Royalty

The Personal Diaries and Albums of Louisa, Lady in Waiting to Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra, illustrations mostly from b&w photographs with occasional colour reproductions of paintings and sketches, reproductions of contemporary documents, text introduction to each section, 216 pp, blue boards in d/w, d/w slightly rubbed at top front corner, rear cover of d/w slightly crinkled and faded, possibly from damp (though the book itself is unaffected), Jonathan Cape 1979

25.5 x 25.4 cm, 1180g, ISBN 0 22401 712 8

Louisa was the Countess of Antrim – her father was Private Secretary to Prince Albert and later Queen Victoria, and her grandfather was Earl Grey, Prime Minister when the great Reform Act was passed in 1832.  She kept a diary assiduously, and also kept all the official invitations, passes and commemorative documents she was given, many of which are reproduced here.  See also the description (below) from the dustwrapper flaps.

The book is printed on white paper, which is first printed with cream ink to give a sepia tone to the photographs.  On a very few pages the cream ink has not taken properly and has left small white patches, though none of the photographs appear to be affected.