Henry Reeve, the son of a doctor, was born in Norwich on 9th September, 1813. After completing his education at Norwich School, he moved to Geneva where he wrote for several European periodicals.

Reeve returned to London in 1834 where he wrote for the Quarterly Review and the Metropolitan Magazine. In 1840 he joined The Times where he mainly wrote on foreign affairs. After a disagreement about an article on the royal family, Reeve became editor of the Edinburgh Review. A post he held for the next forty years.

Henry Reeve died on 21st October, 1895.