Princesses : the six daughters of George III / Flora Fraser.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fraser, Flora.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820--Family.

George.

Charlotte, Queen, Consort of Frederick I, King of Württemberg, 1766-1828.

Charlotte.

Augusta Sophia, princess of Great Britain, 1768-1840.

Augusta Sophia.

Elizabeth, Princess of England, 1770-1840.

Elizabeth.

Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, 1776-1857.

Mary.

Sophia, Princess, daughter of George III, King of Great Britain, 1777-1848.

Sophia.

Amelia, Princess, daughter of George III, King of Great Britain, 1783-1810.

Amelia.

George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820.

Princesses--Great Britain--Biography.

Princesses.

Families.

Great Britain.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xv, 478 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), portraits ; 25 cm

Edition:

First American edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Knopf, 2005.

Summary:

From acclaimed biographer Flora Fraser, a brilliant group biography of the six daughters of "Mad" King George III.

Fraser takes us into the heart of the British royal family during the tumultuous period of the American and French revolutions and beyond, illuminating the complicated lives of these exceptional women: Princess Royal, the eldest, constantly at odds with her mother; home-loving, family-minded Augusta; plump Elizabeth, a gifted amateur artist; Mary, the bland beauty of the family; Sophia, emotional and prone to take refuge in illness; and Amelia, "the most turbulent and tempestuous of all the Princesses." Weaving together letters and historical accounts, Fraser re-creates their world in all its frustrations and excitements.

The six sisters, though handsome, accomplished and extremely well educated, were kept from marrying by George III, and Fraser describes how they remained subject to their father for many years, while he teetered on the brink of mental collapse. The King may have believed that his six daughters were happy to live celibately at Windsor, but secretly, as Fraser's absorbing narrative of royal repression and sexual license shows, the sisters enjoyed startling freedom. Several of them, torn between love for their ailing father and longing for independence, forged their own scandalous and subversive lives within the castle walls. With a discerning eye for psychological detail and a keen feminist sensibility, Fraser delves into these clandestine love affairs, revealing the truth about Sophia's illegitimate baby; examining Amelia's intimate correspondence with her soldier-lover; and investigating the eventual marriages of Royal, Elizabeth and Mary.

Never before has the historical searchlight been turned with such sympathy and acuity on George III and his family. With unparalleled access to royal and private family papers, Flora Fraser has created a revelatory portrait of six fascinating women and their place in history.

Contents:

Family Tree 2

Book 1 Youth 1766-1783

1 Early Days 7

2 Growing Up 26

3 The Younger Ones 47

4 Adolescence 65

Book 2 Experience 1783-1797

5 Brothers and Sisters 83

6 Fear 105

7 Hope 125

8 Despond 145

Book 3 Scandal 1798-1810

9 In Spirits 169

10 Agitation 190

11 Outcry 215

12 Passion 232

Book 4 Maturity 1810-1822

13 Breaking Up 251

14 Emancipation 273

15 Daughters in Distress 294

16 Princesses at Large 313

Book 5 Piano Piano 1822-1857

17 Royal-Queenly Dowager 333

18 Elizabeth-The Largesse of a Landgravine 351

19 Augusta-A Princess for All Seasons 370

20 Sophia-The Little Gypsy 380

21 Mary-Last of the Line 389.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [443]-447) and index.

ISBN:

0679451188

OCLC:

55846909