Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III (edition 2006)by Flora Fraser
Work InformationPrincesses: The Six Daughters of George III by Flora Fraser
None Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. This book, while it concentrates on the lives of the six daughters of King George III of England, does take in quite a bit of King George and his consort Queen Charlotte, as well as the princesses' brothers, including the future George IV. One problem, which Fraser largely battles successfully, is keeping the massive cast straight, inclusive of the fact that many personages have the same or similar names. The family tree in the front of the book certainly gets a workout! The biggest problem is that Fraser isn't really able to make the princesses interesting; you get the strong impression from the book that they led crashingly dull lives. Most of the drama seems to have come from various illnesses that they suffered, mixed here and there with largely failed romantic efforts. Fraser thus seems to have put an enormous amount of effort into a work that, in the final analysis, doesn't really shed a great deal of light, save for some of the dysfunctions of the Hanoverian royal family. Worth it if you're a fan of the royal family; not so much if you're not. ( ) A wonderful biography of King George III's many daughters. This book takes a look at the lives of a most unfortunate group of princesses. The ladies were subject to their parents' moods and fancies. Their father seemed to never want them to marry, and their mother was happy to have them near her. As they grew older, some of them acted out, causing scandal. Indeed, there were rumors of illegitimate children, lovers, and secret marriages. The book delves into the relationships that the princesses had with many of their relations, including their numerous nieces and nephews. Among the most talked about are Princess Charlotte of Wales and the future Queen Victoria. The sisters looked on their siblings' progeny as the children that life denied them. A fascinating look at Georgian life and a wonderful biography of these six women. The “madness of King George” has been fodder for plays, movies and numerous books, but the fate of his fifteen children is rarely discussed. FIFTEEN children. This is a well-written, well-documented examination of the lives of the king’s six daughters, none of whom were allowed to marry during his lifetime. As a result, they remained cloistered in their palaces until their forties, at which point he died and they married left, right and center. Ho hum...... on & on & on & on about everything surrounding the Princesses in minute detail. So much so, I gave up, because I don't care that one of the Nannies was a drunk, they really were not allowed to eat much meat, the King's brother married a Whig "Commoner"..... Needless to say I was very put off. Also the writing style and tone was as if the author was writing back in the 18th Century, very affected. I wanted to know about them, and I just didn't have the patience to wade through the history of George III, his family, England & the poorly behaved Colonies. What I did find interesting was that George III & wife were very family oriented & preferred to spend much time w/ their children rather than court. The book would have been better had she followed the writing style of: "Victoria's Daughters" by Jerrod Packard. no reviews | add a review
References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (12)In this sumptuous group portrait of the six daughters of 'Mad' King George III, acclaimed biographer Flora Fraser takes us into the heart of the British Royal family during the tumultuous period of the American and French revolutions. Drawing on their extraordinary private correspondence, Fraser gives voice to these handsome, accomplished, extremely well-educated women- Princess Royal, the eldest, constantly at odds with her mother; home-loving, family-minded Augusta; plump Elizabeth, a gifted amateur artist; Mary the bland beauty of the family; Sophia, emotional and prone to take refuge in illness; and Amelia, 'the most turbulent and tempestuous of all the princesses.' Never before has the historical searchlight been turned with such sympathy and acuity on George III and his family. No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)941.0730922History and Geography Europe British Isles Historical periods of British Isles 1714-1837 Period of House of Hanover George III 1760-1820LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |