Victoria's Secrets
Summary
Hosts Robert Hardman and Kate Williams explore Queen Victoria’s reign following Prince Albert’s death, focusing on her grief, withdrawal from public life, and the controversial friendship with John Brown. The episode examines how political shifts, including the 1867 Reform Act and the rise of republican sentiment, challenged her authority, alongside the expansion of the British Empire and her appointment as Empress of India. It concludes with her public rehabilitation through the 1871 thanksgiving service and the 1887 Golden Jubilee, highlighting her enduring image as a devoted widow in mou…
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Zen, Noom, and Quo
Show intro and agenda: Victoria's widowhood
The death of Prince Albert and Victoria's grief
Victoria's withdrawal from public life and criticism
Guilt over her mother and the 1860s breakdown
Political changes and Victoria's independence
The 1867 Reform Act and views on women's suffrage
The friendship with John Brown and the 'Mrs. Brown' scandal
Public backlash and republican sentiment
Crisis of 1871: French Republic and Bertie's illness
Recovery, thanksgiving service, and O'Connor attack
Empress of India and the British Empire
John Brown's death and the biography controversy
Married Women's Property Act and later attacks
The 1887 Golden Jubilee and Victoria's black dress
Outro and sponsors: Wayfair and Ad Council
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