Michael Nelson
Already the book’s introduction gives an amazing insight into the extensive research Michael undertook to produce such a detailed manuscript. With the gracious permission of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, much original work was done at the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, which enabled him access to Queen Victoria’s very own journals. Further research was carried out onsite in Menton, Nice and, of course, Cimiez.
Greatly impressed by his book and his thorough research, we endeavoured to meet with him and, much to our delight, discovered that he lived, part of the year, close-by in the charming village of Opio. The other six months Michael lives in Notting Hill, London. An interview date was arranged and we duly set off to find out more about this dedicated author.
Our first question to him was of course ‘What prompted you to write the book?’ Like so many things in life, it turned out to be a chance observation. As an historian of Queen Victoria, it was only too natural for him to keep an eye out for anything relating to this fascinating monarch. So it seemed odd to him that while brochures, leaflets and a number of books mentioned the Queen and her visits to the French Riviera, it was all rather fleeting and piecemeal. His curiosity thus piqued, he decided to scratch below the surface and see what he could find. While France certainly held the key to many things, it was his many long hours and painstaking research at the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle that was to be the turning point to his quest - and the trigger to write the book.
His research and consequent reading of her journals made him discover a side to Queen Victoria that was unexpected. Turning the pages, he uncovered not the rigid and austere monarch she was often portrayed as, but a woman still very much young at heart who delighted in the simple things in life, who was fun and quite human both in words and deeds. And he has captured her in this very essence through the bias of his book as she discovers the French Riviera, its people and wonderful climate.
While his book certainly required serious thought, total dedication and a strict discipline, Michael Nelson the man is a relaxed, kind and very enjoyable person to talk to. Born near London in 1929, he was educated at Latymer Upper School (London) and Magdalen College (Oxford) where he read Modern History. He joined Reuters, the international news organisation, in 1952 and became General Manager from 1976 to 1989 and Chairman of Visnews, now Reuters TV. His knowledge and experience there led him to write his first book entitled “War of the Black Heavens: The Battles of Western Broadcasting in the Cold War” with a foreword by Lech Walesa and published in 1997 by Syracuse University Press and Brasseys, London 1997.
We think that, like us, you will equally enjoy his original and well-documented book as you follow in the footsteps of Queen Victoria. You'll uncover not just an enchanting and delightful monarch, but also a different Nice, one that, due to her presence, affirmed and strengthened the Riviera's role as the leading holiday centre for the British, for other Europeans and the peoples of the Americas. She was to show the world that the Riviera was not just a place for convalescence, but also for holidays.
You can read an extract from Michael Nelson's book “Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera” by clicking HERE. Presently in hard-back format, the book is published by I.B Tauris Publishers (London/New York) and has a foreword by Asa Briggs.
Michael Nelson also has a website which you may wish to visit. To do so click HERE.
