Book
Once a Queen
Ælfthryth, widow of King Edgar and mother of Æthelred, has survived the violent politics of tenth-century England and secured the crown for her son after the murder of his half-brother Edward. Yet becoming queen mother does not give her the authority she expected. Æthelred resents the role she played in shaping his succession, while suspicion surrounding Edward’s death continues to shadow her reputation.
Restored to court and charged with helping to raise the next generation of the royal family, Ælfthryth must negotiate a position in which influence is real but rarely secure. The novel presents her later life through family tensions, dynastic calculation and the changing demands placed on a royal widow. It also explores how a woman who once fought to determine the succession must adapt when power passes decisively to her adult son.
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