The Life of King Edward VII

About the book

J. Castell Hopkins follows Edward from childhood and education through his long years as Prince of Wales to accession, coronation, and reign. Travels in North America, the East, and India share space with family relationships, social duties, sporting interests, and public ceremonies. The central argument is that personal tact and popularity gave the monarchy practical influence within a changing political world. Written in the year of Edward's death, the book culminates in mourning and the responsibilities inherited by George V, whose career receives an additional sketch. Hopkins's openly favorable view makes the volume a record of royal commemoration as well as biography. Its detailed attention to visits and ceremonies shows how public affection and imperial loyalty were represented as political achievements.

• Monarchy and public image
• Empire and ceremony
• Commemoration

Why read it

The biography shows how an enthusiastic contemporary constructed the public meaning of a royal life.

English 1910 text, with a sketch of King George V