Victoria: The Queen

An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire

By: Julia Baird

Narrated by: Lucy Rayner

Length: 21 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The true story for fans of the PBS Masterpiece series Victoria, this enthralling biography reveals the real woman behind the myth: a bold, glamorous, unbreakable queen—a Victoria for our times. Drawing on previously unpublished papers, this stunning portrait is a story of love and heartbreak, of devotion and grief, of strength and resilience.

Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times • Esquire • The Chicago Public Library

“Victoria the Queen, Julia Baird’s exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography, brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch.” (The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Choice)

When Victoria was born, in 1819, the world was a very different place. Revolution would threaten many of Europe’s monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain, a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the public’s expense, and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape, and the British Empire was commanding ever larger tracts of the globe. In a world where women were often powerless, during a century roiling with change, Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand.

Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl, she defied her mother’s meddling and an adviser’s bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At 20, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping conventional boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security—queen of a quarter of the world’s population at the height of the British Empire’s reach.

Drawing on sources that include fresh revelations about Victoria’s relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning.

©2016 Julia Baird (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In this in-depth look at a feminist before her time, you’ll balk at, cheer on, and mourn the obstacles in the life of the teen queen who grew into her throne.” (Marie Claire)

“Exhilarating . . . [A] frisky, adventurous new biography . . . This book shows how Victoria’s girlish naughtiness turned into a regal, willful, complex nature that other biographers have tended to simplify. . . . [Julia] Baird brings a strong feminist awareness to the ways in which Victoria’s letters, edited by two men, have been censored to excise the full range of her personality, and also to the subordinate role any wife was expected to assume when Victoria was a young bride.” (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

“Fascinating.” (Vogue)

Masterpiece!!

Queen Victoria is one of the most remarkable figures in the history of the last 200 years. Julia Baird wrote a true masterpiece! Lucy Rayner's beautiful sounding voice perfectly narrates the immaculate life of Queen Victoria!
In this book you'll learn about Victoria's life from birth till death. Her life details are great in all categories of life, leadership, family, friends, and personal interests.
My favorite fact discovered in the book I learned was how loving she was towards everyone no matter the class society and racial barriers at the time. She loved to live life to the fullest even after her husband's death 18 years into her reign. Another interesting fact I learned is her involvement in workers rights and women's rights. I loved hearing how she made quilts for troops in Africa and how she send then thousands of chocolates in boxes featuring her portrait as a way of thank them for they're service for they're country. She is a figure in which you can only adore!
An amazing fact to note is just how much life changed and how many inventions came to be in her reign as Queen. Its astounding! I really enjoyed this book and I believe you will too! Queen Victoria is in my opinion the greatest Queen to have ruled in the British monarchy. She accomplished so much as Queen to better the lives of everyone and the infrastructure of not only England, but of the entire world.

Great Book, but I made a mistake

I made the fatal error of watching the TV series first and THEN reading the book. I must say that it was so very true to the show but since I'd already watched it, well....I got bored. I knew what was coming.

Loved Victoria!

Loved it! Very inspiring and educational. Great biography and narrated beautifully. Highly recommend this prequel to The Crown.

Great historical and insightful

Well read, well written loved it- highly recommend a different new take on victoria and the history around her reign

WONDERFUL

Like many others, I've watched the movies and series depictions of the life of Queen Victoria...but unlike those that I've seen, this bridged the gap between her young and old self...and I found it enlightening. I'm SO glad that the author delved into the Abdul Karim issue because I was about to watch the "Victoria and Abdul" movie which seems to give a VERY different version of their relationship. The narrator has an extremely pleasant voice and I enjoyed this! 21 hours well spent!

Learned a lot

Lot of historical info was new to me, so I enjoyed it. The voice of the reader was too sing song almost baby talk during the first half or more of the book. very distracting and annoying. Got into politics with prime ministers and laws too much for me.

Victoria

I have to admit I hadn't thought of reading a biography or listening to one on queen Victoria before I saw the PBS BBC series Victoria with Jenna Coleman but I'm glad I did. I might not be done reading either. very good book.

A brilliant, well-researched biography of Queen Victoria

This biography of Queen Victoria is incredibly well-written and researched. It is full of so many fascinating details, you would have thought the author, Julia Baird, had been a lady-in-waiting to witness Victoria’s life in person. I loved it so much I have read the book and listened to the excellent recording multiple times. Queen Victoria was one of the most influential and interesting people who ever lived. This book/recording brought Victoria to life. I cannot recommend it more highly, especially for anyone interested in British, European and world history of the 19th Century.

Great biography

Very interesting backstory, including other prominent figures in her life, and how she lived through different historical events

Just kind of weak

It’s an opportunity to write about incredible fascinating times and instead the author sort of updates you on the general theme of the queen’s diaries over the course of her life.