Victoria

Queen Victoria inherited the throne at 18 and went on to become the longest-reigning female monarch in history, in a time of intense industrial, cultural, political, scientific and military change within the United Kingdom and great imperial expansion outside of it (she was made Empress of India in 1876). Overturning the established picture of the dour old lady, this is a fresh and engaging portrait from one of our most talented royal biographers. is Professor of Modern History at Buckingham University, where she teaches a course on biography. Her previous books include ; a study of Edwin Lutyens, which won the 2003 Duff Cooper Prize; and the best-selling .