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Advice to a grand-daughter: Letters from Queen Victoria to Princess Victoria of Hesse
. 1975, bright clean copy, with dustjacket, neat inscription one endpaper, no other markings, Professional booksellers since 1981
156 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1975
About the author
Queen Victoria
354 books29 followersThe expansion and industrial growth marked reign of Victoria, queen of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 and empress of India from 1877, and her strict moral code influenced 19th-century society.
Alexandrina Victoria from 20 June 1837 until her death. People know her 63 years and seven months as the Victorian era, a period of cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom. She was the last monarch of the house of Hanover.
Albert, her prince consort, died in 1861.
Victoria wrote an average of 2,500 words a day during her adult life. From July 1832, she kept a detailed journal, which eventually encompassed 122 volumes, until her death. After death of Victoria, survivors appointed Beatrice, her youngest daughter and a princess, as her literary executor. Beatrice transcribed and edited the diaries, covering accession of her mother onward, and she burned the originals in the process. Despite this destruction, much of the diaries still exist. In addition to edited copy of Beatrice, Lord Reginald Baliol Brett Esher transcribed the volumes from 1832 to 1861 before Beatrice destroyed them.
Alexandrina Victoria from 20 June 1837 until her death. People know her 63 years and seven months as the Victorian era, a period of cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom. She was the last monarch of the house of Hanover.
Albert, her prince consort, died in 1861.
Victoria wrote an average of 2,500 words a day during her adult life. From July 1832, she kept a detailed journal, which eventually encompassed 122 volumes, until her death. After death of Victoria, survivors appointed Beatrice, her youngest daughter and a princess, as her literary executor. Beatrice transcribed and edited the diaries, covering accession of her mother onward, and she burned the originals in the process. Despite this destruction, much of the diaries still exist. In addition to edited copy of Beatrice, Lord Reginald Baliol Brett Esher transcribed the volumes from 1832 to 1861 before Beatrice destroyed them.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 5, 2009
I'm biased because I've been focusing my research on Princess Victoria for years, but this book is wonderful in so many ways. Richard Hough had a special access to the Broadland Archives, so this material is unique.
Queen Victoria's writing is always interesting and entertaining, but here you can really see the close relationship she had with her granddaughter (the letters right after Victoria's mother Alice died are especially touching). There's a lot of information on all the family, other royalties and what was happening in the world. Many great images too. Perfect for research on Queen Victoria's family.
Queen Victoria's writing is always interesting and entertaining, but here you can really see the close relationship she had with her granddaughter (the letters right after Victoria's mother Alice died are especially touching). There's a lot of information on all the family, other royalties and what was happening in the world. Many great images too. Perfect for research on Queen Victoria's family.
September 23, 2018
An engaging read, but only Queen Victoria's letters are published. Reading one half of a correspondence is not nearly so interesting, especially as I had been hoping to learn more about the spirited Princess Victoria, of whom there is very little written about.
Those Hessians really couldn't catch a break, like /ever/.
Those Hessians really couldn't catch a break, like /ever/.
September 13, 2022
In spite of being written almost 50 years ago, Richard Hough did hands down an amazing job writing this book after having access and drawing on the Royal Archives.
Through these letters one gets to see a glimpse into what the Queen was really like as both mother and grandmother. However grumpy, controlling and cantankerous a woman as she was, these letters truly reveal how caring, devoted and fond she was to her Hessian motherless grandchildren whose lives were, unfortunately, marked by constant tragedies and misfortunes.
It might have been more interesting had Princess Victoria’s letters been published too as, given that only the Queen’s correspondence is revealed, you only get an insight into one-sided version of the story and not the full correspondence itself, which sometimes leaves the reader somewhat intrigued.
It should be borne in mind that these letters were written over 150 years ago and sometimes the Queen’s intense writing style becomes tedious and hard to read. The correspondence, nevertheless, does not only deal with Victoria’s genuine and touching advice towards her granddaughter, but also with many political events taking place at that time which makes the reading more enjoyable and interesting.
The author, who did an amazing job selecting and arranging each letter chronologically, also includes a brief paragraph explaining what is going to be told in the following correspondence and quotes in the footnote facts, dates and names which to a certain extent makes it easier for the reader after having come across the 57th granddaughter named Victoria and 27th Prince/Duke/Duchess of whatever Royal House. Additionally, these letters are accompanied by a great deal of lovely photographs, many of which are never-before-seen.
Worth reading and enjoyable if you are interested in Queen Victoria's life as well as her offspring.
