About the Author

The accidental discovery by Susan Symons of a portrait of Queen Victoria in her attic sparked her lifelong interest in Victoria's story and was also the start of a collection of portraits of the queen and her family. By reading about the Queen's colourful life story she realised that history need not be boring and that royal history in particular is both fascinating and fun. She says it is like a historical version of Hello magazine. 'Victoria and Albert' is the second of three short books by Susan on 'The Colourful Personal Life of Queen Victoria'. They are inspired by the talks she gives to branches of the UK Women's Institute which focus on Victoria as a woman as much as a queen. Susan has an MA in Victorian Studies from London University, where her dissertation was on the public image of the young Victoria. She writes and lectures on German royal history as well as about Queen Victoria. Susan lives with her family in Cornwall, in the far south west of the UK, which for her is the most beautiful part of the whole country.