Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death That Changed the Monarchy
Helen Rappaport
'Rappaport uses new sources to give a vivid account of Albert's death . . . a valuable and insightful book which will change our view of Queen Victoria.' Spectator
When Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, died in December 1861 the nation was paralysed with grief.
His death was a catastrophe for Victoria, who not only adored her husband but had, through twenty-one years of marriage, utterly relied on him: as companion, father of their children, friend, confidant, and unofficial private secretary. Without Albert to guide and support her, the Queen retreated into a state of pathological grief which nobody could penetrate and few understood.
Drawing widely on contemporary letters, diaries and memoirs, Rappaport brings new light to bear on the causes of Albert's death and tracks Victoria's mission to commemorate her husband in perpetuity. Richly compelling, this is the story of a magnificent obsession that even death could not sever.
Product Details
About Helen Rappaport
Reviews for Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death That Changed the Monarchy
Sunday Express
In this intriguing study, Helen Rappaport sets out to tell the story of the royal anguish that followed Albert's death in December 1861 . . . she excels in her portrayal of a cult of mourning over which the queen presided with all the imperious intensity of a high priestess. Fair-minded, thoughtful and rich in social detail.
Sunday Times
Rappaport uses new sources to give a vivid account of Albert's death . . . a valuable and insightful book which will change our view of Queen Victoria.
Spectator
Brilliant . . . Helen Rappaport is especially good on the incompetence of the gang of medics who presided over Albert's illness.
Daily Mail
To mark the 150th anniversary of Albert's death, Helen Rappaport looks at the circumstances leading up to it, the ritual of his funeral and obsequies, and offers new theories on what killed him.
Majesty magazine