I refer, of course, to the late Prince Albert, loving husband of Queen Victoria, of whom it might be said given her portraits, that 'he should have gone to Spec-Savers'! I must instantly confess to my almost total ignorance of this man and his life but the other day whilst in my default mode of slumped in front of the 'telly' with my 'do-flicker-thingie' to hand, I came across a programme providing details of his life as a 'British' prince.
Part of the reason for my ignorance of him is that he quickly learned that under the British system there was no room for Royal interference in politics. He was shrewd enough not only to learn that but take heed of it. Consequently, he does not figure largely in the political history of the period. However, being a man of extraordinary energy and drive, he threw himself into what only can be described as a multitude of 'good works', culminating in the 'Great Exhibition of 1851' which to the surprise of many of his contemporaries was a success of global proportions. Thanks to him, a hundred years later I was able to visit the 'Great Exhibition of 1951' where, amongst other things, I remember seeing the 'Skylon'.
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Anyway, whilst it is not high on the list of my reading priorities, I really must try and find a biography of the man. In the meantime, what can I say except, "Vielen Dank, Ihre Königliche Hoheit!"
We are about to buy season 3 of "Victoria" which will put the story line at about the early 1850s. But then the Irish matter might intervene so we will have to see probably.
Posted by: Whitewall | Monday, 02 September 2019 at 14:40
Bloody Irish always intervene in everything!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 02 September 2019 at 15:04