The Captive of Kensington Palace

I absolutely loved The Captive of Kensington Palace. This was the eighth book I have read of Jean Plaidy’s, only one of which I haven’t liked and this is definitely my favourite, a book to treasure. It tells the story of Victoria from her eighth to her eighteenth year when she becomes Queen of England.

This book has got everything. There is a mad uncle in George IV, a loving uncle in Leopold who becomes King of the Belgians, whom Victoria adores, a bad uncle in Cumberland who schemes to murder her and seize the throne for himself, and a wacky uncle in William IV.

There is the controlling mother, in the Duchess of Kent, who hopes William will die before Victoria reaches her majority at 18 so she can rule as Regent, there is the show more wicked advisor, whom Victoria can’t stand and there are the handsome and charming cousins from whom Victoria is expected to find a husband.

With consummate skill and deftly handled research Plaidy weaves a wonderful story that had me enthralled right up to the end where Victoria finally escapes from her eighteen years as a captive of Kensington Palace and becomes the Queen. The ending left me with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, it was so moving.

I had read books on Queen Victoria as the widow of Windsor but this is the first one about her childhood. It is a truly amazing and enlightening book. I learnt a lot and now I am dying to read the next in the series because I want to know what she did about her controlling mother and her advisor Sir John Conway. I am dying to know if they got their come-uppence!

My Recommendation :

Cons:

None!

Pros:

An enthralling story based on accurate historical research by a superb story-teller. Excellent characterisation and style. show less

3.75 stars

This is the first in a series by the author focusing on Queen Victoria. This one opens when Victoria is still a child, living with her mother (the Duchess of Kent), older sister, and her mother’s suspected lover (Sir John) in Kensington Palace. Her mother and Sir John are very ambitious, and knowing that Victoria is next in line to the throne once the childless King (no legitimate children), the Duchess is all for using her daughter to her advantage and hoping that her brother, King William, will die before Victoria turns “of age” (18 years), which would mean the Duchess would be Regent.

I’ve not read anything about Queen Victoria until now, nor do I really know anything about her or the Monarchy in England before and show more leading up to her rule, so this was interesting. Have to admit, because there were so many names/people I didn’t know at the start of the book, I was a bit lost initially, but it didn’t take long before I was able to figure most of it out. The book did get better and better as it went on, as Victoria grew older and was able to (sometimes) stand up to her mother. I definitely want to continue the series, and hope I am able to before too much time passes, so I remember what lead up to everything to this point. show less

Not bad, but sometimes reads a bit more like a history book than a novel. I didn't mind that, and I believe the details were captured pretty accurately. It didn't give Victoria much of a personality. Still, as a dabbler in British history, I found it interesting enough!