The Lost Queen
by Norah Lofts
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Princesses are born to be exiled. What is the alternative? Spinsterhood? Thus the future of Caroline Matilda, youngest sister of George III, was settled - marriage to the nearly insane Prince of Denmark. Prompted by a sense of foreboding, she begged that one of her sisters should be sent in her place. But Caroline was the healthiest, the strongest of the English princesses, and as well as being exiled, princesses were meant to be brood mares Exiled in a strange country, isolated by her show more inability to speak the language, Caroline forms a close bond with the King's doctor, Johann Struensee. They become lovers, eventually being arrested and charged with treason, with tragic consequences... show lessTags
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This book is a bit dated (published almost 60 years ago) but it was a pretty good biography, and it's hard not to feel for this poor girl. She was raised in an age where as a high-ranked princess, she was little more than a pawn in dynastic games and alliances.
What a well written story, about a very tragic queen. Poor Princess Caroline of England! She was married off at a ridiculously young age to a cousin, the King of Denmark who was mentally incompetent.
She was arrested, put on trial, her children were taken away from her. The poor Queen was deprived of her adopted country. In the end she was poisoned and died.
Like all Norah Loft books, it is worth the read.
She was arrested, put on trial, her children were taken away from her. The poor Queen was deprived of her adopted country. In the end she was poisoned and died.
Like all Norah Loft books, it is worth the read.
This is the story of Queen Caroline of Denmark and her love affair with Doctor Struensee. Princess Caroline-Matilda was King George III's sister and married King Christian of Denmark. This historical novel is based on fact and brings to life eighteenth century Denmark. I love Norah Lofts as a writer and give this story an A+!
1363 The Lost Queen, by Norah Lofts (read 26 Oct 1975) When in June and July of 1972 I read the Cambridge History volume covering the 18th century I first heard of Struensee and I was intrigued. This book is a light reconstruction of this story. It tells of Caroline Matilda, posthumous daughter of Frederick, eldest son of King George II of England. She was married to Christian VII of Denmark. Christian became insane and Caroline took up with Struensee, who became prime minister of Denmark--an able and progressive man. A coup supported by Christian's stepmother on Jan 17,1772, put Struensee into jail and executed him on Apr. 28, 1772. Caroline was sent to Elsinore and on May 30, 1772 was allowed to leave Denmark for Zell in Hanover, show more where she lived till May 1775 when she died. I thought this book absorbing, even tho it has no bibliography or footnotes, and has three "fictional persons''--who are not even identified: possibly Alice, Caroline's English maid, and Smith, who would have married her, and Mantel, Caroline's valet at the end. It makes a good story and I doubt I will ever forget the dramatic story which unfolded in Denmark from Nov. 1, 1766 (when Caroline arrived in Denmark) till 1772. Not history, but an aid to history: more so than the average "historical novel." show less
Biography of Caroline Matilda, English princess who married the king of Denmark
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Celebrated novelist Norah Lofts perfected the art of bringing the past alive in her works of historical fiction. She remains one of England's most distinguished and best loved women of letters, selling more than a million books and captivating generations of readers. Lofts' first novel, "I Met a Gypsy", won the American Booksellers' Award for show more 1935. In her long and prolific career, she wrote more than 60 books of nonfiction, biography and historical fiction, animating history and yet preserving historical accuracy. In works such as "Scent of Cloves" (1940), "Bless This House" (1954), and "Crown of Aloes" (1979), period detail and language are blended with a masterful storytelling technique. Lofts is also well known for biographical novels about great and fascinating women of history such as Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon. In addition, Lofts has written thrillers under the pseudonym Peter Curtis and novels as Juliet Astley. Norah (Robinson) Lofts was born in Norfolk, England on August 27, 1904. She credited her history-teaching years, 1925 to 1936, for developing a sense of history which became the foundation for her writings. Married and the mother of two sons, she lived in an ancient English city, among medieval ruins, in a 250-year-old house. She died there on September 10, 1983. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- Original title
- The Lost Ones
- Original publication date
- 1969
- People/Characters
- Caroline Matilda, Queen Consort of Denmark; Johan Frederic Struensee; Christian VII, King of Denmark; Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Dowager Princess of Wales
- Important places
- Denmark
- Dedication
- For Eleanor Willy who suggested the theme, and died before she could read the story;
For Robert, my husband, and For Pearl, my sister, who made complete concentration possible.
THEIR BOOK - First words
- Kew House; January 1765
The Dowager Princess of Wales had long ago learned to control her voice, her facial expression, and her hands; but in anger or distress the pupils of her eyes widened, reducing the blue... (show all) to a mere rim. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)So alone, with no observer to brace or to criticize, Wraxall, thinking of the girl in the shabby red dress, shed some English tears over the place where the exile lay.
- Original language
- English
- Disambiguation notice
- The Lost Ones, also published as The Lost Queen.
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- 212
- Popularity
- 153,639
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.69)
- Languages
- Dutch, English, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 20
- ASINs
- 11
