Richard II, son of the Black Prince, had a dramatic and contentious kingship. At fourteen he faced down the ringleaders of the Peasant Revolt of 1381; only to reach the nadir of his royal authority in 1388 with the Merciless Parliament. Yet in only a decade, his rule was being referred to as 'the tyranny'. This collection of essays by leading historians aims to re-evaluate the frequently biased evidence and create a rounded portrait of this fascinating and much maligned figure.

This book intervenes in debates over the significance of Diana, Princess of Wales by offering a critical account of her media iconicity from 1981 to the present. It outlines the historical development of representations of Diana, analysing the ways in which the Princess has been understood via discourses of gender, sexuality, race, economic class, the royal, national identity, and the human. The book then goes on to assess the issues at stake in debates over the 'meaning' of Diana, such as the gender politics of cultural icon-making and deconstruction, and conflicting notions of cultural value.

Chosen as a Book of the Year in The Times and the Daily Mail 'Highly entertaining' Sunday Times 'Enthralling' Daily Telegraph For more than six decades, Queen Victoria ruled a great Empire at the height of its power. Beside her for more than twenty of those years was the love of her life, her trusted husband and father of their nine children, Prince Albert. But while Victoria is seen as the embodiment of her time, it was Prince Albert, A. N. Wilson expertly argues, who was at the vanguard of Victorian Britain's transformation as a vibrant and extraordinary centre of political, technological, scientific and intellectual advancement. A composer, engineer, soldier, politician, linguist and bibliophile, Prince Albert, more than any other royal, was truly a 'genius'.

The official biography of Queen Mary, grandmother of the current Queen, originally commissioned in 1959 - with a new foreword by Hugo Vickers. When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a Queen Consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press. Long out of print, this new edition of Queen Mary will be accompanied by a new foreword from royal biographer and writer Hugo Vickers.

This perceptive and innovative study of one of the most visible and powerful women in European history offers an unusual focus: Queen Elizabeth I's difficulty in constructing her power in a patriarchal society. Through the examination of three crises of allegorical representation in her reign this study traces by literary and historical means the queen's struggle to retain control over the iconography of both her physical self and her political domain.

This meticulously researched book presents a vivid portrait of King Juan Carlos from his awkward years as Franco's chosen successor as the Head of State of an authoritarian regime to his achievements in promoting and defending the new democracy after Franco's death in 1975. Few modern kings have played so important a role. Dr Powell's biography is therefore essential reading if we are to understand contemporary Spain.' - Sir Raymond Carr;Widely acknowledged as a key figure in Spain's remarkable transition to democracy following General Franco's death in 1975, King Juan Carlos consolidated his reputation as a champion of democracy by aborting the attempted military coup of 23 February 1981. This political biography of the Spanish monarch sheds new light on his childhood, the process whereby he became Franco's successor in 1969, his subsequent contribution to his nation's democratization, and his role as constitutional monarch since 1978, both at home and abroad.

'Fresh, gripping and vivid' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'Majestically narrated' Dan Jones 'A portrait that chills you to the bone' Leanda de Lisle, The Times A dedicated brother and loyal stalwart to the Yorkist dynasty for most of his early life, Richard's personality was forged in the tribulation of exile and the brutality of combat. An ambitious nobleman and successful general with a loyal following, he could claim to have achieved every ambition in life except one: the crown. By stripping back the legends that surround England's most controversial king and returning to original manuscript evidence, Chris Skidmore's compelling biography reveals Richard III as contemporaries saw him.

England's Tudor monarchs--Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I--are perhaps the most celebrated and fascinating of all royal families in history. Their love affairs, their political triumphs, and their overturning of the religious order are the subject of countless works of popular scholarship. But for all we know about Henry's quest for male heirs, or Elizabeth's purported virginity, the private lives of the Tudors remain largely beyond our grasp. In The Private Lives of the Tudors, Tracy Borman delves deep behind the public face of the monarchs, showing us what their lives were like beyond the stage of court. Drawing on the accounts of those closest to them, Borman examines Tudor life in fine detail. What did the monarchs eat? What clothes did they wear, and how were they designed, bought, and cared for? How did they practice their faith? And in earthlier moments, who did they love, and how did they give birth to the all-important heirs? Delving into their education, upbringing, sexual lives, and into the kitchens, bathrooms, schoolrooms, and bedrooms of court, Borman charts out the course of the entire Tudor dynasty, surfacing new and fascinating insights into these celebrated figures.

Following a youth of poverty and bitter exile after his father's execution, the ousted king first challenged, then made his magnificent escape from, Cromwell's troops before he was eventually restored to his throne in triumph in 1660. Spanning his life both before and after the Restoration, Antonia Fraser's lively and fascinating biography captures all the vitality of the man and the expansiveness of the age.

