Prince Leopold: The Untold Story of Queen Victoria's Youngest SonPrince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-84), is acknowledged to have been the most intelligent and probably the most interesting of Queen Victoria's four sons. He was the youngest and a strong-willed attractive character, with an immense thirst for life. He was also, however, the first haemophilia sufferer in the royal family and endured continual ill health; as if haemophilia was not enough, he was also epileptic. In this biography, Charlotte Zeepvat has drawn on sources to reveal a compelling human story which also touches on the wider worlds of late 19th-century Oxford and of literature, art and politics in the Victorian period. In particular, it examines the question of haemophilia and the royal family. There are many questions to answer, such as when did the Queen and Prince Albert realize their youngest son was ill and how much did they understand of his illness? Some of Leopold's early attacks were described as "rheumatism" - was this an attempt to keep the truth concealed or a genuine misunderstanding? The book also presents a full and balanced picture of Leopold's relationship with his mother. Letters already published provide snapshots of individual quarrels between mother and son but no one has yet considered the relationship as a whole. Finally it eamines Leopold's life at Oxford, the varied and interesting friendships he developed there (with, among others, Charles Dodgson - "Lewis Carroll" - John Ruskin and Oscar Wilde), his political views and the importance of his work as unofficial secretary to the Queen. |
Contents
Our Fourth Young Gentleman | 1 |
Facing the Truth | 13 |
Château Leader | 25 |
Copyright | |
17 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Prince Leopold: The Untold Story of Queen Victoria's Youngest Son Charlotte Zeepvat No preview available - 1999 |
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Alfred Alice Liddell April Archie Arthur asked August baby Balmoral Beaconsfield Beatrice birthday bleeding Bodleian Library Bowater Boyton brother Buckingham Palace Cannes child Claremont daughter Dean of Windsor dear death December doctor Dr Jenner Duchess Duckworth Elphinstone February feel friends GF Abt D24 Günther haemophilia Hampshire CRO Helen Hesse hope HSD GF Abt illness January John Cowell John Ruskin July June knew Lady Caroline Lady Knightley Lady Ponsonby later Leopold to Louise Leopold to QV Leopold to Stirling letter Liddell Lord Lord Lorne Louis March marriage married Max Müller mother never no-one November Osborne Oxford pain Ponsonby to Lady poor Prince Albert Prince Consort Prince Leopold Prince of Wales Prince's Princess Alice Queen Victoria QV to Collins QV to Leopold RA Add RA QVJ Royal Royle Ruskin sent September sister stay thought took walk wanted weeks Wykeham House