1. The Murder in the Tower
At the court of James I, Frances Howard is determined to escape an unhappy marriage and secure a future with Robert Carr, the king’s influential favourite. Her efforts draw powerful families, lawyers and courtiers into a struggle over annulment, patronage and access to the monarch, where…
2. The Wandering Prince
After the Royalist defeat, Charles Stuart lives in exile and searches the courts of Europe for the money, soldiers and diplomatic support needed to recover the English throne. France, the Spanish Netherlands and the Dutch Republic offer temporary refuge, but each alliance is shaped by interests…
3. A Health Unto His Majesty
Returning to England after years of exile, Charles II inherits a kingdom exhausted by civil war and political division. He must manage an uneasy Parliament, religious conflict and the expectations surrounding the restored monarchy while his marriage to Catherine of Braganza and relationships with influential mistresses…
4. Here Lies Our Sovereign Lord
As Charles II enters the closing years of his reign, questions over the succession overshadow the stability he has worked to restore. The ambitions of the Duke of Monmouth, fears surrounding his Catholic brother James and growing political divisions threaten the future of the Stuart dynasty.…
5. The Haunted Sisters
The daughters of James II find themselves divided by revolution, religion and ambition as England abandons one king in favour of another. Mary supports her husband William of Orange, while Anne struggles between loyalty to her sister, devotion to her father and the influence of those…
5. The Three Crowns
When James II succeeds Charles II, his Catholic faith and determination to expand toleration bring him into conflict with political and religious interests that fear a permanent Catholic monarchy. The birth of a male heir intensifies that fear by removing the expectation that the Protestant Mary…
7. The Queen’s Favourites
As Queen Anne ascends the throne, real influence lies not with ministers but with the women who command the monarch's confidence. Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, appears unassailable until her quiet cousin Abigail Masham enters the royal household. Their bitter struggle for Anne's favour unfolds alongside…