Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow

Description:

'A wonderfully fresh, vivid and engaging portrait.' Jane Ridley, author of Bertie: A Life of Edward VII

'Has much of the abundant charm of its author.' Spectator

'The glory of this book is in the details.' The Times

'Worsley's command of the material and elegant writing style make this a must-read.' Publisher's Weekly

'An intimate glimpse.' Daily Mail

'An engaging portrait of the monarch.' i paper

'Provides a unique insight into this inscrutable monarch.' Choice Magazine

'In this lively, light-footed biography, just out in paperback, the popular TV historian Lucy Worsley looks at just 24 days of Victoria's 81-year long life to reveal unexpected sides to the monarch.' BBC History Magazine

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Who was Queen Victoria?

A little old lady, potato-like in appearance, dressed in everlasting black? She was also a passionate young princess who loved dancing. And there is also a third Victoria, the brilliant queen, one who invented a new role for the monarchy.

Victoria found a way of ruling when people were deeply uncomfortable with having a woman on the throne.

Her image as a conventional daughter, wife and widow concealed the reality of a talented, instinctive politician. Her actions, if not her words, reveal that she was tearing up the rules on how to be female. But the price of this was deep personal pain.

By looking in detail at twenty-four days of her life, through diaries, letters and more, we meet Queen Victoria up-close and personal. Living with her from hour to hour, we can see and celebrate the contradictions that make up British history's most recognisable woman.

Review: Such a brilliant idea! Drilling down into Victoria's diaries Worsley gives us Victoria in all her infinite variety - queen and mother, matriarch and minx...I loved it. * Daisy Goodwin, author, and creator of ITV's Victoria *
A wonderfully fresh, vivid and engaging portrait of Victoria. * Jane Ridley, author of Bertie: A Life of Edward VII *
The glory of this book is in the details, and the specific moments, that Worsley chooses to single out for mention, and in her cheerful voice as she leads us by the hand to the next window of Victoria's life calendar. * The Times *
Queen Victoria has much of the abundant charm of its author -- A.N. Wilson * Spectator *
In this lively, light-footed biography, just out in paperback, the popular TV historian Lucy Worsley looks at just 24 days of Victoria's 81-year long life to reveal unexpected sides to the monarch. * BBC History Magazine *
The latest from historian Worsley is an insightful, sympathetic, and vividly written examination of the "good woman" who ruled England for 64 years... Worsley's command of the material and elegant writing style make this a must-read for anyone interested in the British monarchy. * Publishers Weekly *
An intimate glimpse * Daily Mail *
Lucy Worsley brings our most iconic of monarchs to life with this intimate and sympathetic portrayal... Even if you know Victoria's story, there's more to discover in this insightful biography. * Woman's Weekly *
An engaging portrait of the monarch * i paper *
Praise for Jane Austen at Home:
This is my kind of history: carefully researched but so vivid that you are convinced Lucy Worsley was actually there at the party - or the parsonage. * Antonia Fraser *
Jane Austen at Home offers a fascinating look at Jane Austen's world through the lens of the homes in which she lived and worked throughout her life. The result is a refreshingly unique perspective on Austen and her work and a beautifully nuanced exploration of gender, creativity, and domesticity. * Amanda Foreman *
A vivid portrait of Jane Austen. A must for any Austenite. * Red Magazine *
Brilliant and very moving, this book is a fascinating and original exploration of Jane Austen with lots of new material - Worsley brings Austen to life superbly, through her pages she is a flesh and blood woman, intelligent, powerful, contradictory, loving, loved. A magnificent book. * Kate Williams *
Rarely, if ever, will you encounter a historian so in command of their material. Truly, this is a dazzling exercise in persuasion, written with sense and sensibility. * Saturday Express *
A deep, prolifically researched dive into the houses, vacation homes, and schools where the author spent her life. * Vogue Magazine *
Worsley offers us much that Austen's admirers wish to know... [she] is entirely convincing. * New York Times *

Author Biography: Lucy Worsley is Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces. Her biographies of Agatha Christie, Queen Victoria and Jane Austen were all Sunday Times bestsellers.. She presents BBC Radio 4's Lady Killers and her many TV documentaries include Lucy Worsley Investigates and Killing Sherlock.