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Book categories: Victoria, Employees, Letters, Journals and Travels, Victoria's Family, Albert, Offspring, Crime, Edward VII, Victoria's Father, Hanoverians, Politics, Victorian Era, Jack the Ripper, Fiction, Children's Books, Movies & Documentaries
Queen Victoria: A Personal History by Christopher Hibbert. Biography by an entertaining author. It focuses on Victoria's character and her relationships with her husband, children, and the politicians who directed her government. The author also evaluates Victoria's controversial relationship with Scottish servant John Brown.
Queen Victoria by Walter L. Arnstein. This biography explores neglected aspects of Victoria's life, including her religious views and her political initiatives.
Victoria: A Life by A. N. Wilson. This biography portrays Queen Victoria as a woman battling with demons and overcoming them, largely alone.
Queen Victoria: A Life of Contradictions by Matthew Dennison. This biography assesses Victoria's mercurial character and her reinvention of the monarchy.
Queen Victoria by Elizabeth Longford. This well-known biography gives a full account of Victoria's life right up until her death in 1901.
Victoria: Queen, Matriarch, Empress by Jane Ridley. A concise biography of the diminutive queen who became one of the most powerful women in the world.
Victoria: Portrait of a Queen by Richard Mullen and James Munson. This biography grew out of a BBC radio series. Its emphasis is on Victoria's personality, showing how she was good, human, likeable, and peculiar.
Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey. A classic account of Victoria's life.
Queen Victoria: Her Life in Pictures. Originally published for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1888, this book is now being re-issued using much of the original text and all the hand-painted colour plates. From young girl to grieving widow, each picture of the milestones in the Queen's long life is framed with delicate flower painting in typical Victorian style.
The Young Victoria by Alison Plowden. Fatherless from the age of eight months, future queen Victoria was brought up in an atmosphere thick with family feuds.
Becoming Victoria by Lynne Vallone focuses on Queen Victoria's girlhood and adolescence.
The Adventures of Alice Laselles by Alexandrina Victoria. This story was written and illustrated by the future Queen Victoria when she was 10 years old.
The Queen's Court
Queen Victoria at Home by Michael De-La-Noy. Using anecdotes and extracts from letters and diaries, the author provides insight into daily life in the houses the queen inhabited or built.
Twilight of Splendor: The Court of Queen Victoria During Her Diamond Jubilee Year by Greg King. Explores Victoria's splendid palaces, grand banquets and balls, and her perpetual state of mourning for her husband.
Queen Victoria and the Bonapartes by Theo Aronson. Queen Victoria was completely bowled over by Napoleon III's quiet charm and buccaneer looks. His wife, Empress Eugenie, became almost an honorary member of the British royal family.
Serving Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard. Follows the lives of six members of Queen Victoria's household -- including her chaplain, her personal physician, a maid of honor, and a governess -- drawing on their letters and diaries, many previously unpublished.
John Brown: Queen Victoria's Highland Servant by Raymond Lamont Brown explores the truth behind the rumors that Victoria had an affair with servant and close friend Brown.
Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queens' Closest Confidant by Shrabani Basu. How a young Indian Muslim became Queen Victoria's personal attendant and a powerful figure at her court.
Heart of a Queen: Queen Victoria's Romantic Attachments by Theo Aronson. Queen Victoria's relationships with Lord Melbourne, Prince Albert, Napoleon III, John Brown, Disraeli, and her Indian servant Munshi.
Henry and Mary Ponsonby: Life at the Court of Queen Victoria by William M. Kuhn. Henry Ponsonby was Queen Victoria's private secretary.
Censoring Queen Victoria: How Two Gentlemen Edited a Queen and Created an Icon by Yvonne M. Ward. In 1901, two men were appointed to edit Queen Victoria's correspondence. Their decisions -- and distortions -- influenced perceptions of Victoria for generations to come.
The Letters of Queen Victoria: 9 Volume Set by Victoria, edited by A. C. Benson and Viscount Esher. The volumes are arranged chronologically from Victoria's first known letter, written when she was nine, to her last journal entry, nine days before her death in 1901.
