Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life

By: Lucy Worsley

Narrated by: Lucy Paterson, Lucy Worsley

"Narrator Lucy Paterson provides a charming portrayal of a mother, matron, minx, and monarch: Queen Victoria of England...Paterson's tone is bright and cheerful, and she keeps the historical details lively." — AudioFile Magazine

This program includes an introduction read by the author, as well as a bonus interview exclusive to the audiobook.

The story of the queen who defied convention and defined an era.

Perhaps one of the best known of the English monarchs, Queen Victoria forever shaped a chapter of English history, bequeathing her name to the Victorian age. In Queen Victoria, Lucy Worsley introduces this iconic woman in a new light. Going beyond an exploration of the Queen merely as a monarch, Worsley considers Victoria as a woman leading a truly extraordinary life in a unique time period. The book is structured around the various roles that Victoria inhabited— a daughter raised to wield power, a loving but tempestuous wife, a controlling mother, and a cunning widow—all while wearing the royal crown.

Far from a proto-feminist, Queen Victoria was socially conservative and never supported women’s rights. And yet, Victoria thwarted the strict rules of womanhood that defined the era to which she gave her name. She was passionate, selfish, and moody, boldly defying the will of politicians who sought to control her and emotionally controlling her family for decades. How did the woman who defined Victorian womanhood also manage to defy its conventions?

Drawing from the vast collection of Victoria’s correspondence and the rich documentation of her life, Worsley recreates twenty-four of the most important days in Victoria's life including her parents' wedding day, the day she met Albert, her own wedding day, the birth of her first child, a Windsor Christmas, the death of Prince Albert, and many more. Each day gives a glimpse into the identity of this powerful, difficult queen as a wife and widow, mother and matriarch, and above all, a woman of her time.

"Worsley gives us Victoria in all her infinite variety - queen and mother, matriach and minx. I loved it." — Daisy Goodwin, author of The American Heiress, The Fortune Hunter and Victoria: A Novel

Fascinating and Engaging

Lucy Worsley is one of my favorite historians because of her ability to make history come alive for the non-academic reader. She brings a sense of human interest and fun to her subjects that makes them live. She also applies a bit of psychological analysis to their motives and behavior that may not be strictly academic and no doubt reflects her own experiences, but it engages the reader, who can accept it or apply their own insights.

A very interesting telling of Victoria's life through the device of 24 pivotal days. If the queen or her times interest you at all, I recommend it.

Bait and switch! Worsley in sample but not book

I love Lucy Worsley and I find her writing and research fun and fascinating and informative. BUT, it's not fair to have her read the sample and someone else narrate the book. Worsley has an extremely identifiable voice and fun emphasis. The narrator was fine - but not Lucy Worsley. So I found in my mind, without trying to I was translating the narrators voice into Lucy Worsley's voice, which made listening much less enjoyable.

The content, as expected was great, and I especially liked the descriptions of Victoria's clothes.

Very very enjoyable story

I enjoyed it very much. Both the story itself, and the delivery. I would recommend this to anyone interested in history.

Wonderful!

Worsley is the queen of history! I enjoyed the format of the book, the narration and bits she chose to include.

Loved It!

My very first audible book and I was so sad when it was finished. And the narrator has a beautiful voice!