The Governess tells the story of Marion 'Crawfie' Crawford, the progressive young working-class woman who, as royal governess for seventeen years, lived on the most intimate terms with Princess Margaret and the future Queen Elizabeth II. A long time member of the Windsors' inner circle, Marion had a ringside seat to some of the most seismic events of the 20th century. The castles and palaces may have housed a family frozen in time, but outside poverty and unemployment were breeding unrest in 1930s Britain, with Hitler's ascent looming.