The Queen and Lord M

Nov 29, 2025 5:14 AM

Author:Jean Plaidy

The second in Jean Plaidy's fantastic series, the Victorians.

On the morning of 20th June 1837, an eighteen-year-old girl is called from her bed to be told that she is Queen of England. The Victorian age has begun.

The young queen's first few years are beset with court scandal and malicious gossip: there is the unsavoury Flora Hastings affair, a source of extreme embarrassment to the queen; the eternal conflict between Victoria and her mother, and the young queen's hatred of Sir John Conroy, her mother's close friend.

Then there is the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne - 'Lord M' - worldly cynic and constant companion to the queen, himself a veteran of many a latter-day scandal. He proves to be her guiding light - until the dashing Prince Albert appears and she falls hopelessly in love ...

Reviews

Jean Plaidy doesn't just write the history, she makes it come alive

—— Julia Moffat , RNA

These books are page-turners; they offer a wonderful way to learn about history, their heroines are smart, strong and in control of their destinies and their stories will remain with you for ever...They are a celebration of women's spirit throughout history.

—— Daily Express

Full-blooded, dramatic, exciting

—— Observer

Superb storytelling and meticulous attention to authenticity of detail and depth of characterisation ... one of the country's most widely read novelists

—— Sunday Times

Plaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama

—— New York Times

Masterly... powerful

—— Independent

Stuffed with brilliant hilarity

—— Spectator

What elevates The Making of Henry..is the way it talks about love. That, and being funny

—— Guardian

This is brilliantly, biliously funny. It is also painfully, movingly sad...Expansive and compassionate... Sharp and hilarious, this latest novel shows Jacobson at his best

—— Observer

A story of modern love that will have readers laughing and sighing with recognition... A wry, insightful, thoroughly enjoyable tale about how men and women choose their demons and their lovers, and the sacrifices they're willing to make for both

—— Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Delightful... Her characters are, as always, wonderfully imperfect

—— New York Review of Books

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