A Century of Legends of the British Royal Family: Uncovering the Story Behind the Glory and Scandal of the Windsor Dynasty

Recently, China Pictorial Publishing House launched the 24th book series of "Fireflies" that read lightly and fun history: "A Century-old Legend of the British Royal Family", revealing the story behind the glory and scandal of the Windsor Dynasty and leading readers to witness the rise and fall of the British Empire.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire reached its peak, with the rice flag covering one-fifth of the world's land, but this was also the starting point for its prosperity and decline. In the smoke-filled war and the stormy revolution, the monarchies of various countries collapsed, Britain lost its hegemonic position, and the territories under the rule of the empire became independent. Faced with the challenges of a new era, a new dynasty, the Windsor Dynasty, came onto the stage of British history. It followed the tide of history and made a series of changes that brought the royal family into a new role.

"A Hundred Years of the British Royal Family" is arranged in chronological order of dynastic development, combined with a large number of precious historical photos and character relationship charts, and interprets the unusual course of the Windsor Dynasty in the past hundred years under the British Royal Family in multiple dimensions. Look at how generations of Windsor people, blessed with the visible power and intangible glory of the British royal family, have kept pace with the changing world through constant change, so that we can still see a modern monarchy dynasty sitting firmly today.

In the book, the reader will see not only how scandals and gossip threaten monarchies, but also how love and self-sacrifice affect the fate of dynasties. Why was Queen Victoria during the Hanoverian dynasty called "the (outer) grandmother of all of Europe"? Why did Edward VII, who was notorious for his eroded life, disgrace the entire royal family, and why was he universally loved by the British people? How did the "ordinary king" George V get rid of his Germanic ancestors and start the Windsor dynasty with ancient British traditions? Why did the handsome, charming and popular Edward VIII voluntarily give up the throne? How did George VI, the "stuttering king", successfully defuse the challenges to the monarchy during World War II? What is the familiar "super long standby" Queen Elizabeth II – what efforts have been made to make the Windsor dynasty win the respect of the people? All of these can be found in this book.

In addition, each chapter of the book can be read separately, and the reader can either read along the time vein of the book, or freely arrange the reading order and rhythm according to their own interests and hobbies. Clear charts can help readers sort out the complex genealogical relationships of the British royal family in the past hundred years and achieve the integration of knowledge.

The Windsor family inherited an empire that never sets, and watched it gradually be replaced by the Commonwealth. Innovation has been evolving since the moment the Windsor dynasty was founded in July 1917, and it always seems to have a magic way to keep pace with the changing world. With the advent of the 21st century, the public can see the royal family in many dimensions with the times: the older generation of Windsor people frequently appear on the screen, revealing a rare face, giving the public a chance to see how the Windsor family is engaged in their innate work; the new generation of royals uses their official social media accounts to tell their stories and advance their favorite careers from a personal perspective. On the path to maintaining the monarchy, the Windsor royal family can only continue to win support and go further if it makes timely changes that adapt to the times.

(Yan Durong media reporter Song Yan)