cover image William: The People's Prince

William: The People's Prince

Ian Lloyd. Pavilion Books, $35 (192pp) ISBN 978-1-86205-572-8

This picture-laden chronicle of the 21-year-old king-to-be and his royal family is more a panegyric than an even-handed evaluation. In questioning the future of the British monarchy, the author contends,""With his undoubted intelligence, integrity, sensitivity, and strength of mind the one person who is capable of rising to this challenge is William."" Lloyd, who has been assiduously following the Royals for 15 years, shares details of William's privileged life, the obligations incumbent upon him as royalty and the inherent difficulty of trying to be a private person in the public eye. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of William's life: his relationship with his family, his interests and hobbies, his interaction with society. Engaging photographs appear on almost every page, providing glimpses of William at every age, in various places and situations. Fans of the royal family will delight in this affectionate and sympathetic biography celebrating William's turning 21.