Becoming Queen
by Kate Williams
I will
be good! promised the thirteen-year-old Victoria, when she understood that she
would be Queen of the most powerful country in the world.
Every May we celebrate Victoria Day weekend in honour of Queen Victoria,
but how much do we know about the queen? Fictional novels that are based on
fact are a fun way to learn more about the interesting lives of monarchs. In
the novel Becoming Queen, Kate
Williams has produced an original and intimate portrait of Great Britain's
longest reigning monarch. The novel is a fascinating dramatic tale of secrets,
passion and endless conflict.
Victoria Hanover was the Queen of Great Britain from 1837-1901 and was
the last official monarch in the House of Hanoverian (the House of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha came to the British Royal Family in 1840 with the marriage of
Victoria to Albert, son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha). During her
sovereignty, the role of the British monarch transitioned from that of ultimate
power to that of a symbolic responsibility. Victoria is perhaps most remembered
for her emphasis on morality and order as she personified the Victorian ideals.
Victoria was born in Kensington Palace on 24 May 1819, the only daughter
of Edward – who was the fourth son of George III. Her father died shortly after
her birth and she became heir to the throne because the three uncles who were
ahead of her in succession (George IV, Frederick Duke of York, and William IV)
had no surviving legitimate children. Princess Charlotte would have inherited
the throne if she had survived. Kate Williams examines the impact of the death
of her cousin, Princess Charlotte, on the young
Victoria in 1817. No one thought that little Victoria, daughter of the Duke of
Kent, would ascend to the throne. In her later years, she became the symbol of
the British Empire. Extravagant celebrations were held to honour Queen Victoria
for both her Golden (1887) and Diamond (1897) Jubilees that celebrated her 50th
and 60th anniversaries of her accession. The jubilees were
celebrated by all of the self-governing colonies, including Canada.
If you are looking for
a unique way to learn about Queen Victoria, or any other monarchs, try reading
a fictional biography. Just keep in mind that parts of the narrative are
dramatized, but usually the core story is accurate. Kate Williams is a
well-respected British author and historian, so her novels are a great place to
start. Two other popular writers of monarch fiction are Alison Weir and
Margaret George.
Many people idolized her because she appeared to be the model of the new
middle-class family, doing common things such as ride the train with her nine
children. This appearance was flawed as in reality she had many servants and
consultants to do her daily chores like cooking, cleaning and caring for the
children. Additionally, she appeared “human” after she went into extreme
mourning after the death of her beloved husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. Her
widowhood started the Victorian celebration of death and the obsession with
death paraphernalia. Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on 22
January 1901 after a reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British
history. Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial
expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire. At her death, it was
said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.
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