2002 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the throne, a golden jubilee that this book, written by BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond, commemorates. On February 6, 1952, Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, became Queen on the death of her father, King George VI. The reign that was to see major changes both in the country and Commonwealth and in the role of the monarchy began far away from Britain in a game reserve in Kenya. Elizabeth: Fifty Glorious Years, looks at this remarkable period in the history of Britain's monarchy in lavish and fascinating detail, featuring over 160 photographs. The personal life of Elizabeth, as princess and Queen, wife and mother, has been constantly under scrutiny ever since she took the throne. This book presents a balanced and absorbing account of the Queen's life and of her role as the head of state in a country and a world that have changed almost beyond recognition in the fifty years since she inherited the throne.