Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.
Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York's daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife's train at her coronation.
Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.
In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history.
Reviews for The Red Queen
"“Nobody does the Tudors better than Gregory, so it should come as no surprise that her latest is confident, colorful, [and] convincing.…Like Margaret Beaufort, Gregory puts her many imitators to shame by dint of unequalled energy, focus, and unwavering execution." - Publisher's Weekly
"Sexy... scandalous…smart. All ye who are lamenting the ending of Showtime's The Tudors, this book will help." – Redbook magazine
"Gregory is a consummate historical author. In The Red Queen she paints a fascinating portrait of a… woman who is convinced of her divine right to rule England." - Historical Novels Review
"[Gregory] again brings insight to English history, recreating the power struggle between two of the nation's most notable women in a tale fresh for modern readers. There's no question that she is the best at what she does." - Associated Press / book review
Philippa Gregory was an established historian and writer when she discovered her interest in the Tudor period and wrote the novel The Other Boleyn Girl which was made into a tv drama, and a major film. Now, six novels later, she is looking at the family that preceded the Tudors: the magnificent Plantaganets, a family of complex rivalries, loves, and hatreds.
She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire where she keeps horses, hens and ducks. Visitors to her site, Philippa Gregory.com become addicted to the updates of historical research and the progress of ducklings.
Her other great interest is the charity that she founded nearly twenty years ago: Gardens for The Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for 140 wells in the primary schools of this very dry and poor African country, and thousands of school children have been able to learn market gardening in the school gardens watered by the wells. The charity also provides wells for womens' collective gardens and for The Gambia's only agricultural college at Njawara.
A past student of Sussex university, and a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh university, her love for history and commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing. She also reviews for the Washington Post, the LA Times, and for UK newspapers, and is a regular broadcaster on television, radio, and webcasts from this website, Philippa Gregory.com.
An Interview with Philippa Gregory
By Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio
HH: Philippa, thank you for talking with us at TRS! Please tell us about your featured book, The Red Queen.
PG:The Red Queen is the story of Margaret Beaufort, the founding mother of the House of Tudor whose influence and character extended far beyond her own lifetime
HH: Following the success of your six novel series on the Tudors, you're now writing about the Plantaganets. What interested you in writing about these incredible women?
PG: Since Margaret Beaufort is a Tudor I have a sense that these stories are all inter-connected. The years before the Tudor settlement of England were even more violent and uncertain than the Tudor reigns and so are a wonderful opportunity for an historical novelist.
HH: Your attention to historical detail is incredible and as a reader, I know I really appreciate that. What price for you comes with this personal care and attention?
PG: It takes far longer to research and write than if I were merely repeating the known historical record, but it is such a matter of interest and enjoyment for me that I could not call it a 'price'.
HH: Margaret is a complex character and definitely a product of her experiences and ambitions. What challenges were there for you in writing her story?
PG: Having previously written The White Queen the story of Elizabeth Woodville from the point of view of the House of York, I had to make a 180 degree turn in my sympathy and loyalty and believe that Margaret's claim was the one which should win. To do this I had to learn to love Margaret and the way to do that was through her childhood so I felt that I really understood what had gone into the making of this determined and ambitious woman.
HH: What can you tell us about The White Queen?
PG: The White Queen is the title I gave to my first book on the Plantagenets which is about Elizabeth Woodville. Hers was quite a fairy-tale story, she met the young Edward IV in secret and married him for love. After that her life gets rather realistic and gritty, she was the mother of the princes who disappeared from the Tower of London and she had to fight for the safety of herself and her remaining children. She's a wonderfully inspirational woman.
HH: What's next in your series of stories on the Plantaganets?
PG: Elizabeth Woodville's mother Jacquetta, a woman accused of witchcraft who married one man at the command of her family and another for love and dominated the reigns of two kings and a regent. Almost ignored by history, I am writing a non-fiction book about her to accompany the novel because nobody knows anything about her.
HH: What can you tell us about the Gardens of Gambia?
PG: The Gardens of The Gambia is a charity which I founded more than twenty years ago. It has to be one of the smallest charities in the world - it is me in the UK raising money and in The Gambia it is Ismaila Sisay a Gambian headmaster. We put wells in the school yards of small primary schools so the children can have water to drink during the day and grow their own vegetables for their lunch. It has grown to be the biggest well digger in The Gambia, more than 140 wells to date and thousands of children have benefited from our work. Please help me with this great little project and go to my site Philippa Gregory.com and see more about it.
HH: After great success as a best-selling author, what do you still enjoy about writing?
PG: Success is nice of course, but research and writing are a daily pleasure and joy that I would do even if I were not published.
HH: What is your happiest moment as an author to this point?
PG: It's always great when I finish a book and know that, although it is not as I planned, and not quite as I wanted, it is the best I can do this year, and it is better at least in some ways from all my previous work as I am learning as I write.
HH: What do you do to get away from it all and relax?
PG: I am so pleased to say that my writing is such a joy that I don't get away from it, I always take it with me when I travel. We have a small shared villa in Nice and I love to go there when it gets cold and dark in England and have some azure sea and bright skies
