Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen: Six Tudor Queens 1

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You can read my blog, The Real Prince of the Roses, at http://hforhistory.co.uk/article/real-prince-roses-alison-weir/

King Henry VIII has proven to be an especially compelling figure for historical authors who have gone to great pains to bring his lusts and desires to life through the lens of both fiction and nonfiction. She becomes Henry’s sixth wife – a queen and trusted friend. But Katharine is hiding another secret in her heart, a deeply held faith that could see her burn… Six Tudor Queens: Writing a New Story is an introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series by eminent historian Alison Weir. The lives of Henry VIII’s queens make for dramatic stories that will offer insights into the real lives of the six wives based on extensive research and new theories that will captivate fans of Philippa Gregory and readers who lost their hearts (but not their heads) to the majestic world of Wolf Hall. Henry VIII’s third queen is dead, leaving the King’s only son without a mother and the country without a queen. And as preparations are being made for Queen Jane’s funeral, her stepdaughter, the Lady Mary, laments the country’s loss.In all the romancing, has anyone wondered what Anne Boleyn felt about being pursued by Henry VIII? Or that Prince Arthur, Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, cared so little for her that he willed his personal effects to his sister? Or that Henry VIII, an over-protected child and teenager, was prudish when it came to sex? That Jane Seymour, sometimes portrayed as the wife Henry loved best, was no milksop wench but had the makings of a matriarch?”

Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen did not disappoint. It is very apparent that Ms. Weir did her research through the utilization of real letters and testimonies from that time. There was so much detail that it was easy to be transported to that life. You could not help but take Katherine’s side. Since Anne Boleyn was made to be quite the villain in this novel, I can’t wait to see what her side of the story is in the next book. A long read, but well worth it." (San Francisco Book Review) The heir to the throne, Henry’s affections for Katherine are initially quite true and strong. And Katherine’s fondness for her king knows no measure. But then politics, tradition, and religion eventually come into the mix, threatening the foundation Katherine and Henry had built.Henry's first Queen emerges as an intelligent, resilient woman who demonstrated considerable political ability. Alison Weir is in command of her detail and her handling of Katherine's misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching." (Elizabeth Buchan, The Daily Mail) A detailed and convincing portrait of an extraordinary life… this series is a serious achievement’ THE TIMES Read my interview for Queen Anne Boleyn Historical Writers at http://queenanneboleyn.com/2016/05/05/qab-interview-with/ Alison Weir is the top-selling female historian (and the fifth best-selling historian overall) in the United Kingdom, and has sold over 2.7 million books worldwide. She has published seventeen history books, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Princes in the Tower, Elizabeth the Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry VIII: King and Court, Katherine Swynford, The Lady in the Tower and Elizabeth of York. Alison has also published five historical novels, including Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth. Her latest biography is The Lost Tudor Princess, about Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox. She is soon to publish Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen, the first in a series of novels about the wives of Henry VIII. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences and an Honorary Life Patron of Historic Royal Palaces, and is married with two adult children. Even though Katherine’s story is introduced and explored extensively in ‘Katherine of Aragon’, the first novel in the Six Tudor Queens series, she makes several appearances down the line.

I was to be chief mourner – I, for whom Queen Jane had done more than anyone. She could never have filled the shoes of my dear, sainted mother – no one could – but she had done her very best to restore me to my rightful place in my father’s affections, and for that I shall always be grateful. Six weeks from home across treacherous seas, everything is different: the language, the food, the weather. And for her there is no comfort in any of it. At sixteen years old, Catalina is alone among strangers. Anne Boleyn, Katherine’s lady-in-waiting and the woman who stole Henry’s heart, is the last straw. What should have been a glorious reign for the Spanish Princess ends in disaster when Henry turns on Katherine, stripping her of her title and her privileges, and eventually raising another woman to the position of Queen.Thanks to its sheer comprehensiveness and ambition,this six-book series looks likely to become a landmark in historical fiction." (The Times) Arthur’s death proved devastating for his parents – his mother would die the following year after giving birth to the child that was conceived of their grief - and for Katherine, who was now to endure seven years of penurious widowhood before being rescued by her knight in shining armour, Henry VIII. But that is another story. This brilliant series has brought Henry VIII’s six wives to life as never before. This novel will enthral and inspire, just as much as it will break your heart’ TRACY BORMAN