When Marilyn Met the Queen

Regular price €18.50
1956
A View from the Bridge
A01=Michelle Morgan
acting
Age Group_Uncategorized
Age Group_Uncategorized
Anthony Quayle
Arthur Miller
Author_Michelle Morgan
automatic-update
British culture
British press
Category1=Non-Fiction
Category=APB
Category=APF
Category=ATC
Category=ATF
Category=BGF
Category=DNBF
Chanel No. 5
cinema
COP=United Kingdom
Cornelia James
Delivery_Delivery within 10-20 working days
director
Elizabeth Arden
Empire Theatre
England
Englefield Green
English country cottage
eq_art-fashion-photography
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_non-fiction
fans
fifties
film
filming
Financial Times
Floris
honeymoon
Joshua Logan
Language_English
Laurence Olivier
Lavender
London
London Airport
Lord Drogheda
Marilyn
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe Productions
marriage
PA=Available
Parkside House
Pinewood Studios
Price_€10 to €20
Princess
Princess Margaret
PS=Active
Queen Elizabeth
Royal Command Performance
royal family
royals
servants
softlaunch
stage-fright
The Prince and the Showgirl
the Queen
The Sleeping Prince
theatre
Vivien Leigh
Windsor
Yardley

Product details

  • ISBN 9781472145956
  • Weight: 260g
  • Dimensions: 124 x 196mm
  • Publication Date: 12 Jan 2023
  • Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
  • Publication City/Country: GB
  • Product Form: Paperback
  • Language: English
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'England? It seemed to be raining the whole time . . . Or maybe it was me'
MARILYN MONROE

In July 1956, Marilyn Monroe arrived in London, on honeymoon with her husband Arthur Miller, to make The Sleeping Prince (later released as The Prince and the Showgirl) with Laurence Olivier.

When the couple arrived at London Airport, they were looking forward to a peaceful stay. Marilyn would work during the day at Pinewood Studios, while Arthur would write. Then, in the evening, the couple would be able to relax together in their private English country cottage. It didn't quite turn out that way.

The 'cottage' was actually a mansion, which belonged to Lord Drogheda, the managing director of the Financial Times. Raised in tiny hotel rooms and apartments, Marilyn felt herself being watched. She was, by Lord Drogheda's servants, who were selling stories to the papers.

When filming began, it was a disaster. Director Joshua Logan had written to Olivier, offering advice on how to handle Marilyn as an actress, but Olivier ignored him. Instead, he condescended to her in his introduction to the cast, pooh-poohed her views on acting, and dismissed her stage-fright as an inconvenience. Marilyn grew to hate Olivier with a passion; the feeling was mutual.

Marilyn found herself torn between settling into married life, being a curiosity for the frequently hostile British press, and her work on The Prince and the Showgirl. She took solace in small acts of kindness from members of the public, and a new fascination with Queen Elizabeth.

Marilyn made a point of adopting some of the Queen's favourite brands, buying gloves from Cornelia James, perfume from Floris, and switching from Chanel No. 5 to Yardley's Lavender. Marilyn made a point of asking the film's PR manager to add a royal meeting to her schedule, but each day Olivier would delete the request.

Michelle Morgan describes Marilyn's trip to late-1950s' Britain in evocative detail, exploring the making of the film alongside the film star's troubled private life and her quest to meet the Queen.

MICHELLE MORGAN is the author or co-author of nine books about Marilyn Monroe, including Marilyn Monroe: Private and Undisclosed. Rights in Michelle's books have sold to Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, South Korea and Macedonia. She has written for magazines and newspapers, including Yours Retro, Sunday Express, The Lady, Big Issue, Emirates Woman, Writing Magazine, Social and Personal and Yoga Magazine. Michelle lives in Northamptonshire.