Magnificent Obsession
The story of Queen Victoria’s abiding obsession with her husband Albert and his achievements – both during his lifetime and long after his death
“Rappaport uses new sources to give a vivid account of Albert’s death . . . a valuable and insightful book which will change our view of Queen Victoria”
SPECTATOR
Magnificent Obsession
When Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died in December 1861 the nation was paralysed with grief.
His death was a catastrophe for Victoria, who not only adored her husband but had, through twenty-one years of marriage, utterly relied on him: as companion, father of their children, friend, confidant, and unofficial private secretary. Without Albert to guide and support her, the Queen retreated into a state of pathological grief which nobody could penetrate and few understood.
Drawing widely on contemporary letters, diaries and memoirs, Rappaport brings new light to bear on the causes of Albert’s death and tracks Victoria’s mission to commemorate her husband in perpetuity. Richly compelling, this is the story of a magnificent obsession that even death could not sever.
Magnificent Obsession: Helen’s talk at The Rancho Mirage Literary Festival 2018
Reviews
“In this intriguing study, Helen Rappaport sets out to tell the story of the royal anguish that followed Albert’s death in December 1861 . . . she excels in her portrayal of a cult of mourning over which the queen presided with all the imperious intensity of a high priestess. Fair-minded, thoughtful and rich in social detail.“
Sunday Times
“Brilliant . . . Helen Rappaport is especially good on the incompetence of the gang of medics who presided over Albert’s illness.”
Daily Mail
“Her fluency in English, and her poignant chronicling of matters royal have made me realise once again that she could convert me to virtually any cause. This particular airing of her rare skills maintains her already established status in the front rank of British historians.”
Colin Dexter
“An absorbing, perceptive, and detailed picture of a constitutional monarchy in crisis.”
Publisher’s Weekly
You may also like:
Latest Articles and Media about Queen Victoria, Prince Albert & their times
Mad Lord Adolphus, Lady Susan and Bertie’s Baby
Even Queen Victoria, who privately loved tittle-tattle but never admitted to it, could not resist being drawn into the saga of mad Lord Adolphus Vane-Tempest and his poor wife Susan…
The Curious Tale of Queen Victoria’s dresser
From Windsor Castle to North Dakota – a fascinating tale of pioneer spirit and triumph over adversity by English immigrants.
Prince Albert’s Birth: Is there any truth in the rumours of illegitimacy?
Books in English often do not have very much to say about Albert’s mother, Princess Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Did her husband’s womanising push her into the arms of another man?
Charlotte von Siebold – the Pioneering German Midwife who delivered Queen Victoria
At the time of the future Queen Victoria’s birth, ‘the excellent Mademoiselle Siebold’ emerged from the delivery room to announce the birth of a girl to the gathered dignitaries with considerable delight, adding in her thick German accent: ‘Verr nice beebee. No big but full. You know, leetle bone, mush fat.’
Queen Victoria: Pet Names, Titles, Nicknames & Aliases
During her 63 year reign Queen Victoria acquired a wealth of these. Many were complimentary and affectionate, some were ironic or satirical, and others were downright rude…
The Victorian Christmas
The cosy Dickensian Christmas referred to in Queen Victoria’s diary for Christmas Eve 1860, was in great part popularized by Victoria and Albert after their marriage in 1840. During the 21 years that followed they did much to set their own particular stamp on how the festival is celebrated in this country.
Back Home in Dickensland
As children we were fearless. Mean, and muddy, and at times dispiriting it may have been, but the Medway Estuary was our paradise. My own daydreams draw me there still…
Sarah Forbes Bonetta: the Captive African Princess Gifted to Queen Victoria
In its Christmas Special for December 2017 the ITV series Victoria featured the story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a captive African princess who was brought to the court of Queen Victoria. She has frequently been described as the Queen’s goddaughter’ but this is not in fact true…
Queen Victoria’s dress sense – or lack of it
Queen Victoria’s dress sense – or rather, lack of it – was a subject that regularly provoked the despair of her courtiers. Despite his best efforts, the court painter, Franz Winterhalter, who painted some of the most fashionable women in Europe, could not disguise Victoria’s slightly provincial air…
Queen Victoria’s Passion for Photography
The 63-year reign of Queen Victoria brought with it much invention and innovation, but nothing has probably been more significant in defining the mental picture we all of have of her and Victorian everyday life than the photograph.