Before Princes Margaret, before Duchess Meghan, there was Princess Louise: a royal rebel.
As the fourth daughter of the perpetually in-mourning Queen Victoria, Princess Louise’s life is more of a gilded prison than a fairy tale. Expected to sit quietly next to her mother with downcast eyes, Louise vows to escape the stultifying royal court. Blessed with beauty, artistic talent, and a common touch, she creates a life outside the walled-in existence of the palace grounds by attending the National Art Training School—where she shockingly learns to sculpt nude models while falling passionately in love with famed sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.
Although Louise cultivates artist friends, artistic success, and a life outside the palace, she quickly learns that even royal rebels must heed the call of duty. For twenty years, Louise fights to maintain her relationship with Joseph and what freedom she can glean within the strict requirements of Queen Victoria’s court. When a near-fatal accident forces her back under Queen Victoria’s iron rule, Louise must choose between surrendering to the all-consuming grief of lost love and dreams that plagued her mother or finding the strength to keep fighting for her unconventional life.
Georgie Blalock is a history and movie buff who loves combining her different passions through historical fiction, and a healthy dose of period piece films. When not writing, she can be found prowling the non-fiction history section of the library or the British film listings on Netflix or in the dojo training for her next karate black belt rank. Georgie also writes historical romance under the name Georgie Lee.
My Thoughts
An Indiscreet Princess by Georgie Blalock is a story based on facts about Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Fourth daughter and sixth child. In this version, Prince Albert is dead and the Queen is in perpetual mourning. This puts a damper on the children, especially Louise. Talented in her own right as a sculptor/artist she fights conventions and her mother so she can go to art school.
Louise was secretary to her mother, as an unmarried girl, that was the lot in life for the Queen's girls. She was of marriageable age and it was the Queen's duty to find a suitable husband for Louise and her other girls. She had strict requirements, and the prospective husband had to stay in England.
Louise was allowed by the Queen to attend art school, thus meeting her lover, sculptor, and teacher Edgar Boehm. It was a long-lasting affair. The Queen finally found a suitable suitor for Louise, she became engaged to Marquess of Lorne, heir to the Dukedom of Argyll while he visited Balmoral. He was a British subject and Louise was royalty, which was not often done then. The Queen felt this marriage would bring new blood to the royalty, although Louise never had any children.
The Marquess wanted some sort of appointment in the Queen's court. He was appointed Government General of Canada and Louise became Viceregal consort of Canada. While there the Marquess and Louise founded the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Louise was also a patroness of many organizations while in Canada.
A sleigh accident injured Louise and she was sent back to England where she took up where she left off, as a married woman it was easier for her to carry on her duties and affair with Boehm. This is pretty much where this story ended, her return to England. She and her husband never really had a loving relationship whereas they spent a lot of time apart.
I enjoyed this particular take on Louise and the life of royalty in Victorian England. A time of strict protocols and lifestyle. Seemed to me to be a dark and gloomy time. One can only mourn for so long. For that era, Louise was a very strong woman, getting what she wanted and being very accomplished.
If you like a historical novel at its best, this one is for you. Louise was a very fascinating woman of her time. I give it 5 stars for story content, research, and writing.
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
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