In her introduction to this book, Jane Ridley says that she has tried to show a Bertie who was more able and more complex that the figure we know as Edward VII.
She points out that his bed hopping exploits were wildly exaggerated; his name was linked with fifty women and more than ten illegitimate children were chalked up to him though the true figures were more modest.
In order to show both sides of his life she said she has had to 'chip away at the patina of old anecdotes and peel back layers of hearsay which has been repeated so often that it has almost hardened into fact'.
It took a while but the author says 'like so many woman in the past, I have greatly enjoyed the years I have spent in the comany of HRH'.

And so have I.

A marvellous, fascinating and readable biography which I read solidly for three days and was enthralled by.
On my list of books of the year !

Bookreview:
http://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2012/12/bertie-a-life-of-edward-vii-jane-ridley.html