Edward VII – Christopher Hibbert (4/5)
I really enjoyed this book. As if anyone you are still in any doubt, yes I am massive history geek, and I love it. Edward VII was monarch for only nine years (unfortunately) and was a good king, with genuine concern for his people.
However, before he got to the throne he was Prince of Wales for 59 years. He had a rather miserable childhood, bless him, thanks to Prince Albert who wanted him to excel at his studies as his sister did. The prince may not have been academically bright but he was what we would call today a real people person and when he got out into society he dominated it for the rest of his life. He was sure not to make the same mistakes his father did with him when he became a father and his close, loving relationship with his sons, in particular Prince George, stands as tribute to the fact that he was a good father.
His relationship with his wife, Queen Alexandra, was not always an easy one on account of their different temperaments (she was happy to stay out of society as she grew older on account of her deafness, while he continued to thrive on it till the end) but they obviously cared for one another and were there for each other when it really mattered. He always adored her beauty, and she was ever indulgent towards her ‘Bertie’, turning a blind eye to his ‘indiscretions.’ Perhaps it was somewhat bitter sweetly that she declared after he had died that no matter about the other women, he had always loved her the best.
His difficult relationship with his mother has been well documented but as Hibbert makes clear there were breaks on the storm and moments of tenderness between Victoria and her son. However, it was years before she begun to let him help with government. When he did though, he found he had a flare for foreign policy which would remain his passion. When the king was genuinely interested in a subject, he could work as hard as any other man.
Hibbert writes clearly, understandably and with great enthusiasm leading to a fine biography. It is good at setting the scene not only in court or in the Royal family, but you also get to understand something about the society of the era too.
The ‘peacemaker’ king died in 1910. Some believe that had he, and his brother in law, Tsar Alexander III lived on longer, the events of 1914 would have been very different...
