Books on the Hesse Royals

[LisaDavidson]

Indeed, Theresa. I noticed many facts large and small which give me the idea you did a lot of research! Can you tell us a little bit about that? How long you researched, where you went, etc?

[Theresa Sherman]

Like some here, VMH is my favorite royal.  There is something about her character and personality that I related to so much....  I "met" her one day when browsing at a used book store.  I always went first to British History and was fascinated with the children and grandchildren of Queen Victoria.  On the shelve was ADVICE TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER.  I picked it up and looked (of course) at the photos, and decided that I had to have this book.  From then on, I read all I could about Victoria and the Battenbergs....and of course later the Mountbattens.  I think I read the usual source books for this subject, and was lucky enough to go on an incredible tour of Darmstadt where I got to see all the places that I've put into the novel and most important, the Heiligenberg.

Well, that's some of the journey I took....

[Alicky1872]

It's been long time since I posted on this site, but I had to share my review of this wonderful book!

I truly enjoyed The Royal Mob. Theresa Sherman's Victoria speaks how I imagined she really would have done. Princess Victoria of Hesse was Queen Victoria's favorite grandchild and her fictional memoirs are what makes up this book. Her life starting in Queen Victoria's golden era and ending in the aftermath of WW2 makes for a fascinating, heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking epic. We get a glimpse into the world of the 'Royal Mob', Queen Victoria's legendary family, and come to know her legion of cousins, aunts and uncles by their nicknames and come to love them as Victoria did. Victoria's humor and zest for life was legendary, and she really came alive for me in this book. Victoria's shining moment in this story is when her grandson, Prince Philip marries Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and when Victoria gives Philip a gift that represents Victoria's whole life. The ending actually brought tears to my eyes.

I'm lucky enough to be able to call 'Theresa Sherman' a friend, and during our correspondance, her love for Victoria and Louis really shines through. I know how much hard work she has put into this labor of love. She meticulously researched Victoria's life and interviewed members of Victoria's family to paint as realistic a portrait as we are ever going to get, of this fascinating Royal. As very few of us will ever be lucky enough to be able to read Victoria's real memoirs (as Theresa Sherman has) and as they are highly unkilely to ever be published, this is as close as we will get to what Victoria most probably thought and felt as she lived one of the most interesting (in my opinion) of lives.

[Theresa Sherman]

Thanks a bunch, Mrs. Eddy... you are truly kind!

[Russka Princess]

 hey can you plase tell me, what for spacial Moments was for you, in this book ?

one, i know it was about her Grandson Philipp on his wedding, What for a gift was it ?  plase tell me ^^

are there more moments who do you has love ? mabe in her Childhood, or when she was a young wife. ?

[Theresa Sherman]

The gift is a fictional one....A running device throughout the book after Victoria's marriage.

I can't think of a particular moment in VMH's life that I loved more than others....  I enjoyed the trip that they took to Bulgaria to see Louis' brother Sandro.  I based it on Marie Battenberg's trip (described in detail in her memoirs), but I am sure that Victoria visited at some point.  She was such an intrepid traveler.

I had fun with her gossiping with Marie Louise, Princess of Nowhere at Prince Philip's wedding...oh and her chatting with Marie of Romania in 1913 at Viktoria Louise's wedding.

All good stuff, I thought!

[Russka Princess]

cool,  is there something a romantic scene  rom  victoria and louis  in this book ?  Mabe where louis has aked her to marry him ?


I knew that she was traveled alone sometimes to her Sisters in Russia. Louis was mostly on his work.

[Theresa Sherman]

Naturally there is some romance, but I believe that it is tastefully done.

Victoria traveled a great deal without Louis who was busy with the Royal Navy.  She was accompanied at various times by her lady-in-waiting and later by her children.

[Russka Princess]

uuuu

i wish i  could read this book, but its in english, and not in german! =(

In the book, i think Victoria was a tomboy in her childhood.  Louis and victoria knew each other since they childhood right ?  and when she fell in love with him ? when she was a teenager ?

Why Louis has married Victoria? i mean he was with lili toegther, he wanted marry her. But why he has take in the end victoria ? ok  becuase he love her nut is there more reason.

[Theresa Sherman]

I think that Louis was fairly easily persuaded not to marry Lillie Langtry.  His parents, no doubt, had a hand in that. Remember, he was young and probably like a lot of men blessed with looks and charm, not particularly responsible when it came to women.

Louis and Victoria became engaged when Lillie was completely out of the picture.

[Russka Princess]

 Oh yeah so  their love (louis and victorias) was true and i think she feel in love with him, where she was a teenager right ?

Oh  i wished i could read this book, and i wish it could be in German too. Becuase my english is not perfect.

but from where do you have thsi lovly pic on the cover of the book ? i mean where victoria and louis smile.

[Theresa Sherman]

The photo was generously given to me to use by a collector who has a very large treasure trove of photographs.  I had never seen this photo before, though I have guessed at the setting and time by the clothing....I really love it too!

[Russka Princess]

 is in the book pictures of vicky and louis and the children ??

Oh i wish i could read it! =(

the pic of the both , its new for me, they look so happy and vicky seems so young, like 19 jears or 20. can it be ?

[Theresa Sherman]

No, I believe this photo was taken when she had several children.  Since she was married at 21, she wouldn't have been in her teens anyway.

There are no other photos in the book since it is a work of fiction.

[Russka Princess]

 hmm bu she look so thin and young.  And louis too, they seems so happy.

is in the book arguments  between vicky and louis, or with the children ?  was vicky  agreed that her daugther alice marry prince andrew of greece, cause it was a lovematch.