Victoria's Secret
The Private Passion of a Queen
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Ebury Publishing
Published:5th Mar '26
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£22.00(9781529199314)

NOW A GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY
‘Now, at last, we know the truth about Queen Victoria and John Brown’ BENDOR GROSVENOR
‘Irresistible’ SATHNAM SANGHERA
‘So often I told him no one loved him more than I did ... and he answered, “nor you than me. No one loves you more”...’
From the moment John Brown arrived as a servant to Queen Victoria’s household, he became known across the land as her loyal companion, her fierce protector and her right-hand man – and the centre of scandalous rumours, whispered in secret. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? Might Queen Victoria have had a second chance at love, in spite of everything her crown, country and family required from her?
In this provocative exploration of Victoria’s private passions, the acclaimed historian Fern Riddell re-examines everything we thought we knew about one of Britain’s most iconic women. A timeless romance and an extraordinary retelling of the emotional life of a queen, Victoria’s Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love.
‘This meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery showcases Riddell at her bold and passionate best’ EMILY BRAND
‘Riveting, bold and deeply human … Riddell reveals the woman behind the crown in all her fascinating complexity’ ELINOR CLEGHORN
‘It’s tender, surprising and might just change how we see her’ ROBERT RINDER
‘Fascinating’ ANTONIA FRASER
Victoria’s Secret reveals an astonishing new side to a queen we thought we knew, and a beautiful and revitalising portrait of a woman in love. This meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery showcases Riddell at her bold and passionate best. -- Emily Brand, author of The Fall of the House of Byron
A witty, compelling, irresistible read that unpretentiously reveals a great deal about the Victorian age. -- Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland
Through her meticulous research and propulsive prose, Riddell reveals the women behind the crown in all her fascinating complexity. Riveting, bold, and deeply human, Victoria's Secret is an absolute joy. -- Elinor Cleghorn, author of 'Unwell Women'
Fern Riddell's quietly brilliant book explores a part of Queen Victoria’s life that history chose to forget.
It’s tender, surprising and might just change how we see her.
Fern Riddell has solved one of the greatest royal mysteries of all time. Now, at last, we know the truth about Queen Victoria and John Brown -- Bendor Grosvenor, author of 'The Invention of British Art'
ISBN: 9781529199338
Dimensions: 197mm x 128mm x 28mm
Weight: 314g
432 pages