The Queen’s Coronation by Jennifer Ryan

336 pages

Historical fiction-Women’s fiction

Four stars ****

Pub date: 02 June 2026

Description:

From the publisher

As a young Queen Elizabeth II prepares to take the throne, three women in her employ will discover where they belong in a rapidly changing world in this heartwarming novel from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir.

London, 1953. Buckingham Palace and the many employees vital to the smooth running of the monarchy find themselves in bedlam as the Queen’s coronation quickly approaches.

Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the queen, watches the queen finding the strength to rule—a woman taking charge of her future. Meanwhile, Caroline’s life is worn thin by her gambler husband, and she is barely holding on as every penny she earns seems to run out the door. When a trip to Balmoral brings her face-to-face with the man she once loved, she finds herself at a crossroads between what her life is and what her life could be. Can she, like the queen, find the strength to define her own future?

Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who positively radiates life—she’s young, idealistic, and eager to become a famous singer. So when a handsome, wealthy man at the palace promises to help her on her way to stardom, she’s over the moon to have such a supportive husband-to-be. And if he’s asking some things of her that she’s not quite sure about, isn’t that just part of the glamorous life?

Miranda Miller has come over from America just in time to help with preparations as a temporary secretary in the palace. The job is a perfect way to gather information for the article she’s writing about the coronation for a magazine back in New York; the article that will keep her boss from firing her because of her gender.

But as all three women discover, just because a woman will soon be sitting upon the throne, it doesn’t mean that society will change overnight—and if they want to carve places for themselves in this world, they’ll have to do it together.

My thoughts:

Having enjoyed every book that this author has written, I was very excited to receive an early copy of this title. It did not disappoint.

Ryan immerses the reader in the lives of her three protagonists. Caroline, Miranda and Lucy meet because they each work at Buckingham Palace. Each has their own backstory and struggles. Readers will wish for good things for all of them.

In addition to the stories of the three women, readers are treated to an intimate view of the preparations for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. I very much enjoyed the way in which Elizabeth was portrayed.

This book will be enjoyed by Anglophiles who adore historical fiction. I am one of them.

Many thanks to NetGalley andBallantine for this title. All opinions are my own.