The British royal family announced on Sunday that historian Anna Keay has been appointed to write the official biography of Queen Elizabeth II.
The late Queen passed away in September 2022, concluding a reign that lasted more than 70 years. According to British media reports, King Charles III was keen for a woman to produce the definitive account of his mother’s life.
Keay, a specialist noted for her historical work on Britain’s Republican period from 1649 to 1660, described the appointment as a “profound honour”.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Keay will have full access to the late monarch’s personal and official papers preserved in the Royal Archives. She is also authorised to conduct interviews with members of the royal family, the Queen’s friends, and household staff.
Keay described Queen Elizabeth as “an extraordinary woman, whose life spanned a century of great change”.
“I am deeply grateful to His Majesty The King for entrusting me with this responsibility and for granting me access to her papers, and will do all I can to do justice to her life and work,” she said.
Official biographies of the royals have previously brought unexpected personal details to light. For instance, Sir William Shawcross’s biography of the Queen Mother – the wife of George VI – revealed that she had been successfully treated for bowel cancer while in her 60s.
