Crisis and scandal have always surrounded the Royal Family, even though much of the drama was veiled in secrecy before the intrusion of the tabloid journalist and telephoto lens. Combining gossip with analysis, this book provides an examination of the lives of individual members of the dynasty, from Queen Victoria to the present, as they have struggled to cope with their royal status. It identifies how patterns are repeated through the generations, and how the sins of fathers have been visited on their sons and daughters. The award-winning American author's other books include biographies of Laurence Olivier, Alfred Hitchcock and Elizabeth Taylor.