Victoria and Albert - A Royal Love Affair: Official companion to the ITV series

by Daisy Goodwin, Sara Sheridan

The official companion to the second season of the PBS/Masterpiece drama Victoria by award-winning creator and screenwriter Daisy Goodwin.

More than 16 million viewers watched the first season of the Masterpiece presentation of Victoria, created and written by Daisy Goodwin―the highest-rated PBS drama in twenty years, second only to Downton Abbey. But what happened after the Queen married her handsome prince? Did they live happily ever after, or did their marriage, like so many royal marriages past and present, fizzle into a loveless round of duty?

This all-new companion book by Daisy Goodwin and Sara Sheridan transports us to the private world of Victoria and Albert. Though first cousins, they could not have been more different: Victoria was impulsive, emotional, and capricious, Albert cautious, self-controlled, and logical. But together they forged a bond with each other and with their people that would change the world. Drawing on letters and diaries and fresh insights into royal history, this gorgeous book charts the constant ebb and flow of power within the couple’s surprisingly ardent and modern marriage.

Sumptuously illustrated and full of rich insider detail, Victoria & Albert takes us behind the scenes of the magnificent TV drama, including fascinating, in-depth information on the actors, the props, and the costumes—and bringing an extraordinary royal marriage even more fully to life.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Historical, Royalty, Victorian, Romance

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2017

About the author

DAISY GOODWIN, a Harkness scholar who attended Columbia University’s film school after earning a degree in history at Cambridge University, is a leading television producer in the U.K. Her poetry anthologies, including 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life, have introduced many new readers to the pleasures of poetry, and she was Chair of the judging panel of the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. That was the year she published her first novel the American Heiress ( My Last Duchess in UK) , followed by The Fortune Hunter and now Victoria. She has also created VICTORIA the PBS/ITV series which starts in January. She has three dogs, two dogs, and one husband.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't watched the PBS series that this book is based on, as I've said before except for sports I very seldom watch TV. I do, however, have a keen interest in history, and found this book wonderful. I loved the way it was arranged. A topic would be covered, such as the relationship between Victoria and Albert, from there it would relate some facts about their lives, then go on to show how they were perceived by the nation. The final part would reflect how this was portrayed in the series. The children, how she felt about her constant pregnancies, the role they each played in child rearing. Their clothes, food, servants, residences, so much is covered, and often would also show how things were in London as a whole.

All accompanied by gorgeous, full color pictures, simply beautiful. Many of those playing the parts in the series, but also those of the real royals. It was a very easy and informative read. Interesting how they adapt so much for their shows, and how and with what they replace the things they cannot. A love story for the ages, so rare among royals of the past. Loved the inside and personal aspects of Victoria's character. So much research, but unlike many women of the past that left few clues to their lives, many of Victoria's letters remain. This book does inspire me to watch the next season of this series. Seems like it very well done if this book is anything to go by.

[Hannah Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As gorgeous and lush as the first companion volume. My only complaint is I was hoping there would be a section on Alfred and Drummond. I realize that storyline is not necessarily historic fact, but since I enjoyed their storyline I was hoping they would be included here.

[Sharlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of the PBS drama, Victoria, then you won't want to miss this companion book of the Masterpiece series. The photography is exquisite. But the info about making the series & historical references are even better. Maybe you didn't know that Buckingham Palace had 775 rooms! There are also several time lines as the story progresses showing what was going on such as 1870, when the first condom factory producing rubber condoms opened in Dalston. You can read about Victorian, etiquette; what they ate & drank; the difference in life style between the poor & rich.

[Brandi (Brandis.Bookish.Escape) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive History Buff and a lover of the Victoria TV series, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and the narrator for the audiobook was absolutely fantastic.

[Jody Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated behind the scenes look of the PBS Masterpiece show, Victoria. You learn so much about the Victorian era, Victoria and Albert's relationship as well as the making of the show. The details, in costuming, language, customs are fascinating to read. The traditions that continue on today thanks to Queen Victoria. She was a strong woman at a time strong woman were not valued. She accomplished a great deal while wearing a corset and bearing 9 children!! It was so lovely to read of a very public couple that truly loved one another. His early death devastated Victoria and she never quite recovered.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this. An absolute delight!

[Kinsey Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed delving into the relationship of these two because on the outside they were loving but behind Palace walls it was different and there were cracks but they always fixed them.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"They were the most privileged couple of their age, the most famous of lovers and the best of friends."

