The biographer Clare Mulley has been in the news recently for her success in obtaining an English Heritage blue plaque to commemorate wartime SOE agent Krystyna Skarbek, also known as Christine Granville, who was said to be ‘Churchill’s favourite spy.’ Krystyna was the subject of Clare’s bestselling 2012 biography The Spy Who Loved and Clare […]
Empress Alexandra by Melanie Clegg
When Queen Victoria’s second daughter Princess Alice married the Prince Louis of Hesse and Rhine in 1862 even her own mother described the ceremony as “more of a funeral than a wedding”, thanks to the fact that it took place shortly after the death of Alice’s beloved father Prince Albert. Sadly, the young princess’ misfortunes […]
Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II by Linda Porter
According to the great diarist, John Evelyn, Charles II was ‘addicted to women’, and throughout his long reign a great many succumbed to his charms. Clever, urbane and handsome, Charles presided over a hedonistic court, in which licence and licentiousness prevailed. Mistresses is the story of the women who shared Charles’s bed, each of whom wielded […]
Charles II’s last mistress
Linda Porter, author of Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II, writes about Hortense Mancini, the beautiful but unconventional niece of Cardinal Mazarin who became the king’s last mistress. Everyone knows that Charles II was an amorous king. The Restoration court was renowned for glamorous women parading their charms in the latest […]
Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior by Catherine Hanley
A life of Matilda: empress, skilled military leader, and one of the greatest figures of the English Middle Ages. Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown – the first woman ever to hold the position – and an able military general. This new biography explores […]
The Man Behind the Tudors by Kirsten Claiden-Yardley
Thomas Howard, second duke of Norfolk, lived a remarkable life spanning 80 years and the reigns of six kings. Among his descendants are his granddaughters, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and his great-granddaughter, Elizabeth I. The foundations of this dramatic and influential dynasty rest on Thomas’ shoulders, and it was his career that placed the […]
HWA Crown Awards 2019: the shortlists
The 18 books shortlisted for HWA Crown Awards in 2019 have been announced. The search is now on to find the winners in the three awards categories: Gold Crown, Sharpe Books Non-fiction Crown and Debut Crown. The shortlisted books are: HWA Gold Crown Award 2019 Little by Edward Carey (Aardvark Bureau) In Little, Edward Carey brings the […]
HWA Crown Awards 2019: the longlists!
Thirty-six outstanding history and historical fiction books enter the race for the top prizes in three categories as the 2019 HWA Crown Awards longlists are announced. The HWA Crown Awards are divided into three categories: the HWA Gold Crown; the HWA Non-Fiction Crown; and the HWA Debut Crown. The longlisted books are: The HWA Gold […]