Helen Rappaport

On 23rd February 1854, the Scots Fusilier Guards marched past Buckingham Palace en route to the Crimea, as Queen Victoria bowed and waved proudly from the balcony. The women were left to face a bleak uncertain future although many of them were actively engaged in the war, often in the most surprising ways.

At only 18 years old, Victoria ascended the throne as a rebellious teenager and gradually grew to become one of the most memorable, unshakeable and powerful women in history. The extensive writings she left behind document this personal journey and show how she triumphed over scandal and corruption.