Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera

by Nelson, Michael; Briggs, Asa

• ISBN13: 9781845113452
• ISBN10: 1845113454
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-15
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks

Summary

Queen Victoria's visits helped to transform the French Riviera by paving the way for other European royalty, the aristocracy and the very rich, who were to turn it into their pleasure garden. Michael Nelson paints a fascinating portrait of Victoria and her dealings with local people of all classes, statesmen and the constant stream of visiting crown heads. In the process we see an unexpected side to Victoria: not the imperious, petulant, mourning widow but rather an exuberant girlish old lady thrilled by her surroundings. This is an absorbing and revealing account that makes an important contribution to both our understanding of Victoria's character and personality and our view of the late Victorian period.

Author Biography

Michael Nelson is an historian of Queen Victoria and the nineteenth century and was General Manager of Reuters.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Map of the French Riviera	p. xvii
Introduction	p. 1
Prologue: The Queen's delight with France	p. 16
1882: Menton. The first visit to the paradise of nature	p. 20
1887: Cannes. A pilgrimage to mourn the death of son Leopold	p. 37
1891: Grasse. The Rothschild gardens and Duleep Singh's confession	p. 51
1892: Hyeres. The royal resort	p. 70
1895: Nice. The young officers and the Battle of the Flowers	p. 79
1896: Nice. Royal visitors, including King Leopold of the Belgians	p. 94
1897: Nice. The courtiers revolt over the Munshi	p. 107
1898: Nice. The agonies of King Leopold's daughters	p. 122
1899: Nice. The Fashoda Incident threatens the visit	p. 133
Epilogue: The cancelled visit	p. 147
Note on the Queen's Journal	p. 181
Notes	p. 153
Chronology	p. 179
Selected Dramatis Personse	p. 180
Bibliography	p. 187
Index	p. 197
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.