Whatever else they are, the Bristish aristocracy are completely dedicated to their own preservation. In this clever and surprisingly fresh tale, the mystery of the so-called Great Experiment unfolds, with the young 17 year old Queen Charlotte at its core.
The stunning secret is this- young and handsome King George III is barking mad, the crown is at risk, and British Parliament are circling like vultures to unseat him.
The unspoken realization is that this affliction is from years of intermarriage across a very narrow bloodline. In their desperation, his mother the Queen selects as a bride the young German princess Charlotte, who for all intents and purposes is as far from the troublesome, incestuous typical bloodlines as possible- she is mixed race, and rather darked skinned with kinky hair. What ensues is fun to watch, as the Queen must bribe her way into her new daughter-in-laws life by granting more and more priviledges to "those people, who, though they have fortune and position, are STILL not like us." They do not factor in Charlotte, howver, who elevates her role above and beyond royal brood mare, ensuring equality for all of her subjects including the newly formed black aristocracy (created so Charlotte would not stick out quite so much), and rescuing her husband the King from the midievil tortures that passed for mental health treatment of the day. Most moving was the acceptance and support she shared with King George, providing for him a haven of love and acceptance even in his madness. In the end, historically, Charlotte prevailed, her son Edgar fathered the famous Queen Victoria the First, and there was no hint of madness from any of their 15 children (although it may have skipped a generation or two after Victoria).
What is so delicious is watching the fully drawn characters wheedle and manipulate. One may not always find them likeable, but has to admire their tenacity in doing whatever is necessary to hold on to what is theirs, including branding one's own son the King with hot irons.
The stunning secret is this- young and handsome King George III is barking mad, the crown is at risk, and British Parliament are circling like vultures to unseat him.
The unspoken realization is that this affliction is from years of intermarriage across a very narrow bloodline. In their desperation, his mother the Queen selects as a bride the young German princess Charlotte, who for all intents and purposes is as far from the troublesome, incestuous typical bloodlines as possible- she is mixed race, and rather darked skinned with kinky hair. What ensues is fun to watch, as the Queen must bribe her way into her new daughter-in-laws life by granting more and more priviledges to "those people, who, though they have fortune and position, are STILL not like us." They do not factor in Charlotte, howver, who elevates her role above and beyond royal brood mare, ensuring equality for all of her subjects including the newly formed black aristocracy (created so Charlotte would not stick out quite so much), and rescuing her husband the King from the midievil tortures that passed for mental health treatment of the day. Most moving was the acceptance and support she shared with King George, providing for him a haven of love and acceptance even in his madness. In the end, historically, Charlotte prevailed, her son Edgar fathered the famous Queen Victoria the First, and there was no hint of madness from any of their 15 children (although it may have skipped a generation or two after Victoria).
What is so delicious is watching the fully drawn characters wheedle and manipulate. One may not always find them likeable, but has to admire their tenacity in doing whatever is necessary to hold on to what is theirs, including branding one's own son the King with hot irons.