonders if the sense of belonging and loyalty is still worth letting her own dreams slip away?
I enjoyed this book and felt a wonderfully written combination of two seemingly different characters who bond over their similarities. It’s fun to feel the connection between a princess and a commoner as you imagine yourself in the story. I loved the use of a secondhand perspective to help navigate you through Princess Margaret’s life while also intertwining Vera’s story. While the book is a work of fiction, it’s clear that it is based on many real events in Princess Margaret’s life. Overall, it was a great read about a “lesser known” royal from a perspective we don’t normally see.
