We Two

Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals

By: Gillian Gill

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

It was the most influential marriage of the nineteenth century–and one of history’ s most enduring love stories. Traditional biographies tell us that Queen Victoria inherited the throne as a naïve teenager, when the British Empire was at the height of its power, and seemed doomed to find failure as a monarch and misery as a woman until she married her German cousin Albert and accepted him as her lord and master. Now renowned chronicler Gillian Gill turns this familiar story on its head, revealing a strong, feisty queen and a brilliant, fragile prince working together to build a family based on support, trust, and fidelity, qualities neither had seen much of as children. The love affair that emerges is far more captivating, complex, and relevant than that depicted in any previous account.

The epic relationship began poorly. The cousins first met as teenagers for a few brief, awkward, chaperoned weeks in 1836. At seventeen, charming rather than beautiful, Victoria already “showed signs of wanting her own way.” Albert, the boy who had been groomed for her since birth, was chubby, self-absorbed, and showed no interest in girls, let alone this princess. So when they met again in 1839 as queen and presumed prince-consort-to-be, neither had particularly high hopes. But the queen was delighted to discover a grown man, refined, accomplished, and whiskered. “Albert is beautiful!” Victoria wrote, and she proposed just three days later.

As Gill reveals, Victoria and Albert entered their marriage longing for intimate companionship, yet each was determined to be the ruler. This dynamic would continue through the years–each spouse, headstrong and impassioned, eager to lead the marriage on his or her own terms. For two decades, Victoria and Albert engaged in a very public contest for dominance. Against all odds, the marriage succeeded, but it was always a work in progress. And in the end, it was Albert’s early death that set the Queen free to create the myth of her marriage as a peaceful idyll and her husband as Galahad, pure and perfect.

As Gill shows, the marriage of Victoria and Albert was great not because it was perfect but because it was passionate and complicated. Wonderfully nuanced, surprising, often acerbic–and informed by revealing excerpts from the pair’s journals and letters–We Two is a revolutionary portrait of a queen and her prince, a fascinating modern perspective on a couple who have become a legend.©2009 Gillian Gill; (P)2009 Random House

Big and Brilliant

Don't be put off by the size of this tome. You'll miss something really special if do. Instead, devour it like an elephant - one bite at a time.

Equal parts biography and history lesson, We Two is a captivating read. The relationship between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert simultaneously defines dichotomy and symbiosis.

Love the narrator, Rosalyn Landor

I am currently in the process of buying every book that Rosalyn Landor has been the narrator for, she's lovely and not jarring if you're listening in bed but not too "sleepy" if you're listening in your car. She strikes the right balance of both. The book is informative, but yet not boring, and give some juicy details that keeps you interested in dry history. Highly recommend! Happy listening! :)

I miss Darcy's brogue. He barely has an accent now.

I know the 1st narrator passed from cancer (loved her work), but the second was pretty good, too. This 3rd narrator doesn't seem to have bothered to try and match the previous voices at all. Darcy barely sounds like he's from the UK, let alone Ireland. Belinda's ditzy charm is also gone. Must do better! A very high bar has been set through a prolific number of books - don't drop off now!!

Two people ; one devoted and the other unhappy

It was actually depressing, realizing Prince Albert wasn’t happy most of his life, and Victoria generally acted spoiled. Not a very becoming portrait of the two of them.
You aren’t sure In hearing the story if Prince Albert actually ever loved Victoria, while she was devoted to him.

Honest account of mythical marriage

This book gives an accurate view of the ups and downs in the Queen's marriage and an alarming view of the ambition and power the Prince wrested from the Queen. It is possibly a blessing that his life was cut short as he was determined to change England to suit his German ambitions. I was disappointed in Victoria's lack of interest in her position and what a contrast to our present Queen who has been a true monarch with unfailing loyalty and dedication.