I first came across the Queen and I as a radio adaptation in the early 90s, although probably younger than its target audience it did amuse me. Several years later when I came across a copy of the book I had to buy it and it is now a much thumbed resident of my bookshelf. The novel is a comic what if story. It all starts with the 1992 general election when the Queen's nightmare comes true and the People's Republican Party is elected. The first action of the new Prime Minister, Jack Barker, is to head to Buckingham Palace to order the Queen to abdicate. But he doesn't want simply want her to retire to luxury he wants the whole Royal Family to live like ...  Read the complete review

In a fictional 1992, the Republican Party sweeps the general election and their first act of power is to dismantle the monarchy and put the whole royal family into Midlands' welfare housing in a place known to the locals as "Hell Close". How the Winsor/Mountbatten/Teck families adjust to this new, impoverished lifestyle is the basis of Sue Townsend's novel "The Queen & I". Sue Townsend is best known for her Adrian Mole books, which are aimed – from what I understand – to the youth market. This novel, while not one that younger readers couldn't enjoy, seems to be aimed more at adults. As you can imagine, this is hardly a serious ...  Read the complete review

The last Sue Townsend book I read was the Adrian Mole diary just the same as many other people I presume. However when I spyed "The Queen and I" nestled in a pile in a charity shop I decided to give it a go. I have to say straight off that I didn't find it as good as the Adrian Mole diaries but it did give you plenty of food for thought. Whereas the Adrian Mole diaries were stuck in the 80's, this book is well and truly in the 90's. This is a bit of a disadvantage as some things don't translate to the "00's" as well. The book is set in the future but when in the future we are not told. The Peoples Republican ...  Read the complete review

I really enjoyed this book and the premise was an inspired one. How would Royalty cope if they had to live on a council estate after years of priviledge. It had many funny parts and also serious parts. The queen coped alright with the change but the others had less success.I won’t tell you what happened to who but it is very good. The situations the Windsors find themselves in are believable and they are subject to the prejudice which many who live on council estate have to cope with. This makes you think (but not much).This book is for entertainment not to educate you  Read the complete review

The Queen and I by Sue Townsend is a thoroughly good read. It is a really funny book of fiction by the author of the Adrian Mole diaries. The basic precept is that a revolutionary government has taken control in Britain and the royal family are kicked out. All their wealth and possessions are not their own but belong to the country and so they have no money and nowhere to go. They end up in the Midlands on a council estate. It is all about how the struggle to fit in. It is absolutely hilarious. I read this a while ago and my strongest memory is that Prince Charles just couldn't cope and so withdrew, talking constantly to his plants. It is ...  Read the complete review