TWO YOUNG MEN WITH EXPECTATIONS. ONE PREDICTED TO SUCCEED, THE OTHER TO FAIL. Prince Albert Victor, heir presumptive to the British throne, is seen as disastrously inadequate to be king. The grandson of Queen Victoria, he is good-hearted but intensely shy and, some whisper, even slow-witted. By contrast, Jem Stephen is a renowned intellectual, a poet and a golden boy worshipped by all. But a looming curse of mental instability is threatening to take it all away. Appointed as the prince's personal tutor, Jem works to prepare him for the duty to come. A friendship grows between them - one that will allow them to understand and finally accept who they really are, and change both of their lives forever. `A gilded cast of characters parades through this sumptuous tale. A clever mixture of history, psychology and sex.' - Alastair Stewart OBE, ITN anchor; `In sculpted, luscious prose Clark tenderly imagines the secret longing of a fated prince and the man who ruled his heart' - Uli Lenart, Attitude magazine; `This novel blends historical facts with a splash of imagination to create a magical portrait of the Queen's great-uncle.' - Hello magazine

For 270 years, the House of Braganza provided the kings and queens of Portugal. During a period of momentous change, from 1640 to 1910, this influential family helped to establish Portuguese independence from their powerful Spanish neighbours. They ruled the vast empire of Brazil from 1822 to 1889, successfully creating a unified nation and preventing the country from splitting into small warring states, and they saved the monarchy and government from total destruction by the marauding armies of Napoleon. In his fascinating reappraisal of the Braganza dynasty, Malyn Newitt traces the rise and fall of one of the world's most important royal families. He introduces us to a colourful cast of innovators, revolutionaries, villains, heroes and charlatans, from the absolutist Dom Miguel to the `Soldier King' Dom Pedro I, and recounts in vivid detail the major social, economic and political events that defined their rule. Featuring an extensive selection of artworks and photographs, Newitt offers a timely look at Britain's `oldest ally' and the role of monarchy in the early modern European world.

A remarkable re-creation of the life of K'ang-hsi, emperor of the Manchu dynasty from 1661-1772, assembled from documents that survived his reign. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.

The book takes us from Diana's troubled childhood, through her rushed and ultimately unhappy marriage to Prince Charles and the uneasy relationship with the Royal Family, to her last years of failed flings and untimely death. But it also highlights the depths of her care and compassion, her unshakeable love of family, her groundbreaking campaigns on AIDS and land mines and her cheeky, sometimes risque, sense of humour. Beautiful and vulnerable, and one of the most popular and most photographed public figures, she lived the whole of her adult life in the glare of an intense media spotlight yet managed to retain herdignity and identity. In this first ever comprehensive collection of Diana's most memorable quotes, veteran royal reporter Phil Dampier reveals the heart and soul of an incredible woman who is missed by millions around the world. Her powerful legacy lives on through her sons, Princes William and Harry, and a new generation is becoming aware her extraordinary life for the first time.

A "New York Times" Notable Book
In 1852, at age sixteen, Cixi was chosen as one of Emperor Xianfeng's numerous concubines. When he died in 1861, their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once launched a coup against her son's regents and placed herself as the true source of power--governing through a silk screen that separated her from her male officials.
Drawing on newly available sources, Jung Chang comprehensively overturns Cixi's reputation as a conservative despot. Cixi's extraordinary reign saw the birth of modern China. Under her, the ancient country attained industries, railways, electricity, and a military with up-to-date weaponry. She abolished foot-binding, inaugurated women's liberation, and embarked on a path to introduce voting rights. Packed with drama, this groundbreaking biography powerfully reforms our view of a crucial period in China's--and the world's--history.

When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, it sent shockwaves around the world. The longest reigning and oldest monarch, at ninety-six years of age, she had just publicly celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Queen's death meant the passing of the Crown to her son, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, her controversial, earnest, and outspoken heir, who had long lived in the shadow of her mystique.

King Charles III's own life has been marred by scandal and myth, but who is the real man behind the Crown? In this revelatory book, renowned royal correspondent and author Robert Jobson examines the life of our new King, and his passions, purpose, and motivations.

On the eve of his landmark coronation, Our King considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role.

*After the Battle of Hastings, King Harold's tattoos were used to identify his body. *Elizabeth of York was the model for the Queen in the first deck of cards. *Queen Victoria appears on the 1851 Census. She lists her occupation as 'the Queen'. *Henry VIII used a wheelchair and wore glasses.This fun little book, with 400 fantastic facts about British royal history and more than 100 illustrations, will delight fans of British history everywhere!

