Carrying on with Women’s History Month (here in Canada), all of my Book Bite posts this month will be on books written by women! I typically do focus on sharing female-authored books but all of the books I recommend for October will be in this category. And I am very excited to share a book from one of my favourite authors, on one of my favourite subjects. Lucy Worsley is a great asset for those interested in public history- she makes history so accessible and engaging, anyone can enjoy her books with any amount of knowledge. And her new book is a fantastic blend of history and memoir that makes for a very unique take (given her own experiences). Let’s get into Queens and Kings by Lucy Worsley!
Queens and Kings: An Unusually Personal History, Lucy Worsley
No one has lived and breathed the monarchy quite like Lucy Worsley. For over twenty years, she worked as Chief Curator in some of Britain’s most splendid palaces—and now she is ready to throw open the doors and welcome us in.
In Queens and Kings, Lucy takes us on a journey through some of our most turbulent and significant moments in history. From the Council Chamber in which Henry VIII decided to break from the pope to lunch with the late Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, from encounters with the Tower of London’s Ravenmaster to the depths of Queen Victoria’s wardrobe, Lucy shares how she grew to know the queens and kings, courtiers and servants who lived in these buildings over the centuries.
She traces their footsteps through the corridors and cloisters, the courtyards and kitchens and breathes new life into moments of great joy and consequence‚ as well as tales of intrigue which lurked in the shadows of regal splendor. Packed with new stories told from unexplored places, this is a fresh history of the monarchy.
Why You Should Read This….
I grabbed the audiobook of this book as soon as it was released, and I have to say, I am exceptionally glad I did. This isn’t a straight group biography, though it seems like it might be on the front of it. However, it is more a collection of Lucy’s thoughts on each monarch, as well as their family, woven together with her experiences and knowledge. Part history, part memoir, it is fascinating. And as this has been a fairly difficult time for me, escaping into Lucy’s memories for an hour or so a day has been a lovely mental break. (I have even gone to the effort of pacing myself so that I didn’t burn through it.) Also, a MASSIVE shout out for the title being Queens and Kings, with our Queens taking the prime spot.
I really appreciated that she talked about living and working at the various palaces, it makes for a very interesting listen*. There is so much going on at Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, and the other HRP properties that we as individual visitors don’t really get to see, and it really does add to the book. And I will say, as someone who has visited the Tower of London twice, Hampton Court and Banqueting House once, and Kensington Palace… too many times… I loved getting a “behind the scenes” look at the palaces, in addition to learning more about the monarch’s time living there.
If you are at all partial to an audiobook, I would highly recommend doing the audiobook in this case. Worsley narrates it herself, and it makes such a difference given that it is her own memories. I also think that given her extensive presenting experience, she just gets how to narrate an audiobook.
Have you read Queens and Kings by Lucy Worsley?
Cheers,
The Historian
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