THE ROYAL GEORGE

by Giles St. Aubyn ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 6, 1964

George, Duke of Cambridge was heir presumptive to the English throne until the birth of Victoria. Pre-Prince Albert, it was hinted that Victoria had cast a flirtatious, protuberant blue eye on her handsome cousin. After Albert, the Royal George seemed to her to be lamentably lacking in character. The post-Albertian judgment is born out to a degree here, but what the Duke of Cambridge lacked in moral fiber, he made up for in stubbornness and rigid conservatism. In defiance of Royal Decree, he married an actress and stayed married to her for nearly 40 years. Concurrently, he formed a liaison with a Mrs. B. and loved her just as dearly for 5 years. Both were named Louisa, considerably simplifying things for a man not overlong on intellect. His rank as Commander in Chief of the Army was achieved through Royal connivance despite a nervous breakdown on the field during the Grimean War. H.R.H. held the position for 39 years, during which he dedicated himself to a strict supervision of the trivia of uniform and drill while desperately fighting basic Army reforms. He, his family and his enemies were impassioned diarists and letter writers. These are extensively quoted and often give a lively, inside picture of Victorian life as it was lived close to the throne. Admirably researched and presented, the book is, however, overlong for a subject, which the author candidly admits in his Preface, was of the second rank among his contemporaries. For readers of Victorian and royal biographies, the whole Court is here.

Pub Date: July 6, 1964

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1964

Categories: NONFICTION