How does Victoria handle her rise to power at the age of eighteen? How do you think you might have handled it? If you have children of your own, how do you think they would have handled that kind of power?

Daisy Goodwin was inspired to tell this story by Queen Victoria's diaries. "How handsome Albert looks in his white cashmere breeches," the young queen wrote in 1839. Daisy suddenly found herself imagining what it would be like if her own teenage daughter became the most powerful woman in the world overnight. How does Victoria handle her rise to power at the age of eighteen? How do you think you might have handled it? If you have children of your own, how do you think they would have handled that kind of power?

I think Victoria did wonderfully. Of course glad she had Melbourne to advise her. Sorry she fell in love with him! At eighteen I was excited to go to the university of my chose and be an English lit major. No way could I have ruled England or any country! I raised two intelligent boys. Perhaps my first born could have done okay! I am on vacation will continue to join the discussion next Monday.

My reasoning: Because there wasn't a long childhood in the earlier 1800s, the maturity required to become an adult resulted before the usual time of the last few generations. So it seems to me that having been groomed with her status as a potential royal, along with her coming of age, would have been a given for her success in handling her power.

Admirably, considering the entire scenario. I don't think it would be possible to even muse about whether our children could step into such a situation. Even if you are not educated for the job, you still live in that environment and simply by osmosis if nothing else, absorb the trappings and weight of what a royal goes through on the road to ruling. So even if you are not specifically trained to be the incoming King/Queen, you still would have more of an idea of what to expect than my daughter. On the other hand, I think my daughter was far more worldly in her dealings with cultures, people and knowledge than any of the royals would ever be because of their limited contact with the outside world.

Is it possible to consider Victoria's sheltered upbringing by Conroy & her mother as an asset in how she was able accept her duties? Although her education was limited & contact with the outside world severely limited she seemed to have had an innate intelligence & common sense. Perhaps her time away from palace intrigues & time for introspection by being alone so much was helpful in dealing with the responsibilities that come with power.

Victoria showed great wisdom at times and yet she absolutely showed the emotions and actions of a typical teenager. Lord Melbourne tempered many of her young instincts. He was very wise in his handling of the young monarch. I don't think any 18 year old is equipped to be in that position of power.

In some respects I think Victoria acted wise and from the book's narration we can see that she is devoted to her country and wants to be liked by her people. But at the same time I couldn't help but feel that Victoria thought of herself first and her country second in almost every situation she encounters and I thought that was fairly immature of her. Possibly not immature is the right word but definitely not what I would have expected from a woman truly devoted to her people.

Overall I was impressed with how she handled herself. As others have said, she was 18 and had led an extremely sheltered life. I had just finished watching The Crown and was comparing Victoria with Elizabeth which was probably not a fair comparison.

For the most part I was quite impressed with how she handled herself. It's hard to imagine being thrown into that situation at the age of 18. On top of that, she had led an extremely sheltered life. Maybe sheltered isn't even the right term. I suspect much of royalty at a young age is sheltered. She had been smothered.

For the most part I was quite impressed with how she handled herself. It's hard to imagine being thrown into that situation at the age of 18. On top of that, she had led an extremely sheltered life. Maybe sheltered isn't even the right term. I suspect much of royalty at a young age is sheltered. She had been smothered.

It is likely that from birth, each day is a "training day" for anyone born into the royal family. Certainly, when one might become king/queen, the training day probably never ends. I would suspect that William's young son already has more knowledge of the introductory steps of protocol than almost any teenager growing up in the United States. Why would a US teen need the information? On the other hand, any child of royalty would be sunk without understanding all the ins and outs. I am sure the art of being a royal is a 24/7 training period throughout childhood and young adulthood. Imagine the burden that must place on every child of royalty as he/she grows. It is a wonder any of them is able to come through it all. I am glad that is not my life.

After reading the book and viewing the first two PBS episodes of Victoria I am still not understanding how she became such an assertive and self-assured woman at such a young age. Her sheltered upbringing by both her Mother and John Conway would seem to lead her to be a shy and non-assertive young lady. I have just started to read Julia Baird's new book Victoria: The Queen in the hope of gaining a greater understanding of her personality in her early years.

I think she handled it very well considering her sheltered upbringing. Melbourne helped her a lot. He probably would not have helped her if she had not impressed him. I would not have been able to be a Queen at 18. I agree that a U.S. teen would never know as much protocol as small children in the royal family already know. My children at 18 would have done worse then I would. They were very immature at 18. They would have enjoyed having power but they would have misused it.

Having a royal heritage undoubtedly was instrumental in Victoria's ability to assume the power of the throne at her young age. By the same token, a U.S. teen would be completely unsuited to such a role, with no knowledge of the "rules of conduct" that are inculcated into a child of royal heritage. There would be a very steep learning curve for a U.S. teen.