England in 1906

The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the start of a new century and the end of the Victorian era. The Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, from 1901 to 1910.

In the early years of the period, the second Boer War in South Africa split the country into anti and pro-war factions.

London society in the Edwardian era was dominated by the King. The legend that surrounds the era is primarily due to the nifluence of Edward VII. He was a man not only larger than life, but with an insatiable appetite for a wide variety of indulgences, from wine to women. While Queen Victoria had shunned society, Edward was the leader of a fashionable elite which set a style influenced by the art and fashions of continental Europe – perhaps because of the King’s fondness for travel. The Edwardian period is often regarded as a romantic ‘Golden Age’ of long summer afternoons, civilised garden parties and big hats.

The era was marked by significant shifts in politics as sections of society which had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past – such as women and common labourers – became increasingly politicised.

Image of soldiers fighting in the Boer War from the British Army website