Victoria's Secret - The Private Passion of a Queen

'' Mine is a nature which requires being loved, and I have lost almost all those who loved me most on earth. '' 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, their friendship immortalised in print and later on-screen. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? And what has history been hiding from us? In this provocative exploration of Victoria''s emotional world, and her passionate midlife, 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 intimate life of a queen, Victoria''s Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love.

About the author

Dr. Fern Riddell is a renowned cultural historian. With a PhD from King's College London, she works as an expert author, broadcaster & consultant, uncovering incredible stories hidden by the past.

Presenter of Sky History’s Truthseekers and BBC 4’s A Victorian Scandal, Fern also regularly contributes to documentaries across the world, exploring suffragette bombers to music hall stars, and the most fascinating stories she can find. An expert historian for both Audible and Spotify, Fern hosts Sky History’s Not What You Thought You Knew podcast. Advising on dramas for several international broadcasters, she is known for her work on BAFTA award-winning BBC and Amazon Prime drama Ripper Street.

Author of highly acclaimed books including Death In Ten Minutes and Sex: Lessons from History, which was a Daily Mail ‘Book of the Week’. Fern writes widely for publications including the Guardian, Times Higher Education, the Telegraph, the New Statesman and BBC History Magazine.

Product details

• Authors: Fern Riddell, Riddell Fern
• Publisher: Ebury Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.07.2025
• EAN: 9781529199321
• ISBN: 978-1-5291-9932-1
• No. of pages: 416
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 230 mm x 30 mm
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Modern era up to 1918; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Biographies, autobiographies; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women, European History, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical, Biography: historical, political & military, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Royalty, HISTORY / Women, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Victorian Era (1837-1901), c 1800 to c 1900, Biography: royalty, British & Irish history, United Kingdom, Great Britain, 1837–1901 (Victorian period), Biography: historical, political and military