Originally published in 1948, The Reign of Queen Victoria by Hector Bolitho was republished in time for Queen Victoria’s bicentenary. The book surprisingly begins with the relationship between Prince’s Albert’s parents, Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Saxe Gotha Altenburg. Reading Princess Louise’s comments were by far the best part of the book for me.
However, the rest of the book is rather boring and quite judgemental, using words like “pathetic.” The wording rather put me off wanting to finish the book. Key events in Queen Victoria’s and Prince Albert’s family life are skipped over with a single sentence, for example, the birth of the Princess Royal, who also doesn’t receive a name in the book until after her brother has been born.
All in all, I’d say there are better books available on Queen Victoria’s reign. The Reign of Queen Victoria by Hector Bolitho is available now in both the UK and the US.
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