THIS IS THE story of how a shy and petite 25-year-old woman was suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into the limelight, instantly becoming the most famous woman in the world. Succeeding her father, the beloved King George VI, Elizabeth II was thrown into the sovereign role in a country still reeling from the aftermath of World War II. Her first year saw Britain beset by a series of disasters, from train and plane crashes to record floods and a war in Korea. Yet by the time of her coronation 16 months later, the nation was on the road to economic recovery and celebrated its new Queen with one of the most magnificent displays of pageantry the world had ever seen.