Wow. This was fascinating. I rarely, if ever, read nonfiction texts, but after watching the TV series Victoria, this intrigued me. Although the book is quite literally titled, 'a royal love affair', I was quite pleased to discover that this wasn't the whole focus of the book; it was quite interesting to read about the Victorian history. Victoria and Albert centres mostly around the early reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 up until around 1846, similar to the first two series of the TV series.

Whilst the book begins with Victoria and Albert's early marriage and the upbringing of their children, it also has key facts about the Victorian era, with pages dedicated to corsets, the Corn Laws and the poverty-stricken lives of Victorian children (and much more), which I found very interesting. Even more, there are also pages surrounding the 'behind the scenes', to do with the filming and production side of the series ,and on being as historically accurate as possible ( it also made clear which aspects of the show weren't entirely accurate), through costume, make up, etiquette and more.

As someone who finds large blocks of texts daunting, this was so easy to read, as far as layout is concerned. Each double page spread had images taken from the Victorian times, such as paintings or newspaper articles, or photos taken from the TV series, which all in all helped understanding of the text. It wasn't just never ending lines of text. Although it makes me sound childish for wanting 'picture books', incessant, relentless text just bores me to death, so the images really do add to the overall quality of the book.

Victoria and Albert is a fascinating and easy-to-read book, focusing on the early reign of Queen Victoria. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has watched the TV series and is intrigued by the period setting. My only real complaint is that it spoiled the Christmas episode!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really informative companion book!

I was so excited to read this, and I felt that the facts I learned about Victoria and her reign enhanced my viewing experience of the show. I never knew that Victoria and Albert had such a tempestuous relationship, nor had I ever known that they were so different in temperament and in parenting skills. This book also has fantastic photographs from the show, as well as interesting pictures of papers and artifacts from Victorian England. The presentation was spot on, and the historical detail provided an interesting look into the habits and customs of the time, as well as the intricate romance between one of England's most famous queens and her husband.

However, I did take exception to the stance which author Daisy Goodwin adopted throughout this volume. Victoria may have been a feisty, independent woman who was ahead of her time, but that is no excuse for Miss Goodwin to push a modern-day feminist agenda on her readers, expressing her pity for Victorian women who did not have access to birth control or supposedly "safe" methods of abortion. She continually tries to portray Victoria as a misunderstood woman whose time period was against her, and Goodwin uses this as a justification for Victoria's often arrogant and selfish behavior.

This leads me to the subject of Victoria's attitude, which I took an instant dislike to in both the book and in the show (both written by Goodwin). Victoria is constantly doubting Albert, belittling his manhood and sense of competency, and essentially wants him to obey her every whim because "she is the queen." Being a strong woman doesn't mean you can browbeat your husband, but apparently, that is not part of the narrative Miss Goodwin wished to impart to her readers/viewers.

This had lots of potential, but once Goodwin used her 21-century political views to rewrite history, she completely lost my interest. I prefer when historians stick to the facts.

[Tina Panik · Rating 4 out of 5]

In addition to details about the show, this book is filled with Victorian era history, tidbits, and traditions. A fun read.

[Bel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a pleasant read because it is a nice balance between providing facts and stories about the Victorian era and the love story between Victoria and Albert and behind the scenes content from to please fans of the show. The articles range from the political turmoils of the day, costumes, technological advances, and other events in real life that were featured in the show. There are also sections about the actors and staff and different interviews. I like that the book makes Albert seem like a saint and the couple is portrayed as real life version of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

There are lots of beautiful photographs and drawings and I would highly recommend both to fans of the TV show and Victorian era fans like me!

[Magical_Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I think it would had been better to read this after watching the tv show. I love learning about the Victorian era, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert. Sometimes the pacing was a little too slow for my taste. There was this one background that made it hard to read the text. I loved all of the pictures that were throughout the book. I can't wait to start watching the tv show.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching the first season of the British TV series, Victoria, I’ve been looking forward to season two. Daisy Goodwin wrote the first series and I enjoyed listening to her book, Victoria, before watching it. So I was delighted that Goodwin wrote Victoria and Albert: A Royal Love Affair, a companion to season two.

