Book Lists

This book is not a history of England during the troubled reigns of Edward VI, Jane Grey, Mary I and Elizabeth I, but a chronicle of the personal lives of four English sovereigns, and the relationships between them, during the period 1547 to 1558. When Henry VIII died in 1547, he left three highly intelligent children to succeed him in turn--Edward, Mary and Elizabeth, to be followed, if their lines failed, by the descendants of his sister Mary Tudor, one of whom was the ill-fated nine-days queen, Lady Jane Grey.

Traces the family histories and controversies that have marked the lives of Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duchess of Cambridge to illuminate their stark differences, their remarkable similarities, and their roles in an evolving monarchy.

Prince William and Kate Middleton defied all odds to forge a storybook romance amide the scandals, power struggles, tragedies, and general dysfunction that are the hallmarks of Britain's Royal Family.

In a rich and riveting narrative, Jane Dunn reveals the extraordinary rivalry between the regal cousins. It is the story of two queens ruling on one island, each with a claim to the throne of England, each embodying dramatically opposing qualities of character, ideals of womanliness (and views of sexuality) and divinely ordained kingship.

A fascinating, revisionist look at 16th century English politics (both public and private), examining the lives of Henry VIII's six wives as active personalities rather than merely as seductresses, unattractive hags, or ciphers.

Traces the 1560 death of Robert Dudley's wife and the ensuing scandal and inquest that threatened Elizabeth I's throne, in an account that draws on recently discovered forensic evidence to reveal what probably occurred.

The tempestuous love affair between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn scandalized Christendom and altered forever the religious landscape of England. Acclaimed historian and bestselling author Alison Weir draws on myriad sources from the Tudor era to examine, in unprecedented depth, the gripping, dark, and chilling story of Anne Boleyn's final days.

Presents a reconstruction of the eighteenth-century empress's life that covers her efforts to engage Russia in the cultural life of Europe, her creation of the Hermitage, and her numerous scandal-free romantic affairs.

An account of the life of the English monarch offers insight into the passionate and sensuous aspects of her character, placing her reign against a backdrop of dynamic world events while sharing insights into her relationship with Albert and her pivotal role in building the British empire.