London, October, 1956. A glittering Royal Film Premiere. The whole world is watching.
Tonight, Elizabeth II will formally greet an array of stars. Though she was not born to be Queen, this young mother and wife has embraced her patriotic duty and its unforgiving demands.
A limousine pulls up. Out steps a vision in dazzling gold: Marilyn Monroe. A money-making machine for Hollywood, with curves that drive men wild and a smile that lets women know she’s in on the joke.
As the two most famous women in the world come face to face, they look to be worlds apart. Yet beneath the glamorous costumes, both are fighting to keep the men they love, while trying to do their work in a man’s world.
And they have spent the summer of 1956 battling secret demons the public could never imagine.
Now, Marilyn steps forward. These photographs will be on the front page of every newspaper in the morning.
But this isn’t their first meeting. And the story behind the headlines is even more sensational…
Elizabeth and Marilyn by Julie Owen Moylan is published on 2 April, 2026.
Read Julie’s feature about writing fiction based on facts, which was inspired by her experience with this book.
For more new historical fiction, have a look at Historia’s list of books coming out in 2026 — over 130 of them.