"The Swan King" is the biography of one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, described by Verlaine as 'the only true king of his century'. A man of wildly eccentric temperament and touched by a rare, imaginative genius, Ludwig II of Bavaria is remembered both for his patronage of Richard Wagner and for the fabulous palaces which he created as part of a dream-world to escape the responsibilities of state. In realization of his fantasies, he created a ferment of creativity among artists and craftsmen, while his neglect of Bavaria's political interests made powerful enemies among those critical of his self-indulgence and excesses. At the age of 40, declared insane in a plot to depose him, Ludwig died in mysterious circumstances.

Is obsession with the Royal Family in Britain a fact of culture or an illusion of media culture? What interest do the European media display in their royal families? Does twenty-first century monarchy remain a political and ideological force - or is it just an economic commodity? Media, Monarchy and Power provides a radical insight into the cultural and political functioning of royalty in five countries. Blain and O'Donnell examine the bonds between monarchies and their 'subjects' or 'citizens', and the relationships between royal families, the media, and nation-states. Numerous case-studies from press and television in Europe and the UK support a theoretical account of the operation of monarchy and royalty in the media. Central to the concerns of Media, Monarchy and Power are the complex relationship between Britain and Europe and the limits of British political modernization.

A superbly crafted and humane portrait of the final days of the last Romanovs - Nicholas II of Russia and his wife Alexandra. Complementing his Pulitzer prize-winning Peter the Great, in this commanding book Robert K. Massie sweeps readers back to the extraordinary world of imperial Russia to tell the story of the decline and fall of the ruling Romanov family: Tsar Nicholas II's political naivete; his wife Alexandra's obsession with the corrupt mystic Rasputin; and their son Alexis's battle with haemophilia. Against a lavish backdrop of luxury and intrigue, Massie unfolds a family tragedy played out on the brutal stage of early twentieth-century Russian history - the tale of a doomed empire and the death-marked royals who watched it crumble.

In Royal Sisters, Anne Edwards, author of the best-selling Vivien Leigh: A Biography and Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor, has written the first dual biography of Elizabeth, the princess who was to become Queen, and her younger sister, Margaret, who was to be her subject. From birth to maturity, they were the stuff of which dreams are made. "I'm three and you're four," the future Queen, then a child, imperiously informed her sister. The younger girl, not understanding this reference to their position in the succession, proudly countered, "No, you're not. I'm three, you're seven." The royal sisters had no choice in their historic positions, but behind the palace gates and within the all-too-human confines of their personalities, they displayed tremendous individuality and suffered the usual symptoms of sibling rivalry. Royal Sisters provides an unprecedented and intimate portrait of these most famous siblings during their formative and dramatic youthful years. It is also one of the twentieth century's most fascinating stories of sisterly loyalty. Edwards's book is an honest look at how the royal sisters feel toward each other, their parents, their close relations and the men whom they have loved. It openly discusses, with new insights and information, the romance of Elizabeth and Philip and the tragic aborted love affair between Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend, and it has a cast of characters ranging from the youthful sisters' suitors to Winston Churchill and the entire Royal Family. It is also the story of the making of a queen, of the high drama of her situation in the Townsend affair, of the real effect their uncle's abdication had on the sisters' lives, and of the internecine feuds that have brewed within the Royal Family since that time. Brought vividly to life through the many personal interviews of close royal associates, filled with new facts, previously unpublished anecdotes and photographs, Royal Sisters is a never-before-glimpsed look at the relationship of the Queen and Princess Margaret.

An authoritative life of Edward the Confessor, the monarch whose death sparked the invasion of 1066 "In putting flesh back on Edward's bones Licence has brought a new succession story to popular attention."-Leanda de Lisle, The Times "This fine biography of Edward the Confessor is both entertaining and elegiac."-Nicholas Vincent, The Tablet One of the last kings of Anglo-Saxon England, Edward the Confessor regained the throne for the House of Wessex and is the only English monarch to have been canonized. Often cast as a reluctant ruler, easily manipulated by his in-laws, he has been blamed for causing the invasion of 1066-the last successful conquest of England by a foreign power. Tom Licence navigates the contemporary webs of political deceit to present a strikingly different Edward. He was a compassionate man and conscientious ruler, whose reign marked an interval of peace and prosperity between periods of strife. More than any monarch before, he exploited the mystique of royalty to capture the hearts of his subjects. This compelling biography provides a much-needed reassessment of Edward's reign-calling into doubt the legitimacy of his successors and rewriting the ending of Anglo-Saxon England.