Book review
HISTORY WONDERFUL HISTORY
Charlotte Bill was a young woman who was chosen to be an under nurse for the two sons of the Duke and Duchess of York. The Duke and Duchess will eventually become King George V and Queen Mary. The two sons are David who became Edward VIII and Bertie who grew up to be George VI, Queen Elizabeth’s father. When Charlotte is first hired, Queen Victoria is still on the throne.
David and Bertie call her Lala as soon as she is introduced to them. And she feels affection for them immediately. They seem to be afraid of the present nurse. Later, she finds they are both being physically and emotionally abused by the woman. She is responsible for the nurse being dismissed and sent to a mental institution.
As the family grows to include one daughter and three more sons, Lala becomes a beloved member of the family. She takes her duties very seriously. At different times, she protects the children from outside dangers. Eventually, she attempts to protect the youngest son, Johnny, from an illness which will take his life.
This is a novel based on known facts of the lives of the royal family. Lala was a part of the household during historic events which had an affect on the family as well as the British nation. She sees Kaiser Wilhelm visit the family before he goes to war with his cousins. She is present to see the a visit with Tsar Nicholas and his family before they were murdered. She is an observer of the changes made in the way of life of a German family which changes their name to become a British family named Windsor.
This is a remarkable book. Ms Harper has definitely done her homework. At every turn, the reader is drawn into the life of a very wealthy family during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
It is evident that the family is not what would today be considered a close family. There is a distance maintained between parents and children. That distance is what is normal for the period. Wealthy families had servants to care for their children and the hope was that the servants would care for the children. This was a time when children were definitely to be seen and not heard.
When John is born and it is realized he has long term health issues, he becomes more a child of Lala than a child of his parents. All the children are presented in a favorable light except David. It is evident he was a selfish child who grew up to be a selfish adult. It is also evident he did not feel much responsibility to his position in the world. The fact he abandoned the throne should not have come as a shock.
I have read other histories of the family and I believe there is no question each child was raised to believe they had a responsibility to the British nation. During Word War II every one tried to do what they could to support the war effort. George, Duke of Kent was killed in a plane crash. He had been an RAF captain.
This is a very well done book. Ms Harper has made it seem that we have become a part of the household. We share both the good and the bad at a time when changes in the world are coming at a fast clip. And being Royal does not prevent anyone from facing highs and lows in life.
I received the book from the author in the hope that I would write a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
- Goodreads rating – 3.92
- REVIEW – Annette