Queen Victoria's Men
Opinion
We asked a number of the guest presenters in the 'Queen Victoria's Men' programme for their thoughts on Queen Victoria. This is what they told us…
Clarissa Campbell Orr
Victoria adroitly doubled male and female roles in many ways. A female monarch can be considered as a female king, according to the American historian, Charles Beem. This makes it clearer that Victoria has the same executive role as a man, but also the additional challenge of doing what a mere consort normally does, ie provide heirs and spares, and ideally, be a model of female behaviour.
Victoria's marriage to her cousin Albert worked partly because he was the more family-oriented of the two. She devolved the military role of a king onto another cousin, Prince George of Cambridge, Commander in Chief of the army after the Duke of Wellington died. But Victoria always reviewed her troops and took an interest in the army, being proud that she was a soldier's daughter.
Victoria adroitly doubled male and female roles in many ways. A female monarch can be considered as a female king, according to the American historian, Charles Beem. This makes it clearer that Victoria has the same executive role as a man, but also the additional challenge of doing what a mere consort normally does, ie provide heirs and spares, and ideally, be a model of female behaviour.
Victoria's marriage to her cousin Albert worked partly because he was the more family-oriented of the two. She devolved the military role of a king onto another cousin, Prince George of Cambridge, Commander in Chief of the army after the Duke of Wellington died. But Victoria always reviewed her troops and took an interest in the army, being proud that she was a soldier's daughter.
About
Clarissa Campbell Orr is Reader in Enlightenment, Gender and Court Studies at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge Campus. She has edited two collections of essays on the role of British and European eighteenth century queens consort, and has also written on Victorian monarchy, feminism and masculinity. She is writing a book, "Queen Charlotte, a consort and her worlds.
Clarissa Campbell Orr is Reader in Enlightenment, Gender and Court Studies at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge Campus. She has edited two collections of essays on the role of British and European eighteenth century queens consort, and has also written on Victorian monarchy, feminism and masculinity. She is writing a book, "Queen Charlotte, a consort and her worlds.
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