Through these letters one gets to see a glimpse into what the Queen was really like as both mother and grandmother. However grumpy, controlling and cantankerous a woman as she was, these letters truly reveal how caring, devoted and fond she was to her Hessian motherless grandchildren whose lives were, unfortunately, marked by constant tragedies and misfortunes.
It might have been more interesting had Princess Victoria’s letters been published too as, given that only the Queen’s correspondence is revealed, you only get an insight into one-sided version of the story and not the full correspondence itself, which sometimes leaves the reader somewhat intrigued.
It should be borne in mind that these letters were written over 150 years ago and sometimes the Queen’s intense writing style becomes tedious and hard to read. The correspondence, nevertheless, does not only deal with Victoria’s genuine and touching advice towards her granddaughter, but also with many political events taking place at that time which makes the reading more enjoyable and interesting.
The author, who did an amazing job selecting and arranging each letter chronologically, also includes a brief paragraph explaining what is going to be told in the following correspondence and quotes in the footnote facts, dates and names which to a certain extent makes it easier for the reader after having come across the 57th granddaughter named Victoria and 27th Prince/Duke/Duchess of whatever Royal House. Additionally, these letters are accompanied by a great deal of lovely photographs, many of which are never-before-seen.
Worth reading and enjoyable if you are interested in Queen Victoria's life as well as her offspring.
August 6, 2017
This was a pleasure to read, not only because of Queen Victoria's absorbing style of writing, but because of the editor/author's skill in arrangement and commentary. The author arranges the letters chronologically, and regularly includes a paragraph or two of commentary between letters, to explain significant names, phrases, or allusions to events.
After the 27th royal named Victoria and the 18th Louis/Louise, I'll admit that I gave up trying to keep track of royal connections. That being said, the only reason I could follow the royal webs at all is because of the consistent, helpful, unobtrusive footnotes. The editor frequently included explanations of not only which "Vicky" was being referenced, but who they married, how long they lived, close friends and so on. The editor's footnotes are also occasionally hilarious, as he engages in a back-and-forth with some of Queen Victoria's many, many questions to her granddaughter. The commentary never intrudes, and speculations are kept to a minimum.
For all the regal language, there are moments when anyone can recognize the well-meaning but incredibly over-involved and overbearing family member that everyone loves but must put up with. There's the occasional eerie moment, such as QV's repeated opposition of family members marrying Russians. QV's hatred of Russia usually seems extreme and unfair - until you remember that Princess Alix (the younger Victoria's sister) marries Nicholas Romanov.
Queen Victoria's sheer force of personality, talent, and wisdom shine through the letters. What a woman her granddaughter Victoria must have been to remain so independent!
After the 27th royal named Victoria and the 18th Louis/Louise, I'll admit that I gave up trying to keep track of royal connections. That being said, the only reason I could follow the royal webs at all is because of the consistent, helpful, unobtrusive footnotes. The editor frequently included explanations of not only which "Vicky" was being referenced, but who they married, how long they lived, close friends and so on. The editor's footnotes are also occasionally hilarious, as he engages in a back-and-forth with some of Queen Victoria's many, many questions to her granddaughter. The commentary never intrudes, and speculations are kept to a minimum.
For all the regal language, there are moments when anyone can recognize the well-meaning but incredibly over-involved and overbearing family member that everyone loves but must put up with. There's the occasional eerie moment, such as QV's repeated opposition of family members marrying Russians. QV's hatred of Russia usually seems extreme and unfair - until you remember that Princess Alix (the younger Victoria's sister) marries Nicholas Romanov.
Queen Victoria's sheer force of personality, talent, and wisdom shine through the letters. What a woman her granddaughter Victoria must have been to remain so independent!
March 3, 2011
As a teenager myself, I found Queen Victoria's advice to her (and my) namesake unnervingly useful. It also gave me a glimpse of the Queen's personality that can sometimes be lost in biographies.
I read this after reading Queen Victoria's letters to and from Vicky, the Crown Princess of Prussia, so I was inundated with her very individual writing style. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking to expand their knowledge of Queen Victoria, but who knows enough not to be surprised at her stereotype as a domineering, grumpy matriarch with no sense of humour being quietly shattered.
Also, the photographs included in this book were a lovely surprise, particularly Prince Ernie's extremely surreal doodles around some of them.
I read this after reading Queen Victoria's letters to and from Vicky, the Crown Princess of Prussia, so I was inundated with her very individual writing style. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking to expand their knowledge of Queen Victoria, but who knows enough not to be surprised at her stereotype as a domineering, grumpy matriarch with no sense of humour being quietly shattered.
Also, the photographs included in this book were a lovely surprise, particularly Prince Ernie's extremely surreal doodles around some of them.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews