Royal Dukes

by Roger Fulford

Book Overview

This memoir of the father and uncles of Queen Victoria throws light on the extraordinary offspring of George III. Starting with the marriage of King George and Queen Charlotte, Roger Fulford goes on... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0006335896
• ISBN13: 9780006335894
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: Fontana
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A little history brought to life.

It is amazing how a person's life can be summarized in only a chapter or two but this book helps bring these men to life with so little space. So much is focused on George III and IV and even William IV (Duke of Clarence). It is nice to see how the other brothers turned out. I got a little clearer image of the Duke of Cumberland. He isn't quite the monster so many authors portray him as. Above all I enjoyed the Duke of Sussex and how he went a little against the grain and was a man of the people but still enjoyed his royal privileges. A great read.

Royal Scandal on a grandiose scale

They have to reprint this book one day - or perhaps the time is right to do a more indepth look at the lives of the Dukes - really this book and Dorothy Margaret Stuart's book "The Daughters of King George" are the only substantial books written on the children of King George III. (with the exception of the Prince Regency of course)It is surprising there haven't been more books on the Royal Dukes,. their lives were rich with juicy scandal, (murders, gossip of incest, whippings, failed careers, prostitutes, secret marriages and scads of illegitimate children). Of course as Fulford also shows us their lives were also full of a great deal of excellent public service. The Duke of York in the army, Duke of Clarence (later William IV) the Navy, and the Duke of Cumberland in Hanover.Fulford allows a chapter for each of the six Royal Duke's as well as one by way of an introduction of their parents, King George and Queen Charlotte, which includes some detail on their childhood and the dominance which the Dukes's father held over them throughout their adult lives. This is an intelligent and entertaining look at The Royal House of Hanover, beautifully researched and humourously presented. A great little reference book.