"December 1952. When Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, Christmas preparations begin in earnest. The young queen, still finding her feet as the new monarch, must now find the right words for her first Christmas Day radio broadcast, but can old traditions survive in a postwar Britain hungry for change? Olive Carter, a young mother and aspiring reporter for the BBC, snatches an opportunity to cover the royal Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, and even has a chance encounter with the queen, a woman she has long admired. But when things don't go as planned, Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously in her new career. In the royal kitchens, recently widowed chef Jack Devereux has abandoned his dream to run his own restaurant and reluctantly accepts a new position among Sandringham's staff. Though he is heartbroken and adrift, others soon notice Jack's talents, and their encouragement steadily reignites the spark of his passion and ambition. When Jack and Olive unexpectedly meet during the Christmas festivities, past secrets and long-forgotten feelings resurface... Over the following five Christmases, Jack's and Olive's lives intersect with the queen and Prince Philip as personal and professional duties pull them together and then apart. As they grow ever closer, they are poised to make declarations they never thought possible - yet Olive carries a secret that threatens to destroy everything. Will one final Christmas with the queen deliver the gift they both long for?" -- Provided by dustjacket.