To think Queen Victoria was a nutter

[Loveweekends10]

I watched 'Queen Victorias children' last night and was shocked at what an absolute nutcase she was.

Did anyone else see it? Poor Victorian people. Her poor kids.

[kittyandthegoldenfontanelles]

Lovely turm of phrase.

[TapirBackRider]

Do you really believe everything that's on tv?

[Saltycopporn]

Nothing to add just want you to get three of those faces in a row

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Apparently even though men being with other men was illegal a woman with a woman wasn't as she couldn't believe women would do that.

[kittyandthegoldenfontanelles]

Brandy that's a myth I believe.

salty

[Selks]

I saw those programmes about queen Vic and her relationship with her children too. She was indeed seriously unbalanced, and in modern times would probably be thought of as an emotionally abusing narcissist.
But look into her own childhood and you will see why - look at the Wikipedia page for the 'Kensington strategy', it's a revelation.
Fascinating programmes.

[Levantine]

It was fascinating programme. She was really toxic to her children, really, trying to make sure they didn't marry and leave her, criticising them, micromanaging them.

Why wouldn't I believe a BBC2 documentary with six or so historians/biographers talking and evidence in the form of contemporaneous letters etc

[Loveweekends10]

The programme was based around letters she wrote to her kids. She was a cruel woman is all I can say.

Anyway difficult to comment if you didn't watch programme I suppose.

[Levantine]

Ooh Selks, I just looked that up but can't find it - sounds fascinating - any more clues on how to find it?

[pandoro]

Ha why have you got three Most bizarre!

Anyhoo not seen it myself but intend to now, esp after reading a couple of reviews of the programme which do indeed seem to imply a degree of nuttery - apparently pages from her diary say babies revolted her and her 9 nine children were the price she had to pay to have blissful times with Albert?!

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I so need to watch this on iplayer. What is the name of program?

[Levantine]

Aha, found it - the Kensington system

[TapirBackRider]

Why shouldn't you believe a tv programme?

Probably because tv producers are renowned for putting their own 'spin' on things...not exactly paragons of truth, are they?

[Selks]

Oops sorry, yes 'Kensington system'

[pandoro]

It's called Queen Victoria's Children

has anyone seen 'Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists?' Perhpas the film's depiction of her was quite accurate

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Oh duh what a blonde moment

And yes ds got pirate adventure with scientist for Christmas, she's bonkers there over the dodo (laughs at her going down the ships food lift)

[MissMogwi]

I've only watched the first episode but I found it to be very one sided against Victoria.

From what I have read about the Kensington system, she must have been damaged by her upbringing. This of course would have a ripple effect on her own children.

[Levantine]

I would trust the BBC history department to be accurate. Anyway, it was a fascinating programme. I especially liked her sculptor daughter

[MrsBucketxx]

The wedding photo of berties said it all, totally ignoring them and staring at a bust of albert.

She slated her own childrens looks failing to realise they looked like her

Those children wouks start a new thread on here called , but you lived in stately homes,

[HollyBerryBush]

I always felt sorry for 'Sonny' Alexandra - married to the Tzar - sticky end when our governemtn, her own nephew, wouldnt give them sanctuary

[catsmother]

Queen Victoria's controlling nature and arguably peculiar ideas about children has long been known. This programme was very interesting and tackled the subject in greater depth than I've read about previously but it's not exactly a revelation. Clearly her own (well documented) childhood and its restrictions had a lot to answer for but understanding that she was damaged herself doesn't alter the fact that (overwhelming evidence suggests) she was an utter selfish bitch to her children far more frequently than she ever showed any real support or affection towards them.

I'd also tend towards trusting the BBC history dept - what was presented seemed, to me, to be primarily based on surviving written evidence from the people involved rather than supposition. Though it is interesting to speculate about her daughter Beatrice's objective after Victoria's death when she destroyed so much of her mother's correspondence - only about 1/3 of it survives (IIRC). Beatrice transcribed - and edited - what I understand remains in the royal archives today ...... so how accurate this is no-one can say for sure. What was added, what was left out ? And as for the other 2/3 I wonder was it got rid because it would have shown Victoria in an even more unsympathetic light ..... or, could it have revealed a softer side to the Queen which Beatrice, maybe in a form of revenge against someone who'd controlled her for so long, got rid so she'd go down in history as a cow ? Hmmm ..... obviously you can't say, but I tend towards the 1st explanation because I think there are enough observations of the Queen's attitude and behaviour from outside the family to come down on the side of her being a rather nasty piece of work regardless of what made her like that.

[Mrsrudolphduvall]

I saw it too.
She was very controlling with her children even when they were middleaged...she was especially cruel about Leopold, who had haemophilia (died at 39).
In letters she called him the ugliest of her children.

He was quite feisty though, got himself to Oxford (he was intelligent compared to the rest of them) and married.

I thought it was a great programme. She seemed to become deranged after the death of Albert, becoming a recluse. Gladstone couldn't stand her. The wedding photo was a classic.

She'd have definitely been the focus of a Victoriam MN MIL thread.

[diddl]

She certainly seems to have been an absolute control freak.

And seemed to want her children to fail so as not to put her in a bad light.

Certainly not to outshine her sainted Albert!

[Mayisout]

But there is a problem looking at the past through modern eyes.

Children could be described now as a blessing you choose to have. In those pre contraception days they might have been a curse you are landed with, and lots of them, or a meal ticket in your old age. As she was queen she didn't need a meal ticket.

So her lack of demonstrable love for them and her belief that she needed to whip them into shape might be explained by this.

My confusion is that it was the beloved Albert who made her almost constantly pregnant so why didn't she at least bear him that grudge!

[HollyBerryBush]

Poor Albert! I have read that it was Victoria who had the high sex drive - which would correlate with her oppressive childhood and the need for constant affection - anyway poor Albert had a job keeping up with her demands!