The British Monarchy in Fiction

With all of the talk about the royal baby over the last week, I was reminded that I've been meaning to look for some books on the history of England and more specifically, British monarchs. Here is a list of popular novels about some of the more notorious British monarchs and their place in history.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

A stylistically complex and detailed look into the life and times of Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII in the 1520s, in particular the events leading up to the King's marriage to Anne Boleyn and the role Cromwell played in those events. If you like Wolf Hall, you might want to read the sequel Bring Up the Bodies.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

A fictional portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the great-niece of Henry VIII, follows her turbulent life against the backdrop of Tudor power politics and religious upheaval, from her youth, to her nine-day reign as Queen of England, to its tragic aftermath.

The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

A vivid fictional portrait of the tumultuous early life of Queen Elizabeth I describes her perilous path to the throne of England and the scandal, political intrigues, and religious turmoil she confronted along the way, from the deaths of her parents, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, to the fanaticism of her sister, Mary I.

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

The first in the popular series of historical novels feature the consorts and descendants of King Henry VIII, as well as the king himself, in their romantic and political pursuits in the Tudor court.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII With Notes By His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

When Henry VIII becomes king, he is handsome and trusting, but the king's jester, Will, watches him become cruel and suspicious, as people try to control him.

Other authors to check out for British Royalty fiction: Jean Plaidy, Ford Maddox Ford, Sharon Kay Penman