Product Description

In January 1901, Queen Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, Empress of India, lay dying, her reign the longest in British history. She had given her name to an age, and now that age would pass into history. This book recreates the last days of the monarch, her death and the massive funeral. The author looks at the legacy she left behind, and how the empire she had created reacted to her leaving. From the royal palaces at Windsor and Osborne to the effect on foreign powers - including that of her grandson - Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany - and all parts of the Empire, the reader is shown how influential Queen Victoria had become. Alongside this, is the story of the royal physicians who worked hard to balance the needs of the Queen herself, her family and the wider political sphere in which she also played her part; the story of her son, Bertie, at last about to take on a proper role after years of acting the playboy; and the grieving public who mourned Victoria and the security, safety and status she stood for.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1433355 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Review
Exactly 100 years ago, on 22 January 1901, Queen Victoria died, so ending a reign which had lasted 63 years. Her passing signalled the end of an era: the Empire with which she was synonymous, the unprecedented economic expansion which had defined her age, the 'Victorian values' which had provided its moral code and sense of identity, were all beginning to falter as she herself succumbed to final illness. Packard tells the story of Victoria's last days, recreating the sense of panic, of sadness and of uncertainty about the future. He surveys the legacy of her remarkable life, the impact which it had both on her family and on the nation, and the consequences of her removal from the scene. A compelling and moving read. (Kirkus UK)