Book Review: "Queen Victoria" by Lucy Worsley (Pt. 2)

After the first couple of chapters, we have a good grounding for the raising of the Princess Victoria. Lucy Worsley takes us on a journey through malaise and sickness in which many did not know what was wrong with Victoria but, then we cover the beautiful love story she has with Albert. It's not quite all sunshine and rainbows but it's close enough. Lucy Worsley makes sure that we know that Victoria initially met Ernest (Albert's brother) and then continued to meet Albert. We are reminded that Victoria did not marry Albert until he had learnt a sufficient amount of English to be able to communicate effectively and we revisit that part of the introduction in our minds, in which Victoria states that after the death of Albert, she shall have to think for herself or at least, by herself, and that seems to scare her.

I think we can safely say that even though she had more than the average English person in the way of money, Victoria's teen years were pretty damn miserable. Her playmates were chosen for her, she wasn't allowed to just be a teenager and atop of this, she never went anywhere alone. She even slept with her mother until she was grown up. She was never allowed to be by herself. If this was me, I have to tell you that I would absolutely just lie down and die. My 'me' time is sacred and I absolutely despise people enough to not want to be around 99.99% of them at all ever. Victoria would be so confused by this notion if she were alive today, but would probably appreciate it. I think this is what fed into her inability to be alone after Albert died, but until then we have a coronation to move on to!

William IV is suffering and suffering and Victoria knows what this means. She is very clear about wanting to be a good queen to the people of England. The coronation is a huge celebration, it's over the top and so many people line the streets that it takes Victoria a whole hour in carriage to make it down the street. Lucy Worsley not only covers the celebratory atmosphere, but she also covers the way in which Victoria had a staunch sense of duty on this day and beyond. She wasn't there to simply have a party, she was there to present herself as a committed monarch - and yes, she would be good.

All across England, celebrations and joys were breaking out and there were various symbols of the new technological age happening all at once (I won't say exactly what but one of them managed to accidentally crush someone to death). Queen Victoria's age was marked out by her coronation as something to be joyful and happy and the Queen herself though she was taking it seriously, was also looking on having a good time. She immediately started to form her courts, putting her mother on the backfoot instead of having her front and centre in the life of the new palace, but she was also having fun. Fun was something I felt was definitely missing from the monarchy. I mean, George III didn't look like he was having any fun whatsoever and Queen Charlotte seemed to be entirely against fun for whatever reason. George IV and William IV didn't have any time to have fun and thus, Queen Victoria was here to be the 'young and fun' female on the throne.

But of course, this was simply the honeymoon period. This wasn't to last. She would have to soon make her first moves as queen and for this to happen in a way parliament liked, she would have to be guided. But let's be perfectly honest here: who could possibly tell Queen Victoria what to do?

I'm genuinely enjoying this book so much because there is so much to learn about Victoria. There are so many sides to her that I never knew. She isn't just a miserable older woman sitting with the little crown on her head, but she was young and ambitious once. She was a brilliant mind who history seems to have relegated to legend. Though I have to say, her personality is definitely a product of her time though she was also ahead of it.