The Queen's Knight by Martyn Downer
The Queen's Knight tells the inside story of court life under Queen Victoria
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Monday, 14, May 2007 11:15
Published by Bantam Press, out now, hardback, 384 pages, £25.
In a nutshell.
An insightful, personal story of life with Queen Victoria.
What's it all about?
The Queen's Knight tells the inside story of court life under Queen Victoria from a unique perspective. Author Martyn Downer's great -great- grandfather-in-law was Sir Howard Elphinstone. Sir Howard (later Major General) was a trusted confident of the family - so trusted that his papers have only now come to light.
Joining the royal household as a governor to Prince Arthur - after serving in the Crimean War - Elphinstone remains with the family and the book tells his eventful life through educating two princes - with light corporal punishment - to helping to find suitable wives. He also acts a spy on the Germans under Bismarck and works a secret go-between for the Crown Princess of Prussia (Victoria's eldest daughter) as she tries to marry her daughter to the Prince of Bulgaria.
The book takes the reader inside the world of servant infighting - with first the split between the English and Prince Albert's German servants - then the splits caused by the presence of the infamous Highlander John Brown and finally the splits between the royal families themselves as Victoria's nine children find themselves married across Europe's 19th century political divides.
Who's it by?
Martin Downer was the head of jewellery at Sotheby's until a chance find in a German castle led him to write a book about one of Nelson's confidants. Here he tells a family history - for his children about their great great great grandfather Sir Howard Elphinstone.
As an example.
"Prince Arthur's work deteriorated and his lying became more frequently, culminating in a violent clash with his governor. 'Many raps did the poor little get,' wrote Elphinstone hopelessly, 'and his crying was unquestionably very loud. I wish I could find some other method of punishing!!'"
Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster
Without the simple drama needed for a 90 minute film, if The Queen's Knight is to ever hit the screens, it would be the small screen. In fact a six-part BBC drama would suit Sir Howard's inside story.
So is it any good?
The Queen's Knight takes the reader straight into the turmoil of battle in the Crimea and from then into a family story and the life of a mild mannered Victorian who earned the respect and trust from the royal family.
Downer manages to invite the reader into the family tale by leaving the story to be told by its protagonists including Sir Howard's own letters to and from the royal family. The Elphinstone archive holds over 3,000 letters sent to Sir Howard and Downer takes these words and emotions and lets them tell the story along with letters from Sir Howard himself now held in the Royal Archives.
The scandals and rumours - such as Victoria's relationship with John Brown or the Prince of Wales's (later Edward VII) student days - known to the modern reader are dealt with fairly without sensation, but the book uncovers many other far more interesting episodes that have been long forgotten and make them vibrant and interesting. Such as an assassination attempt on Victoria, a battle between the Canadian army, featuring Prince Arthur on a royal tour against a group of uniformed New York Irish nationalists and the death of Louis Napoleon Prince Imperial - Napoleon's nephew and final heir in exile - in South Africa fighting with the British Army.
Also the unnervingly complex politics of late 19th century, with conferences, pacts and marriages, is explained clearly but with a human face, although mostly the British version is told.
Throughout Sir Howard's life - from the elevation from teacher to Aide to Camp to Queen Victoria - we find a man of honour and the story is told with the same honour and discretion.
The Queen's Knight is a thoroughly enjoyable new look at the widely-covered life of Queen Victoria. Those with knowledge of Victoria should love this new view on famous events, while the ease that Downer explains often complex politics and the human face he puts on the stiff world of 19th century royalty will mean those new to the subject will learn and enjoy the story of Sir Howard.
7/10
Daniel Barnes