The Letters of Queen Victoria is a selection of the queen's letters. The book is over 500 pages long.
Our Highland Home: Victoria and Albert in Scotland by Jeanne Cannizzo. Explores Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's love affair with Scotland, discussing their early journeys there and their stays at Balmoral.
Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera by Michael Nelson. The Queen fell in love with the Riviera in 1882. This book paints a portrait of Victoria's dealings with officials, statesmen, and the constant stream of visiting crowned heads to the Riviera.
Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch by Kate Williams. How the untimely death of King George IV's daughter shaped the reign of Queen Victoria.
The Coburgs of Europe by Arturo E. Beéche. A royal biography of the Saxe-Coburg & Gotha dynasty and all its branches in Great Britain, Belgium, Portugal, Bulgaria and Coburg. Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort were both Coburgs and they feature prominently in each of the dynasty's branches. Includes more than 500 photos.
Queen Victoria's Family by Charlotte Zeepvat. Photos of the queen's family, accompanied by anecdotes and quotations.
Unsuccessful Ladies by Jane-Eliza Hasted. An intimate account of the aunts (official and unofficial) of Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria's Gene by D. M. Potts and W. T. W. Potts is about the hemophilia gene Queen Victoria passed down to her descendants and how it affected European history. The book suggests that Victoria may have been illegitimate.
We Two - Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals by Gillian Gill. An account of the passionate, complicated marriage of feisty Queen Victoria and brilliant, fragile Prince Albert.
Albert: A Life by Jules Stewart. According to this biography, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, defined the culture of 19th century Britain more than any other British royal or politician.
Uncrowned King: The Life of Prince Albert by Stanley Weintraub. A man of intelligence, pride, and ambition, Queen Victoria's husband Albert was forced to move behind the scenes. Weintraub chronicles every aspect of Albert's life - from the political to the sexual - in lively, accessible prose. (This review © Amazon.)
A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by Helen Rappaport. Drawing on letters, diaries and memoirs from the Royal Archives and other neglected sources, this book offers a new perspective on the final months of Prince Albert's life and Queen Victoria's retreat from public view. It also throws new light on Albert's physical condition, overturning the myth that he died of typhoid fever.
Early Years of His Royal Highness the Prince Consort: Compiled Under the Direction of Her Majesty the Queen by Charles Grey. Written for private circulation among the royal family, this book was first published in 1867. It details Prince Albert's life from his birth in 1819 through his first year of married life.
The Albert Memorial by Chris Brooks. The Prince Consort National Memorial's history and conservation.
Victoria's Daughters by Jerrold M. Packard. Incisive character studies of Queen Victoria's five daughters: vivacious, intelligent Vicky; sensitive, altruistic Alice; dutiful, dull Lenchen; artistic, rebellious Louise; and shy baby sister Beatrice. (This review © Amazon.)
Queen Victoria's Children by John Van Der Kiste. Queen Victoria had nine children. As they married into European royal families, their loyalties were divided and their lives dominated by political controversy.
Alfred: Queen Victoria's Second Son by John Van der Kiste. Biography. A patron of the arts and amateur violinist, Prince Alfred joined the Royal Navy as a boy and rose to become Admiral of the Fleet. At the age of 18 he was elected King of Greece, although politics prevented him from accepting the crown. Married to Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, his last years were overshadowed by marital difficulties and the suicide of his only son.
Prince Leopold: The Untold Story of Queen Victoria's Youngest Son by Charlotte Zeepvat. A biography of the prince, who died at a tragically young age. Includes a discussion of Victoria's genealogy and how she acquired the gene for hemophilia.
The Last Princess: The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria's Youngest Daughter by Matthew Dennison. Princess Beatrice was Queen Victoria's last child. Her mother depended on her and dominated her life. You can read my review of the book here.
Grandmama of Europe: The Crowned Descendants of Queen Victoria by Theo Aronson. Covers Victoria's descendants from 1887 to 1969, focusing on their personal lives.
