Queen Victoria: A Portrait

by Giles St. Aubyn

Recreates Queen Victoria's relationships with her family, her ministers, and her servants to depict the life of the ruler of the world's largest empire

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

669 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

St. Aubyn taught history at Eton College for 40 years. He was a nephew of Vita Sackville-West and personal friend of John Beetjeman and John Le Carré.

He was considered an eccentric and was reserved, bordering on shy, and had an understanding of human nature which made him an accomplished biographer.

In his will be bequested money for the establisment of the RLS Giles St. Aubyn Award for Non-Fiction, which is awarded to writers working on their first book to help fund their research.

Reviews

[Jim Gallen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the PBS series “Victoria” I picked up this book to learn more about the Queen. I found a whole life biography supplemented by a set of photographs of Victoria and her family. It covers Victoria’s from the unlikely daughter of a younger son to her death as the Grandmother of Europe and Queen-Empress of the most powerful empire in the world. It examines her fluctuating relationship with her mother who manipulated her with her advisor, John Conroy, the series of prime ministers with whom she worked, her consort, Albert, whom she adored and her children and grandchildren whom she taught and molded, with whom played and argued and who would act on center stage of the Twentieth Century’s greatest tragedy. Her heartbreak is seen as she mourns the loss of three children and sons-in-law.

I have read other books about Victoria and her era and prefer this one. Author Giles St. Aubyn has crafted a work that flows more smoothly than others from topic to topic. He depicted a woman with a strong will who would, nonetheless change her opinion about some persons such as her mother, Sir Robert Peel and Benjamin Disraeli. Others like Gladstone and Lord Palmerston remained unwelcome holders of high office. It shows her operating in an environment in which the Queen had real power, particularly in foreign affairs and in which royal marriages were matters of state. Her identification with and support for fellow monarchs is in contrast to her grandson who prevented his cousin’s exile within the Empire. By covering a range of issues his tome is an excellent introduction to Victoria’s life and Age.

[Lelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Have read it at least three times and am likely to read it again.