Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Queen Victoria's Granddaughters: 1860-1918
- Narrated by: Fleur Edwards
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.00 for first 30 days
Buy Now for £18.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
On 6 July 1868, when told of the birth of her seventh granddaughter, Queen Victoria remarked that the news was "a very uninteresting thing for it seems to me to go on like the rabbits in Windsor Park". Her apathy was understandable - this was her 14th grandchild, and, though she had given birth to nine children, she had never been fond of babies, viewing them as "frog-like and rather disgusting...particularly when undressed".
The early years of her marriage had, she claimed, been ruined by frequent pregnancies, and large families were unnecessary for wealthy people since the children would grow up with nothing worthwhile to do. Nevertheless, her initial reaction to the birth of Princess Victoria of Wales belied the genuine concern that Queen Victoria felt for each of her 22 granddaughters. "As a rule," she wrote, "I like girls best," and she devoted a great deal of time to their well-being and happiness, showering them with affection she had seldom shown her own children.
By 1914, through a series of dynastic marriages, the queen's granddaughters included the empress of Russia; the queens of Spain, Greece, and Norway' and the crown princesses of Rumania and Sweden. As their brothers and cousins occupied the thrones of Germany, Britain, and Denmark, Prince Albert's dream of a peaceful Europe created through bonds of kinship seemed a real possibility. Yet in little more than a decade after Queen Victoria's death, the prince consort's dream would lie shattered in the carnage of the First World War. Royal cousins and even siblings would find themselves on opposing sides; two of them would die horrifically at the hands of revolutionaries, and several others would be ousted from their thrones. They had lived through the halcyon days of the European monarchies, but their lives, like the lives of millions of their people, would be changed forever by the catastrophe.
What listeners say about Queen Victoria's Granddaughters: 1860-1918
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Campesque
- 29-04-19
Fascinating insight into the most complicated of families.
An engaging and interesting look into the lives of the female offspring of Queen Victoria's children. These girls were the product of European royal dynastic marriages, and were expected to follow suit - love, if it happened, was a happy byproduct of these political unions. It's hard not to pity these women.
Awful narration. It's a testament to the story that I didn't give up and send it back. Correct pronunciation is rather important.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Franklymydarling
- 26-04-17
A whole lot of Princesses
If you are a royal history lover this is a book for you. You'll learn more about minor European royalty and family ties. The granddaughter who became a saint, 2 who supposedly married gay men, and the dedication to hospital works and causes. But be warned the name listing of family members at the start of each chapter is about irritating at first, but you soon find you need the lists to keep up with whose who.
An interesting and engaging listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- EM
- 19-07-17
Really intriguing
I found this book to be a captivating look in to this time period and in to the varied lives of these women.
The pivotal role in which Queen Victoria and her family played across the European royal houses and political climates of the time lead to many fascinating and dramatic stories, some times comic but often very traumatic, as seen through the eyes of her Granddaughters.
Great writing by the author and excellent read by the Narrator kept me gripped throughout, I loved it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Julia
- 11-11-17
A moving story
Too complex a list of characters and this leads to a superficial analysis of their lives. Stylistically quite good.
However, the narration spoiled it for me. Several words were mispronounced - dowager, Ypres, for example - and the voice was monotonous and rather plaintive.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jamie
- 19-07-17
Lovely listen
Really interesting account of the trials and tribulations of Queen Victoria's Granddaughters. Fascinating insights and stories too.
Lovely read by the narrator too, really helped to make the subject come alive. Spot on with the variety of strange pronunciations and names.
Would highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Annie
- 06-03-21
Excellent book
Found this to be a really informative book about many royals you would not normally hear about. The tedious cast list announced at the beginning of each chapter should never have been included and insults the reader's ability to keep up with the flow. Some oddly pronounced words included.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 10-12-18
Informative book
Love this book, the story of the lives of Victoria's granddaughters (unfortunately the same book on her grandsons is not yet available as an Audible book). Good narration too, an easy listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mrs
- 04-07-18
Fantastic content - annoying reader
This is a really great book for anybody interested in early 20th century European monarchy. It really is detailed and pretty easy to follow (they repeat who is who at the beginning of each chapter, which is lovely). But the person reading it doesn’t know how to pronounce quite a few fairly important words, which is a jarring irritation throughout.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lara
- 12-04-19
A must read
Amazingly, although it is a big book, with lots of information about lots of people, it is incredibly interesting for anyone who is curious to what happened to Queen Victoria's children and their children. I trully enjoyed every chapter and found out an incredible amount of new information.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- kjerstin gledhill
- 19-07-22
If you have an interest in Royalty and European history you will love this book
This book tells the fascinating story of the dynasty of Queen Victoria and Albert. Their grandchildren mainly, but it covers much more. This is the most interesting period in Royal history ever. Queen Victorias decedents married into most of Europes royal families and influenced history and tradition from the UK to Russia and from Norway to Italy. It is thanks to Queen Victoria that we today have the Christmas tree and white wedding dresses. The book is long but then there is a lot to tell, and when I had finished reading it, it just left me wanting more. So I have purchased more books by the same author and I am looking forward to learning more about the individual families and what happened around them culturally and politically. If you have an interest in the Royal Family and in history, you will love this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!