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This debut novel, perfect for fans of PBS’s Victoria and Netflix’s The Crown, will take you behind the walls of Potsdam’s majestic Neues Palais, to experience Vicky’s turbulent life story through her eyes.
Born Victoria, the Princess Royal, Vicky was the eldest child of Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert—and learned from them the proper exercise of royal privilege.
Aged only 15 when she becomes engaged to Fritz, Prince Frederick, heir to the powerful kingdom Prussia, she dreads leaving home forever—but she takes her chance to follow her love and spread enlightened, English ideas abroad.
Brought up believe in the rightness of her cause, Vicky nonetheless struggles to thrive in the constrained Prussian court, where each day she seems to take a wrong step. Her status as Queen Victoria’s daughter does little to smooth over the conflicts she faces.
Still she has handsome, gallant Fritz always by her side. Together they navigate political intrigue, and challenge cunning Otto von Bismarck, to fight for the throne—and the soul of a nation. At home they endure tragedy, including their son, Wilhelm, rejecting all they stand for.
This propulsive story comes to a surprising conclusion—following Vicky from her childhood years as the apple of her father’s eyes through her rise to power atop the mighty German empire to her final months of life when she takes a final, daring step to insure her struggles will not have been in vain.
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Praise for A Most English Princess
"A rich indulgence!”
— People
"This sweeping, immersive novel….draws readers into the mesmerizing world of the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria – Princess Vicky – as she emerges into a powerful force in her own right and ascends to become the first German Empress.”
— Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room
"With an impeccable attention to research, sense of place, and filled with relatable characters, A Most English Princess will sweep you away. A literary triumph with flavors of Daphne du Maurier, Edith Wharton, and Downton Abbey, this novel is poised to become a favorite for historical fiction lovers."
— Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl and The Daughter's Tale
"The strength of one woman, Crown Princess Victoria, to influence the path of European history during turbulent times is striking in this stunning debut from Clare McHugh."
— Geri Krotow, bestselling romance author
"The eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and mother of Kaiser Wilhelm, Princess Vicky deserves a novel of her own. Brimming with luxurious detail and vicious court intrigue, this is both a splendid portrait of a royal marriage and a woman whose dreams fell prey to the darkness of German history."
— Mariah Fredericks, author of Death of an American Beauty
Discussion Guide
Are you considering A Most English Princess for your next book club meeting? The novel offers several themes that will spark robust discussion including: What does it mean to be a good daughter, wife and mother? How can someone of great privilege find their choices, and their freedoms, limited? Why do the best intentions go wrong?
Author Clare McHugh will conduct book club discussions via Zoom, or in some cases appear at book club gatherings in person. Use the contact form on this site to submit an inquiry.
For self-directed club discussion consult the questions at the back of the book, page 19 of the PS section. Here are the first three:
Papa allowed Vicky, his cherished eldest daughter, to be engaged when she was not yet fifteen years old, and to be married and leave home when she was seventeen. He pursued the Prussian marriage to serve his own political aims. Did you think his decisions concerning Vicky were selfish or well-meaning?
Why do you think Fritz fell in love with Vicky, when he was quite a bit older than her and came from a different royal milieu? What about her made her a good wife for him?
How much responsibility did Vicky bear for the antagonism she encountered in Berlin? Would someone with a different personality have found it easier?
About Clare McHugh
Born in London, Clare McHugh grew up in the United States and graduated from Harvard University with a degree in European history. She worked for many years as a newspaper reporter and later magazine editor. She has also taught high school history and reviewed books for the Wall Street Journal and the Baltimore Sun. The mother of two grown children, she lives with her husband in Washington, DC, and Amagansett, New York. A Most English Princess is her first novel.
Contact Clare McHugh
Representation:
Laura Dail
Laura Dail Literary Agency
121 West 27th Street, Suite 1201
New York, NY 10001
212.239.7477
ldail@ldlainc.com
For UK press inquiries:
Beth McHattie
Flotilla Media
Quay West Studios,
Old Newnham, Plymouth PL7 5BH
+44 7388 381611
beth.mchattie@flotillamedia.co.uk