A ROYAL OUTCAST: THE LIFE AND SCANDAL OF PRINCESS LOUISE, PRINCE ALBERT'S MOTHER

The fascinating story of a little-known royal

- Author: Dr Ulrike Grunewald (Translated by Edward Maltby) Publisher: The History Press Price: £22.99 Released: Out now

Despite its somewhat unwieldy title, A Royal Outcast: The Life and Scandal of Princess Louise, Prince Albert's Mother is a succinct, readable and engaging tale of royal woe. When she died in 1846 at the tragically young age of 31, Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg had already endured more unhappiness and intrigue than most. Today she is all but forgotten, but her descendants still occupy thrones across the continent. She was, posits Dr Ulrike Grunewald, the great-grandmother of Europe, and this rigorously researched biography sets out to turn the spotlight back onto Princess Louise. If she is remembered at all, it is likely as the mother of Prince Albert, the adored consort of Queen Victoria. However, Louise's life is every bit as worthy of attention as that of her more famous son. Married at the age of 16 to a man two decades her senior, Louise