Hanover to Windsor

British Monarchy

by Roger Fulford

'As Roger Fulford makes abundantly clear in this delightfully written book, they (William IV, Victoria, Edward VII and George V) were intensely interesting human beings...He has written a book that everyone will enjoy.' J.H. Plumb

Genres: History, Biography, Royalty, Nonfiction

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Mike Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Royal reversioning: admittedly, this must have been a difficult brief - to finish the Batsford/Fontana monarchy series with a volume spanning William IV to George V. In a little more than a hundred years, Britain went from a country where a thief could be hanged for stealing a shilling, few beyond the landed gentry had the vote, and the transatlantic slave trade flourished, to an almost modern, inter-war democracy with universal suffrage (men and women) and America had overhauled the UK as the world’s great power. It was also when our royal family transitioned, by means of an empire, a war and a name change, from a bunch of unloved Germans to the very model of a modern monarchy, inciting loyal devotion from the cringing populace. Thrillling times and if rather dominated by Queen Victoria, who reigned for a third as long again as the other three sovereigns documented here, her longevity underlines the otherwise transitionary nature of the times. The rest of the series is bold, scholarly and drily humorous. Plumb, Morris and the authors who contributed the preceding volumes seem like the more approachable sort of dons - witty, assuming a certain knowledge in their students, and not talking down. Fulford’s background as a journalist, by contrast, shows in his gossipy anecdotes and a style which - contrary to his early declaration of the difference between gentry and servants - talks more about people than things. He’s amusing and informed and if there’s a fault it’s that he is determined to make us like William, Victoria, Edward and George, who’ve had their knockers down the years. In this ambition, he doesn’t quite succeed, for warm and eager to please as Hanover To Windsor is, the effect is more Majesty magazine than New Statesman.

[Emma]

I'm not gonna give this one a rating.

I liked it overall. I learned a lot about the kings that surrounded Queen Victoria's time. I liked how funny and proper the writing was. I didn't know Edward VII was as progressive as he seems to have been. I was definitely in the camp of people who thought he was just an overly extravagant man who didn't apply himself to being king, but I don't think that's 100% of the story. Definitely a good introductory book and a good book to just get the gist of without reading too closely.

(Also, it took me so long to read because I read the first section, then put it down for 10 days.)

[Courtney Mosier Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully descriptive history of the royal family.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixth volume of the British Monarchy series, Fulford explores the metamorphosis of the Saxe-Coburgs from German monarchs over a world-girdling empire to the modern Winsors with limited power but enormous influence. Unfortunately the book closes with George V, assumedly to leave room for a volume on the modern Winsors. Engaging.