Victoria and Albert is a combination introduction to their relationship, to the social, cultural and political history of the time and to some behind the scenes looks at the production. I enjoyed the picture Goodwin creates of Albert. It is hard to be married to a queen, especially when the country is wary of you as a foreigner. Albert was able to find an important role for himself in organizing their lives. While we often think of the Queen Victoria as being very much against sex, it was fun to learn that she thoroughly enjoyed her sexual relationship with her husband. Unfortunately, the result of all of their fun sex was nine children. She was against extramarital sex.

Now I feel better prepared for the upcoming TV series. It isn't a deep look at the period, but fun background to the series. If there is a series three, I hope that Goodwin will provide another book to help prepare her watchers.

I listened to the audio book.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting to read the back stories about them and about the culture of the time.

[Rachael Marsceau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtakingly gorgeous from cover to cover. Super educational and easy to read. Loved it!

[Debbie Duncalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book that accompanies the television series of the same name.
It is a lovely well written book which lends a greater insight of this lovely couple.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, previously read Victoria. Would recommend.

[vallentine ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful companion to the media setting but nothing new.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just picked this book up on a whim from my library's new books display. I haven't watched this series but I loved the easy to read historical facts in this book along with the modern and historical photos. This is a great read I recommend to people interested in Victorian England.

[Susan Pola Staples · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a HUGE aficionado of the PBS series Victoria and a reader of biographies of Queen Victoria, of Prince Albert and joint biographies of the couple, I am especially happy to have a written portrait of their marriage as portrayed in the series. Victoria and Albert by Daisy Goodwin and Sara Sheridan is a delight.

The book is a marvelous companion to the PBS series for its lavish illustrations, comments from the cast and crew - costume designer Roz Ebbuts and Makeup artist Nic Collins are featured. Ms Goodwin includes explanations on how she writes the scripts, what is really happened and what was added for dramatic impact.

Another nice feature is several timelines are included. They range from the years her children were born, inventions, to key dates in the Chartist Movement. The book mentions rights gained by women such as the right to keep the money she earned and not turn it over to her husband.

There are pages with things of a scientific nature The Thames Tunnel and Ada Lovelace, who actually was included in an episode and played by Call the Midwife's Emerald Fennell.

The Arts are included as well. A two page brief bio of the first black actor who played major Shakespearean roles, Ira Aldridge.




I WILL FINISH THIS REVIEW AT A LATER DATE.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre text with lots of pretty pictures. The text is pretty repetitive, and it appears that no one read it cover to cover, not even the author. The book can't decide whether it's about the making of a TV series or about the real Victoria and Albert - why does a book about the historical background of the series have sections about fictional characters? I would have liked to see comparisons of historical images (paintings, drawings, photos) with how they are depicted in the series, but most of the historical images are not directly applicable. It was like reading a celebrity magazine about Queen Victoria.

[Jamandelb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining. Pretty — three-quarters images, but since I’ve not seen the series, the photos of costumes alongside historical documents wasn’t redundant. Distressing whose/who’s error on p. 176 — do they not have anyone read the thing over before it goes to print?

[Lady Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5+ / 5

It would be a lie to say that the first thing that attracted me to Victoria was, in fact, her relationship with Albert. Even today, if we consider them as celebrities of the 1800s, we have to admit that their relationship is a unique one. After all, they didn't cheat on each other, they set out to be an example to others by creating a united family unit in their domestic life (and raised their children according to less lavish methods than you might expect for royals), and worked as partners in the truest sense of the word wherein there was no set power dynamic in their relationship--i.e. neither could be said to be the absolute "dominant" or "submissive" one, as this was constantly changing. They were lovers, they were partners, they were rivals. And, most importantly, they were real, so nothing about their story is predictable.

When reading through We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals, which is by far my favourite nonfiction book and biography, I found the parallels between them fascinating: she grew up without a father, he without a mother; she was a social butterfly and party animal, whereas he was prudish and too proud to interact personally with most people; she enjoyed the flattery and attention of men, whereas to him women were practically anathema; she was short and chubby, he was tall and slim. And yet, together, they were a perfect match, made for each other, etc. Their marriage was planned by their relatives, technically, but they married for love as well as power. They had many things to work around in order to make their relationship work, not the least of which was the big question of who was really in charge: the Queen of England over her Prince Consort, or the husband over his wife?

As such, I don't think that their relationship can be easily defined, and so I'm glad that each chapter of this book takes a look at their relationship through a different lens. They are passionate lovers devoted to each other; they are the idyllic image of domesticity; they are a "power couple" who are philanthropic and helped the technological development of Britain; they are the face of the nation and how Britain is judged; they are public figures; they maintain a private life; they are united; they have separate engagements and interests; they are important both together and in themselves.

