The Queen's Knight - Hardcover

Downer, Martyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593054857 ISBN 13: 9780593054857

Publisher: Bantam Press, 2007

Synopsis

Sir Howard Elphinstone, dashing miltary hero of the siege of Sevastopol, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1858, aged just twenty-nine. As he recuperated from injuries he'd received during the campaign, the Queen installed this paragon of military valour at heart of her court at Windsor as guardian to her third and favourite son, Prince Arthur. Victoria wanted a soldier alongside her, as an antidote to the ageing ministers and courtiers who stalked the corridors. Intriguingly, as a young woman, before she was queen, Victoria had been completely smitten with Howard's cousin John, Lord Elphinstone, but he had been deemed an unsuitable match for a monarch. Having lost one military hero, she seemed determined to make sure it didn't happen again...The "Queen's Knight" tells an engrossing story of life at the gilded heart of Queen Victoria's court, via the extraordinary friendship between her and Howard Elphinstone, until his untimely death in 1890. It was at first a place of lavish parties and regular dances, as the miseries of the Crimean war faded and the Empire expanded to its zenith. The Queen and Prince Albert deliberately recreated Camelot, as an antidote to the dissolute image of previous generations of monarchs, and Elphinstone was the favourite knight at their round table. In the far more sombre days after Albert's death, Elphinstone became increasingly vital to the Queen, as evidenced by an extraordinarily candid and prolific corresponsdence between them, much of which has never before been published. Set in a sweeping global landscape populated by presidents, princes and prime ministers, The Queen's Knight visits Quebec, explores New York and travels down the Nile to explore the courts of Europe, many of which were about to be destroyed forever by war and revolution. Yet despite this broad canvas, it remains essentially a portrait of the close affectionate relationship between Victoria and Elphinstone. It sheds new light on Victoria's extraordinary life in presenting the frail, human being at the heart of a vast Empire.

About this title

About the Author

Martyn Downer grew up surrounded by art and antiques as his father owned a provincial auction house and he spent his school holidays working there as a porter. He started his career in the art business working for an antique jeweller in London's West End before joining Sotheby's as a junior specialist in 1993. Over the following ten years, Martyn sourced jewellery from around the world for Sotheby's auctions in New York, London and Geneva. In that time Sotheby's sold many important single collections of jewellery, notably those of Elton John and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and - in 1994 - the single most valuable jewel ever sold at auction, a 100.1 carat diamond which fetched $16m. Martyn was Head of Jewellery at Sotheby's in London from 1999 to 2003. He regularly lectures on the subject and contributes articles to art and antiques magazines. He lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, who is a painter, and their three young children.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Nelson s Purse

A truly riveting story of assiduous detection and fine scholarship a total triumph
Simon Winchester

Fascinating. The heartbreaking and dense web of relationships Downer unravels offers extraordinary insights into Nelson's private life. Downer's rich, highly personal account stands out among Nelson related books
Daily Mail

'Strewn with vivid images, Downer's narrative is well-researched and well-written'
Sunday Times

Downer has a good story to tell and does so in high style
Literary Review

From the Inside Flap

Sir Howard Elphinstone, dashing miltary hero of the siege of Sevastopol, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1858, aged just twenty-nine. As he recuperated from injuries he'd received during the campaign, Queen Victoria installed him at Windsor as guardian to her third and favourite son, Prince Arthur. He was soon to become an indispensable part of the queen s life and, later, her most trusted confidant.

As memories of the Crimean War faded and the British Empire expanded to its zenith, the Queen and Prince Albert set out to rebrand their court as a new Camelot - an antidote to the dissolute image (and reality) of previous monarchs. Elphinstone was the favourite knight at their round table. In the far more sombre days after Albert's death, Elphinstone became increasingly vital to the Queen, as evidenced by their extraordinarily candid and prolific correspondence, much of which is published here for the first time.

Set in a sweeping global landscape populated by presidents, princes and prime ministers, The Queen's Knight visits Quebec, explores New York, sails down the Nile and pays its respects to the courts of Europe, many of which were about to be destroyed forever by war and revolution. Yet despite this broad canvas, it remains essentially a portrait of the close, affectionate relationship between Victoria and Elphinstone. Most extraordinarily of all, it sheds new light on Victoria's extraordinary reign in presenting the frail, human being at the heart of a vast Empire.
9780593054857

Edition details

• Publisher: Bantam Press
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593054857
• ISBN 13: 9780593054857
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 480