Today she's remembered primarily as grandmother to Queen Elizabeth II, but as this insightful biography reveals, the British monarchy owes much of its resilient spirit to Queen Mary. A grandniece of Queen Victoria, Princess "May" of Teck's life was a study in contradictions: Born a princess to virtually penniless nobles, she was supposed to marry Victoria's eldest grandson, Eddy, but became queen by marrying his younger brother George. She was fiercely devoted to her husband and extended family, yet was a notoriously distant and cool mother. Terrified of blood, she was nonetheless a steadfast presence in wartime hospital wards filled with maimed and dying men. May survived two world wars, the abdication crisis, and the deaths of her husband and three of her sons, never faltering in her duty and never losing the affection of her people. Long live the queen, indeed!