Product Description

Queen Marie of Roumania was one of the most fascinating crowned heads of Europe and one of the most extraordinary and independent women of our century. The granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Tzar Alexander II of Russia, at seventeen Marie left the glittering courts of Western Europe to marry the Crown Prince of Roumania. Drawing upon the young queen s diaries and letters, the author describes her struggle to gain an independent footing in the male- dominated court of Roumania, her early years as one of the most admired beauties of Europe, and the decisive period during World War I when she all but ran the Roumanian Government. With the sweep and panache of a great epic, this compelling story is historical biography at its best. This enthralling book is like a huge spicy plum pudding stuffed with juicy fruits Maureen Cleave, Evening Standard

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #859916 in Books
• Published on: 1996-12-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

About the Author
Hannah Pakula attended Wellesley College, the Sorbonne and Southern Methodist University. She is a book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times.

Customer Reviews

What a woman - what a Queen!!
Queen Marie of Roumania was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and of Czar Alexander II of Russia and her father became the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. She married the shy and not particuarly handsome Hohhenzollern Heir to the Throne of Roumania and later on became his Queen Consort. As his widow she still played in important role and became known as the Mother-in-Law of the Balkan. This all sounds rather conventional and one could dismiss her as "just one of these princesses or queens". But when reading this book you will discover a person of character and strength, a flamboyant and beautiful woman and a great and political Queen. Her life was far from being easy but she managed to keep her head high and overcome the the odds. Sadly, her son King Carol II treated her badly and so her life ends kind of sad. The book is a great read, the story is well told and one gets very quickly hooked. It is full of inside and paints a completely picture of Queen Marie, her husband and her family. 5 stars are well deserved for this book!!

Detailed and Beautifully Written
Like Hannah Pakula's "An Uncommon Woman" (the biography of the Empress Frederick), "The Last Romantic" is an enthralling read with numerous incidental details which combined to get right to the heart of the fascinating Queen Marie of Roumania. The richness of the writing is a fitting tribute to the passionate and romantic Marie, who, in spite of many personal tragedies, continues to shine as one of the most intriguing women of her age. Other members of the family are brought in to the story in a lucid and interesting manner. All in all, it is a book to return to often!

Most Beautiful Princess

A most flamboyant Queen captured to perfection
Queen Marie of Roumania was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and of Czar Alexander II of Russia and her father became the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. She married the shy and not particuarly handsome Hohhenzollern Heir to the Throne of Roumania and later on became his Queen Consort. As his widow she still played in important role and became known as the Mother-in-Law of the Balkan. This all sounds rather conventional and one could dismiss her as "just one of these princesses or queens". But when reading this book you will discover a person of character and strength, a flamboyant and beautiful woman and a great and political Queen. Her life was far from being easy but she managed to keep her head high and overcome the the odds. Sadly, her son King Carol II treated her badly and so her life ends kind of sad. The book is a great read, the story is well told and one gets very quickly hooked. It is full of inside and paints a completely picture of Queen Marie, her husband and her family. 5 stars are well deserved for this book!!