The Princess of Scotland

by Alison Weir Book 5.5 in the Six Tudor Queens series.

First published 2020

Amazon

3.6(303)

Margaret Douglas, daughter of Margaret Tudor and niece of Henry VIII, grows up close enough to the succession to make every relationship political. Her secret love for Lord Thomas Howard provokes the king’s fury and imprisonment, while conflict between her parents leaves her divided between Scotland and England. The story follows a royal woman whose marriage choices are treated as matters of state.

Margaret's closeness to the Tudor succession means that affection can never remain entirely private. Henry VIII treats an unsanctioned engagement as a political threat because marriage could create another dynastic interest around his niece. The novel follows a woman repeatedly caught between English and Scottish identities while learning that royal blood gives her importance without giving her freedom.

Historical Periods

Reign of Henry VIII1509–1547 CE Scottish Reformation and Siege of Leith1559–1560 CE

Genres

Biographical Fiction Dynastic & Royal Fiction Romance

Historical people

Henry VIII1491–1547 Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox1515–1578 Margaret Tudor1489–1541 James V1512–1542 Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus1489–1557 Lord Thomas Howard1511–1537