5 Novels about Regal Royal Women That You Should Read! A Guest Post by Georgie Blalock
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5 Novels about Regal Royal Women That You Should Read! A Guest Post by Georgie Blalock
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II has many people thinking about the remarkable life that this regal woman lived, but she isn’t the only royal to have enjoyed an amazing life. The British monarchy, and many monarchies across Europe, produced notable royal women from Queen Victoria to the Grand Duchesses of Russia, each with a compelling story of their own. These women were born into unique positions but they experienced everything from world wars to revolutions with style and grace, enduring realistic heartaches and challenges that are shared by readers today. If you are in the mood for a royal read, the check out these five novels.
The Girl in White Gloves by Kerri Maher is an intimate look at the life of Princess Grace of Monaco. Grace Kelly was a cinematic icon who gave up her film career to marry Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. It was the love story of fairytales but there was a very real woman at the heart of it, one who faced a life of challenges with grace and poise.
The Last Grand Duchess by Bryn Turnbull explores the final days of Imperial Russia through the eyes of Olga Romanov, the oldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II. Grand Duchess Olga is a sheltered royal who must face the world as the imperial life that she has always known begins to collapse. Her tragic story of innocence lost is heartrending.
The Queen’s Secret: A Novel of England’s World War II Queen by Karen Harper is a fascinating look at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the trials she faced when her husband was suddenly made king after his brother abdicated, and the difficulties of World War II. If you are interested in what helped make the late Queen Elizabeth II the monarch she was then reading about her formidable mother is a must.
Victoria: A novel of a young queen by Daisy Goodwin. You might know Queen Victoria as the grandmotherly woman who gave her name to an era, but she was eighteen when she came to the throne. Daisy Goodwin’s novel follows the young queen during her difficult and exciting first years as she learns to navigate court politics, and the demands of her heart and the throne. The PBS series is based on this book.
Speaking of the Victorian era, this one is near and dear to my heart. An Indiscreet Princess is my latest book and it is about Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, who was a royal rebel. She was the first royal to attend public school, taking classes at the National Art Training School in order to hone her skills as a sculptress. She was also the first royal since King Henry VIII to marry a subject, marrying the Marquis of Lorne, the first son of the Duke of Argyll instead of making a match with foreign prince. She was the Princess Diana of her time with a common touch that allowed her to befriend many of the art luminaries of her day, including James McNeill Whistler. She displayed her sculptures in galleries and art showings alongside many famous Victorian artists, including fellow sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm with whom she had a long term relationship. She defied her domineering mother to claim a life and career of her own.
I hope one of these novels about royal regal women inspires you to learn more about the women who helped shaped some time periods or lived through the tragic end of others.
Georgie Blalock is a history and movie buff who loves combining her different passions through historical fiction, and a healthy dose of period piece films. When not writing, she can be found prowling the non-fiction history section of the library or the British film listings on Netflix or in the dojo training for her next karate black belt rank.
5 Novels about Regal Royal Women That You Should Read! A Guest Post by Georgie Blalock
