THE PRINCE AND HIS LADY: The Love Story of the Duke of Kent and Madame de St. Laurent

by Mollie Gillen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 8, 1971

To rise from solemn silence in the stacks to a spirited defense of the less-than-heroic Edward, Duke of Kent and father of Victoria, can only be regarded as a gracious act of charity. Miss Gillens, however, pushes beyond the contemporary snickers and politically motivated jibes to the essential -- or more likely inessential -- Edward and does manage to present both the Duke and his companion of twenty-eight years, Mme. St. Laurent, in a kindly light. In spite of the fact that shortly after the deaths of the Regent's daughter Charlotte and her newborn heir, Edward abruptly parted from Madame and married Victoria of Leiningen to produce VICTORIA. To her credit the author includes some of the snide commentary on Edward's sudden call to higher duties. She also defends Edward's administrative and military accomplishments (?) in Nova Scotia, Halifax and Gibraltar where there was a scandalous mutiny during his command. Sent to dreary outposts and later in England target for sectarian interests in the wholesale mayhem of Hanoverian politics, Edward's lot was not enviable, but there seem to be few letters which don't whine about money or position. As for Madame -- she was a beautiful if shadowy figure of ""firm decided character"" whose friendship with the future Louis-Phillipe, King of the French indicated a spirit of enterprise. A gallant tribute to a man who probably deserves less and a lady who might have deserved more.

Pub Date: Nov. 8, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1971

Categories: NONFICTION