No study of the 19th century would be complete without a study of Queen Victoria. And although we've been watching the Masterpiece series Victoria on PBS, I wanted to dig deeper with this book.
Victoria is known for her steely nerve and fortitude, not to mention her longevity, on the highest throne in the world. What I've learned from the book is more nuanced.
She was quite steely with great backbone and vision - and this will sound sexist in the 21st century - during the phases of her life when she was on her own without a man by her side.
Some examples:
Upon ascending the throne as a single woman of 18, she fought hard to establish her authority and make her mark. But once she forged an alliance with Lord Melbourne and sought daily counsel from him, she was more than happy to fall under his sway, if not his guidance.
Her reticence grew even more once married to Albert. Although it took years to develop his own power, once established, Albert's authority was supreme for the remainder of his life until 1861. Once Victoria experienced Albert's vision, tenacity and ability, she admitted they far exceeded her own and was only far too willing to let Albert lead the country in her name. She spent those years raising their nine children, largely out of the public eye and shunning monarchical duties.
On Albert's death, her well-known grief ran for years. She didn't believe she could hold a candle to Albert's success in leading the country.
Only after several years of grief did Victoria re-establish her own confidence and "steely reserve" that properly put her back on top of royal power. She spent her final decades (she lived 40 years after the death of Albert) back in full command of the monarchy, accomplishing much for the British nation.
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