As the world is once again enthralled with the Regency period with a new season of Bridgerton freshly released, there is no better time better time to dive into a Regency biography. (Let’s be honest, the Regency isn’t ever unpopular as a time period but it is back in the spotlight.) While we have a lot of books focused on King George III, Queen Charlotte, and King George IV, we have less on the other members of the family. And if anyone is more interesting than them, it is Queen Caroline of Brunswick. Let’s get into Rebel of the Regency by Ann Foster!
Thank you to Hanover Square Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rebel of the Regency: The Scandalous Saga of Caroline of Brunswick, Britain’s Uncrowned Queen, Ann Foster
Caroline Amelia Elizabeth, Princess of Brunswick, was born in the northern German town of Braunschweig. Her mother and father, the duke and duchess, instantly knew one thing: there was something irrefutably untamable about their daughter. She grew up a wild child, sequestered from others to protect her family’s reputation—a Regency-era Rapunzel.
She was freed from this gilded cage by an unexpected marriage proposal from George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales and the eldest son of George III and Queen Charlotte. Caroline was entirely unprepared for the backstabbing mean girls of the royal court. Always staying true to herself, she stepped into her role of queen-to-be without compromising her character, showing off her affinity for fashion, her many eccentric hobbies, and ultimately, her infallible spirit, despite being ostracized as an outsider by her in-laws.
And so Caroline became the unlikely figurehead of the anti-monarchists, aided by the just-emerging tabloid press. Yet, despite her status as a revolutionary heroine, Caroline’s name faded away following her death. Until now.
For fans of Normal Women, Ann Foster brings us the riveting story of Caroline of Brunswick, Britain’s uncrowned queen, through an empowering examination of womanhood and autonomy that feels just as relevant today.
Why You Should Read This…
I have been waiting for this book for months, and it did not disappoint. Ann Foster is a Canadian history podcaster, and she covers a wide variety of women on her podcast, Vulgar History. When I saw that she would be writing about Caroline of Brunswick, I knew that she would deliver!
The tone of the book does match her podcast- it is a casual tone with modern language and phrases. Because I’ve listened to the podcast, it wasn’t a problem for me; it felt like I was chatting with a friend. And in particular, I think that it suits Caroline perfectly. She was known to be charming and outgoing, always up for a fun evening- a stiff and buttoned-up biography doesn’t feel like Caroline. (If you do prefer a more academic tone, you might want a different biography.)
I think one of Foster’s greatest strengths is focusing on Caroline. That may sound stupid, but a lot of work on Caroline heavily focuses on the Prince of Wales and Princess Charlotte- they are important figures in her life, but this is a Caroline biography and rightfully keeps it gaze on her, rather than those around her. It is a fairly sympathetic biography but both the blurb and introduction make that clear. (And quite frankly- every biographer has an approach and an idea of their subject.)
The eARC did not include the biography (very normal for advanced copies), so I am looking forward to seeing that in my published book. (Buy wherever you get your books!)
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Want more on the real life royals of Bridgerton? Read on!
Is Rebel of the Regency on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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