Queen in Waiting

Georgian Saga #2

by Jean Plaidy

When Caroline of Ansbach arrives in England, King George is old and sour, his mistress ugly and his wife imprisoned at his own hand for over twenty years. She has grown up watching her mother Eleanor's loveless and dangerous marriage, and is determined to avoid a similar situation. So she marries the Prince of Wales, George Augustus, and they are popular among the people, leading the King to resent them.In what will become typical Hanoverian style, father and son loathe each other and exist in a state of constant competition for power. She quickly realizes that her husband is unintelligent and sees that she will be able to control him to some extent. Despite plenty of obstacles, including her father-in-law's control of her children, she refuses to lose sight of her aims.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, 18th Century, British Literature, Novels, Biographical Fiction

Hardcover

First published August 22, 1975

About the author

Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the 11 book series details the life of Caroline of Ansbach who marries George Augustus, Electoral Price on Hanover, whose mother was next in line for succession to the English throne after Queen Anne. Caroline was a very clever and bright woman - who learns the ways of the court very quickly. As Jean Plaidy is my favorite Historical Fiction novelist I find it hard to find fault in her writing and generally give her 5 star ratings (and more on alot of them if I could). However, this one was a little off for me - not in the story telling - absolutely not. It was in the writing - when I am reading her books I am completely absorbed into them - NOTHING penetrates - it's like I'm right there - in the moment - at the scene. In this book, there were lots of repetition and I found myself saying "Yes - I know that!" - it was getting frustrating and pulling me out. The worst part was Caroline and George Augustus speaking English with a German accent. Jean wrote as she imagined they would have been speaking. Will became "vill" - that kind of thing. Sometimes they could pronounce their "wh's" and other words they couldn't - it just completely would take me out of the book. I ramble though - anyways it's a great story about a great soon to be Queen that I never even knew of. On to book #3 - Caroline, The Queen.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read about Caroline of Ansbach wife of Britain's King George II who learnt to play the long game. A woman of practicality and intelligence married to a man who did not appreciate those qualities and was threatened by it. A man of self-importance but little sense with the Hanoverian temper. She accepted his mistresses as they did not threaten her own position in his life. She was important to him, he relied upon her and she managed him well. She was politically astute and was popular with the people. Because of the dysfunctional relationship between George and his father George I she too was considered to be his enemy and in one of the couple's many quarrels George I separated Caroline from first her son (who was left in Hanover), then her 3 eldest daughters whom he put under his own guardianship. This had a lasting impact upon their own relationship with their eldest son Frederick (future father of King George III) causing a repeat of familial discord. This was to be repeated time and again in future Hanoverian (later Windsor) Royals.

[Billye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book about the Kings and Queens of England by my favorite author, Jean Plaidy. This is the 2nd book in the series about the Kings George. It ends with the death of King George 1st and the beginning of King George 2nd, his son. I am now going to read the 3rd book in the Georgian Series about the reign of King George 2nd.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun vintage novel about the early life of Caroline of Ansbach, her marriage to the future King George II and her time as Princess of Wales at the court of King George I. I especially enjoyed the scenes that showed the cultural life of London, Hanover and Berlin where Caroline meets Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and George Frederic Handel and goes to the theatre. The actual political satirical verse of the time concerning the House of Hanover is woven into the novel. Unfortunately, once Caroline is in England, Plaidy writes her dialogue and that of her husband in exaggerated German accents (Eg. "Ve vill go for a valk!") even when they are in private, talking amongst themselves. There are surely more subtle ways to show that the future George II and Queen Caroline spoke with German accents. Look forward to reading "Caroline the Queen."

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a moderately entertaining and informative book. There is too little emphasis on historical events and too much on the personal lives of the royal family. It's slightly less soap-opery than the prior entry in the Georgian Saga.

[Quinby6696 Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jean Plaidy's historical fiction sparkles. Caroline of Ansbach is clever and intelligent unlike her husband George Augustus, later to become King George II of England. She sees her chance to become the power behind the throne. This book helps make sense of all those Hanoverians and Stuarts!

[Beth Roger aka Katiebella_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before George the Second lost his mind him and his wife Caroline were much loved by the people. Causing jealousy from her father-in-law King George the first. Waiting to rule is never easy as Caroline discovers in this amazing historical fiction.

[Tracey- Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

not the best of Jean plaidy's books , a little staid to be honest.

[Carole O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jean Plaidy has always been one of my favorite authors, decided to read again after 20 years.

[Jessica Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and historically accurate! Loved it!

[Mookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it. Donate.

[Kate Sherrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vast improvement over the first volume of the Georgian saga, this book showed me the Sophie, Sophie Charlotte and most importantly the Caroline I'd been looking for. I've already read and enjoyed Caroline the Queen so it was especially nice to get more back story, particularly about the enmity between Caroline's husband (the future George II) and father-in-law (King George I) given further context by the events of Princess of Celle. Sigh. This is why I like to read series in order! But these books get hard to find...

One problem this book has that lost it a star, though, is that it was a tad repetitive. La Hibbert apparently didn't trust us to remember that, say, George I thought Caroline was foxy but too clever and "needed watching", or that his tall, thin mistress was practically a wife to him, or that Caroline had a nice rack, without being reminded of these every chapter or so. Sigh.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgian Era England
Historical fiction of the life of Caroline of Ansbach up to her being crowned. I found this interesting because I really didn't know much about George I and II and the start of the Georgian era. I also enjoyed learning about Caroline of Ansbach and how she handled the diversity that came her way.

[Susan]

read in 2007

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The long drawn out story of how the first king George of England became the king of England and Hanover. Lots of details about the power play between father and son, but not too interesting.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read so many Jean Plaidy books as a kid - kind of fun to find a stash of them at the library and do some comfort reading.

[Karen Galber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Tells the story of Caroline 's youth and early marriage up until she becomes queen. It also recounts the enmity between George I and George ii.

[Elaine Burstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have learnt so much about the Georgians. Caroline is my hero.
Had to start next book immediately. This Georgian saga is addictive!