Queen Victoria's Mysterious Daughter

by Lucinda Hawksley

[Beth C.]

Like many, I find myself intrigued by royalty. Any royalty, really - but particularly in England, So the premise of this book, about a daughter of Queen Victoria who seems to have been somewhat erased from history, was definitely of interest. Knowing how the royals are covered these days, and how prominent a position they often play, I was curious how a Princess could just...disappear.

Lucinda Hawksley has done a great job of attempting to explain that very thing. Princess Louise appears to be one of the more beloved royals of her time, and yet the very things that made her so valuable are the very same things that scandalized her mother. She was popular with the people, did a significant amount to help the conditions of the poor and working class, and was a noted artist...yet one rarely hears about her. Hawksley has written a biography, but it is one that is - by necessity - also informed by sources other than "official" ones. With her access to the royal archives being denied (as it has been for many who wished to research Princess Louise), some of her conclusions are based on conjecture and educated guesses. While this may annoy those who opt for strict sourcing in a biography, it did seem understandable to me considering the circumstances.

Hawksley also pulls no punches - she makes it clear that being Victoria's daughter was no bed of roses, and that Louise was far from perfect. The entire royal family, in fact, had some *serious* issues. But overall, Louise comes across as a pioneer of the times, and a mostly sympathetic character.

The biggest downside to the book was the simple fact that I could not keep names straight. There were so many that I started getting confused and losing track of which was from way back, who was a friend or artist vs. employee, etc. It did get a bit disconcerting at times. Frankly, I got to the point where I just blew by most of them unless it was something fairly significant.

Overall, I did find the book quite interesting. I find it a shame that so much of Princess Louise's contributions seem to have been whitewashed over, and continue to be, because of mysteries that happened in the past. I think she would be "much moved and gratified" to know that she hasn't truly been forgotten.