This book covers all nine children, not just the daughters. The history is largely thematic and, as with all of Van der Kiste's work, is filled with detail and background.

TV drama captures Victoria and Albert's often uncomfortable and confused approach to parenting. The statues we see every day belie the fact that they were barely out of their teens themselves.

No one chooses to be born royalty, much less heir to the throne - much less to have Victoria and Albert as parents.

Number four, Alfred, 'Affie'. It is harsh to say that Victoria's children each had a symbolic and functional role, but she would have thought no less.

Prince Arthur, number six, whose contributions to British history do indeed merit their own biographer.

Eight, Leopold. His mother's favorite and the first harbinger of the family's haemophilia.

The grandchildren: the life of Princess Victoria Melita, Alfred's daughter, was something that no Hollywood writer could ever have come up with!

The grandchildren: excellent book about how the connected royals struggled to adapt politically and as a family from 1901 to 1936. This book is a strong complement to political and military studies.

The grandchildren: before they were the Tsar and Empress of All the Russias, they were Edward's nephew Nicky and Alice's daughter Sunny. Understanding that gives Massie's masterpiece a new dimension.