7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cupid's arrow, royal crown, March 30, 2006
This review is from: Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours (Paperback)
There have been royal mistresses for as long as there have been royals, but only a few have become legendary. And so a real-life royal, Princess Michael of Kent, has chronicled the lives of five of the most famous (or infamous) maitresses en titre in history. Not brilliant, but "Cupid and the King : Five Royal Paramours" is a good starting point.
Nell Gwyn grew up in the gutter, the daughter of an alcoholic prostitute. But through bawdy charm and talent, she became a comedic actress on the London stages, and caught the eye of Charles Stuart. Though she wasn't as high-born as his other ladies, "Nellie" retained a place in Charles' heart until his death, and was faithful to him for the rest of her short life.
Madame de Pompadour was an exceptional beauty who caught the eye of Louis XV, and was soon placed as his official mistress. Since she didn't like sex, she made herself invaluable to the king as a comforting friend, and created a salon where the cultured and artistic people of the time could gather. Unfortunately, her devotion to her king cost her her life.
Marie Walewska was groomed from childhood to marry well, and help her family. But after being married off to a disgusting old aristocrat, the beautiful Marie met her girlhood hero -- Napoleon. For the sake of her country, Marie became Napoleon's mistress, and soon fell in love with him. But his ambition to create a dynasty ended their affair.
Lola Montez was never what she seemed to be. After a nasty divorce, the Irish girl renamed herself, became a "Spanish" dancer, and lied constantly. She also snagged the heart of Ludwig I, king of Bavaria and terrible poet. As she bled the country dry, the angry inhabitants of Bavaria rebelled against their king, and sent Lola packing for the USA...
Lily Langtry was a tomboy, a prankster, and her first taste of polite society was a disaster. But after marrying, she captivated London (and Oscar Wilde) with her beauty and charm. And then she captivated playboy Edward VII, his naive young cousin, and eventually reinvented herself as a respected actress.
Yeah, it doesn't really say much that hasn't been said before. Many books have handled the history of courtesans and royal mistresses, and Princess Michael doesn't add much that is new to the mix. It's basically five short biographies, going over the entire lives of the subjects with plenty of interesting facts, but only a few new insights.
Her writing style is solid enough, exploring the different personal and political facets of the mistresses, the kings, and their families. It's worth noting that even though the author is royalty, only the last of the bios reveals anything about royalty, upper-class society, and the effects of a royal mistress. The rest of the time it's typical "religion disapproved, pious queen suffered, money was spent" and so on.
And four of the five have some great quality that sets them apart -- patriotism, intelligence, charm, or just loyal fun. But Lola Montez doesn't fit in. Despite Princess Michael's gushing, she seems like a callous, ditsy gold-digger compared to Madame de Pompadour or Lily Langtry.
Though it doesn't add any new information, "Cupid and the King : Five Royal Paramours" is a pleasant read for people who are looking for juicy pre-tabloid gossip.
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