The book was criticised by reviewers for giving a simplified and uniformly positive portrayal of the queen. Hillary Kelly, in her review for
Vulture.com wrote that the author "twists himself in knots to excuse all but the most paltry defects of her character, a tactic that destroys any chance of his turning the flat image of the waving old lady into a person endowed with innate individuality", and Alexandra Jacobs, reviewing the book for
The New York Times, reflected on the lack of in-depth analysis while also commenting favourably on Morton's droll style and his way of incorporating minor amusing details from the lives of the royals. Several reviewers commented on the fact that the book, which had had a planned publicity date in the spring of 2023, was released several months earlier than planned. Jacobs called it "rushed and undernourished" and discussed a number of editorial slips, as well as by
Anne de Courcy in
The Daily Telegraph. The book was also reviewed in
The Rockdale Citizen. == References ==