The Churchills: A Family Portrait

Beautiful, rich, and powerful, the Churchills dominated world politics for generations—but like every family, they too have their secrets.

Winston Churchill is arguably the most famous Briton, but a shroud of mystery still surrounds him and his family—Winston's mother, Jennie had a secret affair with the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, and her spendthrift habits devastated their reputation. The younger brother, Jack, has been largely forgotten, but played a crucial role both in Winston's successes, and in holding the family together during the tough times—all this in addition to the myths propagated by Winston's political enemies that persist to this day.

From Sir Randolph's alleged syphilis to Winston's illegitimacy, and from Jennie's gambling problem to Jack's dashed ambitions, authors Celia and John Lee use never before seen archives to cut through the rumors and lies and get to the truth about the life of the former prime minister and his relationship with his family. Chock full of intrigue and scandal, The Churchills finally sets the record straight regarding one of the world's greatest dynasties.