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Arthur: Prince of the Roses by bestselling historian Alison Weir is an e-short and companion piece to her stunning novel, Katherine of Aragon, the first in a spellbinding six-novel series about Henry VIII’s Queens. Fans of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick will love this insight into the story of this ill-fated Tudor prince.
‘You are the first prince of my line, the Tudor line.’
Arthur, the first Tudor prince, is raised to believe that he will inherit a kingdom destined to be his through an ancient royal bloodline. He is the second Arthur, named for the legendary hero-king of Camelot.
To be a worthy ruler, he must excel at everything – and show no weakness. But Arthur is not strong, and the hopes of England weigh heavy on his slight shoulders. And, all the while, his little brother Harry, the favoured, golden son, is waiting in the wings.
Praise for Alison Weir and Katherine of Aragon:
‘A tender understanding of and genuine sympathy for this proud, much-loved and honourable Queen. . . I was gripped [from] start to finish‘ Mavis Cheek
‘Well-researched and engrossing’ Good Housekeeping
‘Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating historical figure. Yet her real gift in all of this is making it feel so fresh and alive‘ Earl Spencer
‘This exquisite book charts the rise and fall of Henry VIII’s first wife, Katherine. . . A fascinating insight into this period of our history. Weir’s undeniable strength is her immaculate description, enabling the reader to be transported back to Tudor England’ Sun
‘Weir manages to untangle the complex web of 16th-century politics, shown through Katherine’s duties as ambassador, and her astute reading of the games being played. This adds greatly to the heft of the character, demonstrating what a competent woman she was becoming’ Herald Scotland
‘Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen is a true tour de force. Finely crafted, this novel is wonderful historical fiction and an outstanding introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series’ Queen Anne Boleyn Blog
‘Known for bestselling historical biographies, Alison Weir is in command of her detail . . . her handling of Katherine’s misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching’ Elizabeth Buchan, Daily Mail
‘You are the first prince of my line, the Tudor line.’
Arthur, the first Tudor prince, is raised to believe that he will inherit a kingdom destined to be his through an ancient royal bloodline. He is the second Arthur, named for the legendary hero-king of Camelot.
To be a worthy ruler, he must excel at everything – and show no weakness. But Arthur is not strong, and the hopes of England weigh heavy on his slight shoulders. And, all the while, his little brother Harry, the favoured, golden son, is waiting in the wings.
Praise for Alison Weir and Katherine of Aragon:
‘A tender understanding of and genuine sympathy for this proud, much-loved and honourable Queen. . . I was gripped [from] start to finish‘ Mavis Cheek
‘Well-researched and engrossing’ Good Housekeeping
‘Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating historical figure. Yet her real gift in all of this is making it feel so fresh and alive‘ Earl Spencer
‘This exquisite book charts the rise and fall of Henry VIII’s first wife, Katherine. . . A fascinating insight into this period of our history. Weir’s undeniable strength is her immaculate description, enabling the reader to be transported back to Tudor England’ Sun
‘Weir manages to untangle the complex web of 16th-century politics, shown through Katherine’s duties as ambassador, and her astute reading of the games being played. This adds greatly to the heft of the character, demonstrating what a competent woman she was becoming’ Herald Scotland
‘Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen is a true tour de force. Finely crafted, this novel is wonderful historical fiction and an outstanding introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series’ Queen Anne Boleyn Blog
‘Known for bestselling historical biographies, Alison Weir is in command of her detail . . . her handling of Katherine’s misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching’ Elizabeth Buchan, Daily Mail
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Reviews
In this, the first novel of the Six Tudor Queens series, Alison Weir brings Katherine of Aragon dazzlingly to life. Based upon extensive new research, it is a portrayal that shatters the many myths about Henry VIII's long-suffering first wife. Far from being the one-dimensional victim of history, she emerges as a charismatic, indomitable and courageous heroine whose story never fails to enthral
A tender understanding of and genuine sympathy for this proud, much-loved and honourable Queen... I was gripped [from] start to finish
Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life
Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating historical figure. Yet her real gift in all of this is making it feel so fresh and alive
This exquisite book charts the rise and fall of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine . . . A fascinating insight into this period of our history. Weir's undeniable strength is her immaculate description, enabling the reader to be transported back to Tudor England
Weir manages to untangle the complex web of 16th-century politics, shown through Katherine's duties as ambassador, and her astute reading of the games being played. This adds greatly to the heft of the character, demonstrating what a competent woman she was becoming
Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen is a true tour de force. Finely crafted, this novel is wonderful historical fiction and an outstanding introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series
Alison Weir clearly admires her heroine . . . meticulously researched
A majestic book! ... I felt every one of [Katherine's] emotions: her joy, her heart-wrenching despair and the passionate loyalty she shows to Henry. The bravery she displays is incredible and she must have been one hell of a Queen. It is beautifully written and captivating with so much attention to detail, that the Tudor court came alive in every sense
Captivating. . . The way that Katherine comes alive on the page is credit to the author who has such a breadth of knowledge about this Tudor period that it's a real pleasure to read her fictional work
This well-researched and engrossing read gives a new perspective on the long-suffering first wife
Known for bestselling historical biographies, Alison Weir is in command of her detail . . . her handling of Katherine's misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching
The authentic voice of Katherine rings true throughout. It is a study of a woman who inspires admiration as well as sympathy . . . a fitting tribute to a queen who was unduly wronged by history
This ambitious, engrossing novel tells Katherine's story from that moment, through her brief and controversial marriage to Prince Arthur and then to his brother, the handsome, gallant Henry VIII . . . Fascinating
Alison ensures that we not only come away knowing more of the real Katherine, we understand more of how it felt to be her. . . The author really enables us to feel the claustrophobia and paranoia as Katherine tries to make decisions for her day to day life on snippets of news from her advisors - advisors she begins to realise may not be telling her the truth
Alison Weir brings Henry VIII's first queen to life, revealing a strong, spirited and intelligent woman fighting for her rights and those of her daughter
Weir's opening foray into the life of Katherine of Aragon presents Henry's first and most enduring marriage from a refreshingly new and utterly gripping perspective