The Last Days of Glory: The Death of Queen Victoria

by Tony Rennell

Queen Victoria's death in January 1901 shook Britain to its core, and reverberated not just throughout the Commonwealth, but around the world. She was a woman in her eighties, and yet it seems no one could contemplate the end of a reign that had lasted so long. Most could not remember a time when she was not Queen, and the very stability of everyday life seemed to depend on her regency. The anxiety of the government and the royal family about the prospect of the Queen's death was such that the news of her illness was deliberately concealed from the public for more than a week. When it came, people from England to Jamaica wept in the streets, and this grief was surpassed only by fear for the future. "God help us" was the standard reaction from all strata of society.

The Last Days of Glory is the definitive account of those last 23 days in January 1901, when Victoria traveled to Osborne House to die. The momentous reaction to the Queen's passing attached to it more significance and a greater sense of change than the turn of the century had carried just a year earlier. Through the prism of those last days Tony Rennell presents us with a series of resonant and absorbing snapshots of a fading Empire at the end of the Victorian Age, and captures a nation coping with change, balancing comfortable nostalgia with the arrival of a new order.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Royalty, History, British Literature

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1902

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like a book that is focused and keeps its tone throughout. With content like this I'm sure it took discipline to weed out the many stories of people and events that brought the world to this date. For instance, just enough is devoted to the Kaiser and John Brown is appropriately dealt with in the appendix. The tone stays the same through the final days, to the funeral preparations and then the funeral ritual itself.

It had been so long since a monarch's death, that no one could remember the protocol. There were big issues and smaller decisions. How to inform the populace? How long should a mourning period last? (Various aspects of the economy had to be considered.) Would Edward hire the Queen's personal staff? Hymns had to be chosen, and a favorite had to yield to the politically correct one of the time. So many outpourings from at home and abroad. Special request floral designs. Visiting dignitaries. What to call the Princess of Wales before installation? QV left very detailed instructions, but soon to be installed King Edward now had the veto.

Rennell gives us all the above and more. He sticks with his topic and brings together all the pertinent material. Very good job.

[Fran Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would think that the final days and death of a queen would be so interesting? At the time of her death most people didn't know of any other royalty in their lifetime. The culture of mourning and what a person should wear and for how long is discussed as well as details of the many items buried with her. There is even a mystery of disclosure, a previously unknown item that was buried with her, is revealed.

[Donn Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author goes into great detail, sometimes making this a little boring to be honest, but nevertheless overall an interesting story of the last days of Queen Victoria, her death, and the extravagant funeral procession that followed, including many details of those involved and the preparations that needed to be made in a hurry.

[Michell Karnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book giving many details of Queen Victoria's death. Starting with the week before when she is fading and through to her burial in Frogmore. The book is well- researched giving many eyewitness accounts of the servants who handled the many details of her body being prepared and the organization of the funeral Victoria wanted.

[Adam Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book, full of interesting detail.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting about QV’s family and how the plans evolved for her funeral esp since they hadn’t buried a sovereign in 64 years.

[The Book Maven · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting, but not riveting, read. I found it to be a blow-by-blow account of facts about the decline, death, and funeral of Queen Victoria, and there were parts to it which were compelling, especially when the author tried to impart on the readers the enormity of Victoria's death and the passing of the Victorian age. However, the author didn't go into the WHYs of it enough--as a semi-expert in this field, I know and am aware of what a momentous and yes, even sad, moment in history this was, I am aware of how her death marked the end of an age of triumphant, heady progress and prosperity and disparity, I am aware of the manymanymany developments during the 19th century--but not everyone does, and by hinting at the glory of the age and the ending of it, without going into further details or analysis, makes this book--filled with potential--an ultimate disappointment.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely a niche book. It will be of interest to people interested in the history of the Victorian era, the life of Queen Victoria, and such subjects as the deaths and funerals of royalty.

In it is the story of Queen Victoria’s last illness from the time she became too ill to take her customary afternoon drive. It also describes in minute detail all the details of her funeral. Most of the story is told from the point of view of several of her doctors, her close household servants, the Bishops who performed the funeral ceremonies, and one or two of the Royal Princesses.

The most touching part of the description of the funeral is the part where the little royal yacht carrying Victoria’s body from the country house where she died to London is sailing off between a line of battleships who are getting ready to fire a set of salutes in her honor.

[Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was actually two stories, which is its greatest weakness and the reason I cannot rank it higher. The first tale is of the last days in the life of Queen Victoria in January 1901. To me, this event was mainly memorable as the page 1 headline in the newspaper featured prominently in the movie "The Shootist." The story of the aged queen's decline and death at the outset of a new century (and the corresponding denial and devastation of her subjects) show the stability she brought to Britain during her long reign. The second story that follows is a much weaker one: Victoria's funeral. The details of all the extensive planning and protocol demands is strictly for royal watchers. Enjoyed the first half; skimmed most of the second half.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since 1/22 is the anniversary of Queen Victoria's death, I thought I would add this book to my pile.

[Maitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this story a lot and the writer got amazing ideas

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almost criminal(ly good) amount of detail about the last month of Queen Victoria's life and the week or so that followed her death. An excellent resource for research.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never really knew how Queen Victoria had died so this book shed some light on that.

[₵oincidental Ðandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As enjoyable a read as I found "Farewell In Splendour" to be, this is by far much more enjoyable & far richer in detail. A commendable work.