An Uncommon Woman: The Empress Frederick, Daughter of Queen Victoria, Wife of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Mother of Kaiser Wilhelm by Hannah Pakula. Biography of Victoria's eldest daughter, Vicky.
Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz by John Van Der Kiste is about the tragic love story of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter and the German emperor Frederick III.
Helena: Princess Reclaimed by S. Chomet. The life and times of Queen Victoria's third daughter.
Princess Helena: Queen Victoria's Third Daughter by John Van der Kiste. This concise biography examines Helena's life, work and relationships with her family.
The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria's Rebellious Daughter by Lucinda Hawksley. A sculptor and campaigner for women's rights, Louise's life was filled with intrigues, scandals and secrets.
Princess Louise: Queen Victoria's Unconventional Daughter by Jehanne Wake.
Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria by Julia P. Gelardi. Weaves together the stories of Russia's tragic last empress, Alexandra; Romania's flamboyant and eccentric Queen Marie; Spain's very English queen Victoria Eugenie; Norway's reluctant Queen Maud; and Kaiser Wilhelm II's much maligned sister Sophie.
The Four Graces: Queen Victoria's Hessian Granddaughters by Ilana D. Miller. The lives of four tragic daughters of Queen Victoria's daughter Alice -- Victoria, Elisabeth, Irene and Alix (Empress Alexandra of Russia). Includes photos and family trees.
Queen Victoria's Granddaughters: 1860-1918 by Christina Croft. Queen Victoria showered her 22 granddaughters with an affection she seldom showed her own children. To the end of their lives, they remembered 'dearest grandmama' with love.
Queen Victoria's Grandsons (1859-1918) by Christina Croft. Born into eight very different families, Queen Victoria's grandsons were connected through the tiny Queen for whom their happiness was a constant preoccupation.
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone by Theo Aronson. Daughter of Victoria's son Prince Leopold, Princess Alice was renowned for her beauty, elegance and vivacity. She lived until 1981.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Father of the Canadian Crown by Nathan Tidridge. Queen Victoria's father, Prince Edward Augustus (1767-1820.) lived in Canada and became commander-in-chief of British North America. He left an indelible mark on the monarchy in Canada.
The Prince and His Lady by Mollie Gillen. The love story of Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent, and Madame de St Laurent, the mistress he abandoned when he married Victoria's mother.
Queen Victoria's Stalker: The Strange Case of the Boy Jones by Jan Bondeson. As a young woman, Queen Victoria was relentlessly pursued by a teenager, Edward Jones, who had an uncanny ability to sneak into Buckingham Palace. Once he stole her underwear, and twice he sat on the throne. The Boy Jones became a media celebrity. This is the first full-length account of the case.
Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy by Paul Thomas Murphy. During Queen Victoria's 64-year reign, no fewer than eight attempts were made on her life. This book follows each would-be assassin and the repercussions of their actions.
Kill the Queen! The Eight Assassination Attempts on Queen Victoria by Barrie Charles. Each chapter captures the drama of the attack and the would-be assassin's motives, trial and sentence, and what became of him afterwards.
Queen Victoria's Little Wars by Byron Falwell discusses Victoria's attitude toward and influence over Britain's wars and battles during her reign.
Fenian Fire: The British Government Plot to Assassinate Queen Victoria by Christy Campbell. The "Jubilee Plot" to blow up the queen, her family, and most of the British Cabinet was uncovered by Scotland Yard with just a few days to go. According to this book, the conspiracy was masterminded by a clandestine British agency reporting to the Prime Minister.
Queen Victoria by Paula Bartley. Examines Victorian Britain from the perspective of the queen, drawing from her own diaries and other contemporary sources.
A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography by Anne M. Lyden. Essays about Victoria's role in shaping the history of photography as well as photography's role in shaping her image. Includes more than 150 color images, several rarely seen.
Queen Victoria: First Media Monarch by John Plunkett. Studies the role of the media in Victoria's reign and reveals how the royal family benefitted from the growth of the media.
Royal Representations: Queen Victoria and British Culture, 1837-1876 by Margaret Homans.
