Description
*The book that inspired the major Channel 4 documentary airing this summer!*A passionate and provocative re-evaluation of Queen Victoria's relationship with her servant John Brown that uncovers the secrets the royal machine keeps from us, by acclaimed historian Dr Fern Riddell.From the moment John Brown arrived as a servant to Queen Victoria's household, he became known across the land as her loyal companion, her fierce protector, and her right-hand man; their friendship immortalised in print and later on-screen. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? And what has history been hiding from us?Rumours have swirled around this relationship for years as historians have attempted to bring the truth to light - now for the first time, Dr Fern Riddell re-examines everything we thought we knew about one of Britain's most iconic women. Through unearthing groundbreaking new evidence, Riddell challenges the prevalent image of Victoria as a grieving widow to create a compelling human portrait of a woman in passionate midlife.Against a backdrop of court politics, family dynasties and the magic of the Highlands, Victoria's Secret untangles the mysteries that the royal family have tried to keep hidden for generations, forcing us to question 'who really writes our history'?Both a timeless romance and an extraordinary retelling of the emotional life of a queen, Victoria's Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love.'A witty, compelling, irresistible read that unpretentiously reveals a great deal about the Victorian age.' Sathnam Sanghera'A meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery' Emily Brand'Riveting, bold and deeply human' - Elinor Cleghorn'Tender, surprising and just might change how we see Queen Victoria' - Robert Rinder
Dr Fern Riddell is a cultural historian, and an expert in sex, suffrage and entertainment in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Host of The History Channel's Podcast series #NotWhatYouThought and Presenter of BBC 4's 'A Victorian Scandal: The Rudest Book in Britain' she is the author of books including Death In Ten Minutes and Sex: Lessons from History.Historical Consultant for the BAFTA award-winning BBC and Amazon drama Ripper Street, she has advised on dramas for both the BBC and ITV2. As an on screen expert, she has appeared on Specialist Factual productions for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky Arts, Smithsonian, BBC Radio 3 and 4, and has appeared as an expert historian for radio and television across the world, having worked with both Audible and Spotify.She writes for The Guardian, Huffington Post, Times Higher Education, The Telegraph, The New Statesman and BBC History Magazine. Her work has also appeared in THE DAILY MAIL, Penthouse and Time.COM.