This book, in short, covers a lot of ground and different perspectives on the Victoria-Albert relationship. It doesn't try to categorize it as one thing, but sums it up every which way possible. There are many historical references to economy, politics, other important personages, as well as insights into how the BBC show Victoria came to be--i.e. sets, makeup, hairstyles, clothing, speech/dialect, filming, script, direction, etc.

The book does not so much describe either Victoria and Albert or the show, but rather immerses you in the world that tries to stay truth both to history and to respecting the show as a "masterpiece" work of art in television. The pictures included inside the book, in a variety of ways referencing both historical drawings/sketches/paintings and photo stills from the TV show make it an aesthetically pleasing book as well, and the language in which it's written is simple to understand (meaning that it's not boring) and yet remains informative.

I think I've just found a new favourite--as if I wasn't already sold on the show itself.

[Sarah Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.

This book is a companion piece to the PBS Masterpiece drama Victoria and is filled with photos from the show. In it, Daisy Goodwin, author of the novel upon which the show was based as well as the screenwriter for the show, provides historical background on the couple fictionalized in the television series. The book covers Victoria and Albert as a couple, their home life, the royal household, as well as brief insights into Victoria's rule and her empire at the time of her reign. Additionally, the book provides background information on the making of the show, including how sets were made, costumes, and the difficulties of filming scenes with young children.

Although this is certainly not a comprehensive biography, I still learned details about Victoria and Albert's life that I had not previously read about. For example, while much is made about Victoria's devotion to her husband, he was also capable of romantic gestures: "When Victoria gave him a flower as they were dancing at a ball during their courtship, he found he had nowhere to put it, so he took a knife, cut a slit in his uniform over his heart and slipped the bloom in there" (47). The book also gave an interesting comparison on prince consorts then and now, comparing Albert to the current Queen's husband, Philip Mountbatten. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are both the great-great-grandchildren of Victoria and Albert (177). The book also gives brief overviews on interesting topics like the queen's hygiene and the differences between Victoria and Albert's appetites.

My one slight criticism of this book is the fact that while focusing on the real people behind the television show, it is filled throughout with pictures of the actors on set. Although there are some historical drawings and photographs, it is mainly television shots featured. Of course this book was designed for fans of the show, yet it seemed odd for a historical text to be so dominated by fictional depictions. On the other hand, I did like that the book intentionally spends time talking about significant plot points from the show like the Irish famine and the Boy Jones that helps provide background context for fans.

[Nik Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Co-written by Daisy Goodwin (the series’ excellent screenwriter) and historian/novelist Sara Sheridan, the book covers in 303 pages the relationship between the two royals and the many individuals who came into their orbit. It is complemented by many still photographs from the two seasons of Victoria and the Christmas special.

The TV series is not a historical documentary but a dramatised rendering of Queen Victoria, her husband Albert and others, and as such it does tinker with historical fact for dramatic effect; and the book highlights these divergences – whether that’s the close bond between Victoria and Lord Melbourne, the actual age of the Duchess of Buccleuch (Victoria’s contemporary, not as depicted by Diana Rigg), or the good Dr Traill (Goodwin’s great-great-great-grandfather, in fact) who didn’t actually meet the Queen, and so on...

There are several behind-the-scenes insights, whether that’s the sets, the language used, the costumes or the food

In addition there are articles on all manner of aspects Victorian: Sex for Sale, Racy Victorians behind closed doors, the language of flowers, pregnancy and childbirth, drug use, corsets, drinks, etiquette, beards, the railways, poverty, the Corn Laws, the Chartists, and the Irish potato famine.

In my view there is only one blemish, which a vigilant editor could have excised: a misguided statement by Goodwin. ‘One thing I feel quite sure of is that Victoria would have been appalled by Brexit. Victoria and Albert tried to create their own informal European union through strategic marriages of their children. Victoria may have been English to her fingertips, but she understood the value of a family of nations.’ (p247)

I would suspect that the truth would be the opposite. Victoria was proud of her Empire and would have loathed the fact that her country’s sovereignty had been discarded due to Prime Minister Major’s infatuation with the Maastricht Treaty in the 1990s. And of course Britain already had a family of nations – the Commonwealth – whose trade had to be adversely affected by membership of the European Union.