Remaking Queen Victoria edited by Margaret Homans and Adrienne Munich. A collection of essays about Victoria's importance to her era.
Queen Victoria's Secrets by Adrienne Munich explores Victoria's importance in her era.
Victorian Yankees at Queen Victoria's Court: American Encounters With Victoria and Albert by Stanley Weintraub. Americans developed a love-hate relationship with Queen Victoria that lasted all her sixty-four years on the throne.
Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera by Michael Nelson and Asa, Lord Briggs.
Victoria Victorious by Jean Plaidy. Novel in which Queen Victoria tells her life story.
A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron. Suspense novel centered around Queen Victoria's troubled court -- and a secret so dangerous it could topple thrones.
The Royal Mob by Theresa Sherman. The story of the four Princesses of the House of Hesse, granddaughters of Queen Victoria. Victoria marries Prince Louis of Battenberg (later Mountbatten). Elisabeth is swept off to the Romanov court by Grand Duke Serge, while Iréne takes her place at the court in Berlin. Alix, the youngest, marries Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
The Wild Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Defiant Daughter by Mary Hart Perry. Proud and impetuous, Princess Louise married outside the circle of European royals. Some whispered of a scandal covered up by the Crown. It will take a handsome American recruited by the Queen's Secret Service to discover the truth.
Seducing the Princess by Mary Hart Perry. Painfully shy and lonely, Princess Beatrice devotes herself to her mother, Queen Victoria. Then she meets dashing Henry Battenberg, who risks his life and liberty to woo Bea. But Henry isn't the only man interested in being welcomed into Beatrice's bed.
Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A. E. Moorat. London, 1838. Queen Victoria is crowned and receives an arsenal of bloodstained weaponry. But her thoughts are occupied by Prince Albert. Can she dedicate herself hunting demons when her heart belongs elsewhere?
Who Was Queen Victoria? by Jim Gigliotti, illustrated by Nancy Harrison and Max Hergenrother. Victoria was raised in near isolation until she became Queen at the age of 18. She married her first cousin, Albert, and had nine children. She became a national icon, but who was she in private? For children age 8 to 12.
Victoria and Albert Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney.
Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria by Kyra E. Hicks, illustrated by Lee Edward Fodi. The true story of Martha Ann Ricks, an ex-slave who spent 50 years saving spare coins to fulfill her dream of meeting Britain's Queen Victoria.
At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England by Walter Dean Myers. The true story of an apparently royal girl who was slated to be sacrificed in the African kingdom of Dahomey, but was rescued by a British sea captain. Young "Sally" was taken to England, where she became a protegee of Queen Victoria. The book includes excerpts from Victoria's diary and portraits of Victoria and Sally. For children ages 9-12.
Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer. A first-person novel about Queen Victoria based on her real-life journals. For ages 12 and up.
Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl. Fiction. England's Victoria becomes queen with the help of her maid, a reporter, and a scoundrel. For young adult readers.
Victoria and Her Court by Virginia Schomp. Nonfiction for young adult readers.
Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Prince Albert comes up with a solution to Queen Victoria's modesty concerns in this fictional account based on a true story. For children ages 5 to 8.
These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.
Queen Victoria's Children. This three-part BBC series exposes Queen Victoria's insensitive and overbearing treatment of her nine children. Recommended.
Queen Victoria's Empire. This PBS documentary explores the vital role Victoria played in the 19th century.
Victoria & Albert. Miniseries starring Victoria Hamilton as the queen and Jonathan Firth as Prince Albert.
The Young Victoria. 2008 movie starring Emily Blunt as Victoria and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert. The movie won an Oscar for costume design.
Mrs. Brown. This excellent 1997 film about Victoria's relationship with manservant John Brown stars Judi Dench as the queen. From Amazon.
Family Tree. In this fascinating feature-length documentary about modern genealogy investigations, a British historian traces two deadly genes through the European royal family to solve a decades-old mystery surrounding Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria: Evening at Osborne. Prunella Scales (famous for playing Sybil on "Fawlty Towers") portrays Victoria in a one-woman show that draws on the queen's journals and letters. (Available on video, not DVD.)