The medieval princess has often been portrayed as a pawn in the political machinations of her father or brother, married off to distant lands for the sake of peace, or land, or both. Never to be seen or thought of again.
But was that really her fate?
Princesses of the Later Middle Ages examines the lives and experiences of England’s princesses, from the treasured daughters of Henry III to the children of Edward IV, whose lives were turned upside down when they were declared illegitimate.
What we see is a very different story, where a foreign marriage does not mean eternal exile, but a purpose in life, where a princess is a diplomat, an ambassador for England in her new country. She is the bond between allies – most of the time.
Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets by Sharon Bennett Connolly is published on 30 August, 2026.
Read Sharon’s Historia feature, which looks at some of the princesses who appear in her book.
There’s much more new historical writing in our round-up of more than 180 books coming out in 2026.
