The Power Behind the Throne: A Review of “Kingmaker” by Sonia Purnell

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In the world of political power and influence, some figures operate in the spotlight, while others shape history from behind the scenes. Pamela Harriman was one of the latter, an extraordinary woman who leveraged great charm, intelligence, and an uncanny ability to connect with the right people to become a major force in 20th-century politics. In Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue, Sonia Purnell masterfully chronicles the amazing life of this aristocratic outsider who became one of the most formidable political fundraisers and diplomats of her time.

Pamela Digby was born into British aristocracy in 1920, when women of her class were expected to marry well and conform to rigid societal expectations. But she was never content to play a passive role. With ambition and strategic acumen, she transformed herself from an aristocratic debutante into a political power broker whose influence extended from Winston Churchill’s war cabinet to the Clinton White House. Purnell’s biography vividly captures this transformation, tracing Pamela’s journey with both admiration and a keen analytical eye.

Her introduction to political life began with her marriage to Randolph Churchill, son of the legendary Prime Minister. Though short-lived, this union gave her access to Winston Churchill’s inner circle, where she observed the mechanics of power up close. Winston and Clementine adored Pamela long after she and their son had divorced. Purnell details how Pamela quickly grasped the importance of alliances and influence, skills she would refine and use with great success throughout her life.

During World War II, Pamela’s role extended beyond the domestic sphere. Rather than remain a passive observer, she actively cultivated relationships with influential men, most notably Averell Harriman, the wealthy diplomat and U.S. envoy to Britain. Purnell presents their relationship not as a mere affair but as a strategic partnership that had significant geopolitical implications. Pamela’s ability to use her social talents for political ends becomes a recurring theme in the book, and Purnell makes a convincing case that she was not just a socialite but a behind-the-scenes operator whose skills in diplomacy rivaled those of more official actors.

After the war, Pamela’s life took her from London to Hollywood and then to Washington, D.C. She married twice more—first to Broadway producer Leland Hayward and later to Harriman, by then a powerful statesman. Each marriage was a step further into the corridors of influence, but Kingmaker is not a simple story of social climbing. Purnell carefully unpacks the ways Pamela used her position to exert real power, particularly in her later years when she became one of the most effective political fundraisers in the Democratic Party.

By the 1980s, Pamela had reinvented herself yet again, this time as a kingmaker in American politics. Purnell explores how Pamela became one of the most successful fundraisers in modern political history, hosting exclusive salons where the wealthy and influential met the rising stars of the Democratic Party. Her work was instrumental in Bill Clinton’s rise, and Purnell makes a compelling argument that without Pamela’s efforts, Clinton’s path to the presidency would have been far more difficult.

Pamela’s ultimate triumph came when she was appointed U.S. Ambassador to France, a role she took on with the same skill and determination that had defined her life. Purnell brings to life the diplomatic challenges Pamela faced and the way she handled them with a mix of charm and steel, proving once again that she was far more than a well-connected socialite. Pamela played an important role in persuading Clinton to become involved in the deadly war between Serbia and Bosnia, which resulted in a peace agreement that continues to remain in full force.

What makes Kingmaker so compelling is Purnell’s ability to present Pamela Harriman as a complex, multifaceted figure. Too often, ambitious women of history have been dismissed as mere manipulators or seductresses, but Purnell resists this simplification. Instead, she presents Pamela as a woman who understood the nature of power and played the game as well as—if not better than—many of the men around her.

The book is meticulously researched and reads like a thrilling novel, making it both an entertaining and deeply informative account of one woman’s rise to influence. Purnell seamlessly weaves together political history, personal intrigue, and social transformation, creating a biography that is as thought-provoking as it is engaging.

Purcell is developing into a superb chronicler of exceptional women who have helped to change the course of history. Another splendid Purcell book - “A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II” - is about Virginia Hall (1906 - 1982) who eschewed publicity like any model covert spy would and whose rightful place in history was only officially acknowledged posthumously.

In Kingmaker, Purnell not only restores Pamela Harriman to her rightful place in history but also offers a broader meditation on power—who holds it, who wields it, and how it can be obtained. In an era still grappling with the role of women in politics and leadership, Pamela’s story remains strikingly relevant. This is a biography that not only illuminates a fascinating life but also forces us to rethink the traditional narratives of influence and legacy. Purnell has once again proven herself to be a master biographer, bringing to life a woman who shaped history from the shadows—and did so brilliantly.