The Good Servant by Fern Britton (HarperCollins UK)

This is a fictionalized account of a true story. Marion Crawford is a young teacher with ambitious goals to help unprivileged children when fate takes her on a new path and she becomes a governess to two young princesses, Lilibet and Margaret. 

Slowly and surely the royal family becomes her own and their needs were her needs. She becomes a woman with a mission, she could mould the princesses into women with a social conscience, able to use their privileged platform for humanity. Without her, Lilibet and Margaret would never get to experience the normalities of life. She could teach them so much about the world beyond their front door. Her duty is clear: to educate the royal children, to give them security, routine, and happiness.

And with time, she stoically pushed her own desires aside. Like postponing her marriage for over ten years. Even though the other employees warned her that she is just one of the staff in the royal household, she would do anything for the monarchy. And she would do anything for her no-good husband too. Not without the consequences for her life and her relations with the royals.

This is a very well-written and researched book. The reader finds himself in the vortex of a totally different life, court life. All the characters are well developed, and the naivete of Marion toward her future husband was actually so annoying, yet, she couldn't see his corruptive nature until it was too late.

I have enjoyed this book immensely. 

5/5