Book excerpt: This incredible biography gives us a deep insight into to life of the royal family during the greatest era in British History! Edward VII (1841-1910), the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Edward was related to royalty throughout Europe. Before his accession to the throne, he was heir apparent and held the title of Prince of Wales for longer than any of his predecessors. During the long reign of his mother, he was largely excluded from political power, and came to personify the fashionable, leisured elite. He travelled throughout Britain performing ceremonial public duties, and represented Britain on visits abroad. His tours of North America in 1860 and the Indian subcontinent in 1875 were popular successes, but despite public approval his reputation as a playboy prince soured his relationship with his mother. Content: An Appreciation Birth and Early Years The King's Boyhood Oxford, Cambridge, and the Curragh The King's Visit to Canada and the United States Death of the Prince Consort—Tour in the East The Wedding of King Edward and Queen Alexandra Early Married Life Their Majesties' Tour in Egypt and the Mediterranean The Franco-Prussian War—The King's Illness 1873-1875 The King's Tour in India Quiet Years of Public Work, 1876-1887—Visit to Ireland—Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Silver Wedding of King Edward and Queen Alexandra—Engagement and Marriage of Princess Louise The Baccarat Case—Birth of Lady Alexandra Duff—The King's Fiftieth Birthday—Illness of Prince George The Duke of Clarence and Avondale Chapter XVII. The Housing of the Working Classes—Marriage of Prince George—The Diamond Jubilee—Death of the Duchess of Teck Later Years—A Serious Accident to the King—Gradual Recovery—The Attempt on the King's Life The King as a Country Squire The King in London The King and State Policy The King and the Services The King and Freemasonry The King as a Philanthropist The King as a Sportsman Death of Queen Victoria—The King's Accession