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THE BRAND-NEW BOOK FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR LUCY WORSLEY: AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

‘What a glorious, glorious book, full of brilliant detail and behind-the-scenes wit and humour.’
KATE MOSSE

‘A history of the British monarchy that only Lucy Worsley could have written: as puckish as it is scholarly, and informed throughout by the experience of having actually lived in a palace.
TOM HOLLAND

‘Warm, insightful, and full of heart, Worsley has distilled a lifetime of experience into this crowning achievement of a book.’
HALLIE RUBENHOLD

When it comes to royal history, Lucy Worsley holds all the cards

Lucy Worsley has lived and breathed royal history for more than twenty years. As Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, she worked in some of Britain’s most famous royal sites, from Hampton Court to the Tower of London, and even lived in one of them herself. Now she takes us behind closed doors to reveal some of the monarchy’s best-kept secrets.

In Queens and Kings, Lucy brings to life the rulers who have shaped Britain over the last thousand years, from Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II. What emerges is a royal world far stranger, funnier and more surprising than we might think: of intimate love letters, phantom pregnancies, unruly pet monkeys and fatal betrayals. Venturing through haunted staircases and into private bedchambers, she finds the details that make history feel gloriously human.

With her trademark warmth and incisive scholarship, Lucy explores the full splendour, scandal and sorrow of royal life. The result is a wildly engaging history of the monarchy from one of our most beloved historians.

Publisher Review

What a glorious, glorious book, full of brilliant detail and behind-the-scenes wit and humour. Her scholarship, passion for her subject and deep knowledge is lightly worn – this is history writing at its best. So moreish, I read it in one glorious sitting. — KATE MOSSE A history of the British monarchy that only Lucy Worsley could have written: as puckish as it is scholarly, and informed throughout by the experience of having actually lived in a palace. — TOM HOLLAND Queens and Kings is history with a uniquely personal touch. Warm, insightful, and full of heart, Worsley has distilled a lifetime of experience into this crowning achievement of a book. — HALLIE RUBENHOLD Lucy Worsley is our National Treasure, the Jewel in our royal crown. In this delightful book she traces the story of our royal dynasties and relives her time at Hampton Court, Kensington Palace and the Tower of London. A real gem. — A.N. WILSON