The Royal Household has confirmed the appointment of Dr Anna
Keay OBE as the official authorised biographer of Queen Elizabeth
II, in a landmark commission approved by the King.
Dr Keay will be given unprecedented access to the late Queen’s
personal and official papers held in the Royal Archives, as well as
the opportunity to speak with members of the Royal Family, former
staff and others who knew her throughout her life and reign. The
work is expected to provide the most comprehensive account yet of
Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
The biography has been personally commissioned by King Charles,
who is understood to have played a key role in selecting Dr Keay
for the prestigious task. Her research will draw on both archival
material and first-hand testimony, offering new insight into the
Queen’s private and public life.
An award-winning historian, biographer and curator, Dr Keay is
widely respected for her work on British history and the monarchy.
She previously served as Curator of Historic Royal Palaces and is
currently Director of the Landmark Trust, as well as a Trustee of
the Royal Collection Trust. She also sits on the Queen Elizabeth
Memorial Committee.
In a statement following her appointment, Dr Keay described the
commission as a profound honour, paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth
II as a “remarkable woman” whose life spanned a century of profound
change. She said she was deeply grateful to the King for entrusting
her with the responsibility and for granting access to the Royal
Archives, adding that she would do her utmost to do justice to the
late Queen’s life and service.
Her previous works include The Restless Republic: Britain
Without a Crown, which won the 2023 Duff Cooper Prize for
Non-Fiction, as well as biographies and historical studies
including The Last Royal Rebel and The Crown Jewels:
The Official Illustrated History.
Royal biographies of this kind have often revealed new detail
about major historical figures, shedding light on both public
decisions and private moments. The appointment is expected to be
closely followed, given the scale of access granted and the
significance of the subject.
The King’s decision to commission an official biography
underscores the continuing effort to document and preserve the
legacy of Queen Elizabeth II for future generations.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source royalcentral.co.uk ’
