Not one word of the truth - An unimpressed Queen and an embarrassed author.

Queen Victoria in 1840 & Agnes Strickland in 1846 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Agnes Strickland’s Queen Victoria from her birth to her bridal, an early biography of Queen Victoria almost stripped from existence by its shaken author shows us a glimpse into Queen Victoria's rather passionate and unwavering determination on her public figure.

Agnes was commissioned in 1839 by London-based publisher Henry Colburn to write a biography of Queen Victoria to commemorate her wedding to Prince Albert the following year. Agnes had 8 months to finish the biography whilst heavily relying on anecdotes and gossip rather than official records. Much of the information in the book was provided by Colburn himself.

Queen Victoria was known to 'marginalia' (marking a book). She did this often in her personal books to highlight, note a relevant passage, or in the case of Strickland’s biography – to correct its contents.

There are two surviving examples annotated and corrected by Queen Victoria, one is held in the Royal Collection located in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. The second example was a neatly annotated version which was returned to the author. A letter from George Anson, Prince Albert's private secretary accompanies the book requesting Strickland to collect the book ("Mr Anson...is anxious to see Miss Strickland on the subject of her Life lately published of Queen Victoria. Mr Anson is sorry to tell Miss Strickland that there are a great many inaccuracies in it..")

© 2026 Sotheby's

In 2015 the annotated book which was returned to its author was sold by Sotheby's Auction House for £27,500.

The Queen added marginal comments on 120 pages (85 pages in volume 1 and 35 pages in volume 2) which consisted of corrections and highlighted errors. The Queen’s dismissive annotations include remarks such as “quite false,” “not true,” and “nonsense.” In one passage she even corrected the historian’s account of her hairstyle, Strickland stated that “her fair hair was simply parted, and folded in what are called Madonna bands, and arranged at the back of her head in a Grecian knot”, the monarch takes the trouble to correct her, writing: “in plaits”. Elsewhere she crossed-out entire paragraphs that she deemed inaccurate or unfavorable. Her childhood encounters with Prince Albert were frequently amended. Writing next to ‘Her majesty rises generally at six o’clock’ she has written ‘Never before ½ p. 9 or 10’.

© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust

Strickland describes Victoria as “flushed and fatigued” as she made her first appearance at William IV’s court. “Not at all fatigued,” notes the queen. There was a “tinge of melancholy” to Victoria’s smile on her wedding day. “No,” says the queen. Victoria dismisses Strickland’s claims about the scenes at “her majesty’s first soiree”, where the biographer writes that “upwards of two thousand gentlemen were present and the crowd was so tremendous that diamond buckles were broken or lost” Victoria's annotations read “The Queen only gave 1 or 2 concerts of 100 people.” From important details to minute details The Queen thoroughly scrutinised factual corrections to names, dates and places. Strickland's claim that the marriage between Victoria and Albert was arranged by the Queen's mother: "Not true the Dcss [of Kent] knew nothing of it until told of it by the Queen a few days previous to the Prince's departure"

So upset with the offense that the publication had caused, Strickland and Colburn were rumoured to have had all the remaining copies of the book pulped. Strickland's younger sister, Jane, recalled: "The sale was stopped and where ever Miss Strickland was able to do so, she bought in those already out and destroyed them. Perhaps this is the reason it is almost impossible to acquire a copy of this book.

Queen Victoria was so upset she even mentioned the book to her aunt, Queen Adelaide, in September 1841.

Queen Adelaide's reply,

Sudbury Hall, 8th September 1841,

'My Dearest Niece,—

I have not ventured to disturb you with a letter since we parted, knowing how fully your time was employed with business of importance. I cannot any longer now refrain to enquire after you, after all you have gone through lately, and I must congratulate you with all my heart on having so well completed your difficult task.

There is but one voice of praise, I hear, of your perfect composure and beautiful conduct during the trying scenes of last week. It has gratified me more than I can express, for I had fully expected it of you, and it has made me very happy to find that it has been generally remarked and has given so much satisfaction. Everybody feels deeply for you, and the devotion and zeal in your service is redoubled by the interest your trying position has evoked. May our Heavenly Father support and guide you always as hitherto, is my constant prayer !

I hope that the selection of your Government is to your own satisfaction, and though the change must have been trying to you, I trust that you will have perfect confidence in the able men who form your Council. Our beloved late King’s anxious wishes to see Wellington and Peel again at the head of the Administration is now fulfilled. His blessing rests upon you. Excuse my having touched upon this subject, but I could not keep silent whilst the heart is so full of earnest good wishes for your and the country’s prosperity.

I hope that an article of the newspapers, of the indisposition of your darling child, is not true, and that she is quite well. God bless and protect her!..

.

I am much amused with reading your Life by Miss Strickland! which, though full of errors, is earnest on the whole, and very interesting to me. However, I wish she would correct the gross errors which otherwise will go down to posterity. She ought to have taken first better information before she published her work...

With my affectionate love to dear Prince Albert, believe me ever, my dearest Niece, your most devoted and affectionate

Aunt, ADELAIDE."

Although this fiasco most likely knocked the confidence of the author she continued to write up until two years before her death. Over the course of the 1840s, Agnes and Elizabeth Strickland published their twelve-volume history of the queens of England which is one of their most well known works which are continued to be enjoyed today. Although Agnese did not leave behind a large wealth she did leave behind her legacy as a historical writer and poet.