Christmas with the Queen

  ‘'It seems we are destined to be ships passing in the night.''
This is the tender Christmas story of two people who lose and find each, separated and united by circumstances, destiny, fate. A young woman, a single mother, determined to succeed in a job controlled by men and an American chef who has made his home in London only to be wounded by a twisted game of Fate.
‘'Whether a monster, or a queen - or both - we must all make sacrifices at times. Fce the difficult decisions.''
Then, we have a character who is very much the heart of the book, the one who brings everything and everyone together. Queen Elizabeth II, presented in a beautiful portrayal of a young woman who is perfectly aware of the responsibilities of her role, yet she is not free of insecurities, uncertainties, vulnerabilities. She is shown as a woman, a mother, a wife. Never as a frozen queen on a golden pedestal.
Naturally, a Christmas story needs Christmassy descriptions and London is given a special role, depicted in warm, festive colours:
‘'I'd always felt there was something magical about London in December. Like roast goose and stuffing, or Christmas pudding and brandy butter, it was the perfect combination. There was nowhere I'd rather be when the shop windows gleamed with toys and decorations, and frosty breaths were lit by the low winter sun that painted the Thames golden. London at Christmas was a Dickens novel, a Turner painting, and a Victorian Christmas card all rolled into one, and I adored it.''
‘'London looked so pretty that afternoon, the gray stone buildings warmed by a soft golden sun. Faces glowed beneath the crisp chill in the air. Colourful winter coats and fur-trimmed hats added a dash of elegance to the usually drab streets. Shop windows had been dressed in their finest festive displays and the scent of roasting chestnuts and cinnamon laced the air as I passed the wine merchants and bakeries.''
I am not one for love stories and merriment but this novel is the kind of love story done right and the Christmas tale that is told with warmth, elegance and respect without ever becoming melodramatic.
‘'December arrives with a blanket of thick fog and a flurry of activity as the staff begin their preparations for Christmas. I am reassured by the familiar traditions - the arrival of the trees, the planning of menus, the many cards to be signed - and yet even in these well-worn tasks there is change. I feel my father's steady hand guiding me as I carefully sign my name beneath the Christmas wishes. Elizabeth R. My new signature feels as strange and unfamiliar as the person I have become. Elizabeth Regina. Elizabeth II. Queen.''
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