The Stolen Crown explodes the myth of a peaceful, approved succession from Elizabeth I to James VI of Scotland. As revelatory new research shows, history was literally re-written on the orders of James VI to hide the truth: Elizabeth went to her grave without formally naming an heir. And so James’s rule in England began […]
The House of Boleyn by Tracy Borman
When nobleman Thomas Boleyn, lord of Hever Castle, is called to London in 1509 to present himself to a newly-anointed King Henry VIII, he sets in train events that ensure the Boleyn name will never be forgotten. Years later, as Henry VIII relentlessly pursues Thomas’s daughter Anne Boleyn to be his queen, Hever Castle becomes […]
Christmas reading 2025 – historical books to give or to treat yourself to
We asked 12 well-loved authors to each suggest a couple of historical books to give, receive, or treat yourself to for Christmas 2025. There are ideas for history-reading children and teens as well. Newly-published or classics, fiction and non-fiction, their choices range from Ancient Rome to a history of Black British culture, via the Crusades, […]
The Stolen Crown by Tracy Borman
In March, 1603, Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, lies dying at Richmond Palace. The queen’s ministers cluster round her bedside, urging her to name her successor — something she has stubbornly resisted throughout her reign. Almost with her last breath she whispers that James VI of Scotland should succeed her. Or so we’ve […]
Holbein: The Ambassadors by Tracy Borman
Holbein’s The Ambassadors is one of the most famous paintings in the National Gallery. It is also one of the most intriguing. Laden with hidden symbols and mysteries, the work has been the subject of intense debate among historians during the five centuries since it was created. Tracy Borman’s book unpicks the secrets of this enigmatic artwork, […]
TV review: The Mirror and the Light
Tracy Borman is a historian and author. She’s also the biographer of Thomas Cromwell, the central figure in the BBC’s adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and the Light. We’re delighted that she’s reviewed the first programme in the series for us (and relieved that she found it lived up to her expectations). I am […]
Christmas reading 2023 – historical books to give or ask for
We asked 13 well-loved authors to each recommend a couple of historical books for Christmas 2023 to give, receive, or treat yourself with. There’s fiction and non-fiction, most published recently, with a few old favourites as well. We hope these suggestions help to inspire your Christmas reading. Tracy Borman Henry VIII: The Heart and the […]
Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I by Tracy Borman
Anne Boleyn is a subject of enduring fascination. By far the most famous of Henry VIII’s six wives, she has inspired books, documentaries and films, and is the subject of intense debate even today, almost 500 years after her violent death. For the most part, she is considered in the context of her relationship with […]