A superb book for anyone who has enjoyed the Victoria series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author and historian Daisy Goodwin, who helped develop the PBS/Masterpiece program based on Queen Victoria's married life, presents a beautiful companion book for readers to enjoy. This book is filled with photographs from the show, as well as images of historical documents from the Victorian era. It reviews the historical events of the time, but also delves into the complex relationship between Victoria and Albert. Here we had a woman thrust into a position of leadership in a world dominated by men, and a foreign man put into a position in which he had to rely on her -- and on Parliament's good graces -- for his upkeep and ability to BE an effective leader. I also liked how the author also gave us some glimpses into the behind the scenes goings-on of the actual show.



Prompts this book fits for reading challenges:
Published in 2017. Yellow cover, body part on the cover, celebrity, based on a TV show/movie, fashionable character, queen/princess, royalty, inheritance, script on the spine, more than one author, large fan following, rich m/c, power, large family, more than one language. Character with a vice. Seven deadly sins. Secrets. Mental health/mental illness. HP Slytherin cunning/ambition. HP Ravenclaw wit/learning. Setting is 1837-1861, United Kingdom. Non-traditional gender roles -- she had to propose to him, he had to submit to her in the marriage. Murder -- there were many assassination attempts. Sickness/medicine -- Albert died fairly young of illness. This book mentions other books (describes Victoria's education and novels she enjoyed).

[Daryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the ITV series, Victoria, (more so than Goodwin's book, actually) and I felt this companion book was a succinct and enjoyable supplement to the series. While the book provides beautiful photography of the stars, the remarkable settings and costumes, it also gives the reader a bit of history about Victoria and the era that is named for her and how the royals, aristocrats and commoners lived. The companion guide looks not only at Victoria, Albert and their family but also how her reign and their marriage impacted England and helped sustain the monarchy during a time when revolutions raged across Europe. It also gives details about how the series creates costumes, sets, the food and more in order to create the amazing detail seen in each episode. The book also focuses on Albert's interest in and dedication to efforts to promote science and technology, earning the admiration of his Queen and the trust of politicians, who initially were wary of a "foreigner." Series 2 and the companion book focus on the young couple as they become a united and powerful front. I enjoyed the focus on Albert and his contributions in this companion guide. For fans of the series, this companion book will be a welcomed addition to further explore the world of the plucky little Queen and the series named for her.

[Koren | the_blue_eyed_bluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated with Queen Victoria for a long time. I have absolutely loved the TV show 'Victoria' for the past few seasons and this book is a happy marriage of historical narrative and the work that goes into creating Victoria and Albert's world in the TV series.

There was a ton of interesting factual information about the real lives of Victoria and Albert, including excerpts from Victoria and Albert's own letters. The background information of what was happening in their palatial world and the common world around them was very well presented and thorough.

I did have some trouble making it through this book quickly. It wasn't just about Albert and Victoria, but also the influential people in their world. The content appeared to be organized in chapters, but it was loosely organized that way. The writing went back and forth between multiple explanations and it was a bit dizzying and made the reading slow. However, the pictures were visually stunning and it would be almost worth looking at this book just for that.

I could read small portions at a time and feel like I accomplished something. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully done. I love how this was written. It was incredibly informative both about Victoria and Albert and also about world events during her reign.
Beautiful glossy pictures from the show and drawings from the actual time period.

I think someone with an interest in the royal family would enjoy this book whether or not they watch the show.

I liked how it covered many events that we haven’t yet seen on the show (at the moment, Season 2 is still a few days away from its premiere here in the US).

The format is pretty fantastic. The information is filed out in little bursts, many sections are about two pages or so. This kept things interesting and allowed the author to cover a ton of material. I read it in order but you could also enjoy this book by randomly flipping through the sections and enjoying them.

Very enjoyable and it makes me look forward to season two even more than I already was.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched the first PBS series and enjoyed the stories and saw this book at my local library and checked it out. Written by the screenwriter it is a highlighted look at Queen Victoria in many aspects - her life as a young girl, her marriage to Albert, her children, the politics and the travel. The most interesting part of this book was the inventions and innovations that were accomplished during her reign and progress was really promoted by Albert - he had the scientific mind. I loved the sketches in Victoria's sketch book- she and Albert both spent time drawing. And I loved the author's personal story of her relative who was a minister in Ireland during The Potato Famine and how she has told his story also in this book along with the basics of not just the life of the wealthy but the poverty and problems attendant with not having a trade for the common folk.