Introduction

1 Prologue: The Queen's delight with France

2 1882 Menton: The first visit to the paradise of nature

3 1887 Cannes: A pilgrimage to mourn the death of son Leopold

4 1891 Grasse: The Rothschild gardens and Duleep Singh's confession

5 1892 Hyères: The royal resort

6 1895 Nice: The young officers and the battle of the flowers

7 1896 Nice: Royal visitors: King Leopold II of the Belgians

8 1897 Nice: The courtiers revolt over the Munshi

9 1898 Nice: The agonies of King Leopold's daughters

10 1899 Nice: The Fashoda incident threatens the visit

11 Epilogue: The cancelled visit

Note on the Queen's Journal

Notes

Chronology

Selected Dramatis Personae

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Index

Queen Victoria riding on a bottle of gin. It was published when there was strong anti-British feeling in France at the time of the Fashoda incident in 1898, which almost led to war. Nevertheless this did not prevent the Queen visiting Nice as usual.

French postcard by L. Espinasse, an American who lived in Paris. Author's Collection.

Click here to enlarge the image.