The Top 10 Royal Historical Novels

1) 'The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers' by Margaret George, 1998

George's mock autobiography is a massive read, one of those hefty tomes that just feels respectable in your hands. The book follows the entire life of the enigmatic king who married six women and executed two of them, a man who dismantled the Catholic church and neglected his daughters and coveted a son and beheaded some of his most loyal followers. The novel sheds light on some of Henry's most baffling decisions through George's clear insights. The narrative is interjected with impudent, hilarious commentary by Henry's fool, and the complete work is an absolute joy to read.

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2) 'The Constant Princess' by Philippa Gregory, 2006

Gregory is the undisputed queen of royal fiction, having written dozens of novels, each one intricately researched and beautifully realized. The Constant Princess is one of my favorites, as it illuminates one of history's most inscrutable figures. Katherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's first wife, the stoic Spanish monarch who stood her ground through humiliation and rejection as Henry made every effort to throw her over for Anne Boleyn. Gregory offers the iconic tale through the perspective of the silent queen, beginning with her life in Spain and ending with her days in exile.

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3) 'Elizabeth I' by Margaret George, 2011

George follows up her epic undertaking of Henry VIII with one of his youngest daughter, the Virgin Queen. Told from the point of view of Elizabeth's cousin Lettice Knollys, Elizabeth I follows the Tudor monarch through the days of her childhood, neglected by Henry after her mother was beheaded, until the years of her reign. A sharply written and keenly felt portrait of the fiery queen, George pulls no punches.

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4) 'The Forever Queen' by Helen Hollick, 2010

Hollick brings to life a lesser known queen, Emma of Normandy. Emma was Queen Consort of England twice, once by her marriage to the deliciously named Æthelred the Unready and then by her marriage to his usurper, the Viking King Cnut the Great. Hollick tackles the vast scope of the royal landscape at the turn of the first millennium and honors a brave and fiercely loyal female leader.

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5) 'Mirror Mirror' by Gregory Maguire, 2009

Maguire does his thing - unconventional retellings of traditional fairy tales - again with Mirror Mirror, this time telling the story of Snow White, the beautiful, hated step-daughter of...Lucrezia Borgia?! The wicked, poison-happy, possibly incestuous Borgias are one of the most fascinating families in history, and Maguire paints them with broad but deliciously juicy strokes as the villains in the beloved tale we know so well. As always, his language is rich and elegant and his characters are endlessly compelling.

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6) 'The Other Boleyn Girl' by Philippa Gregory, 2003

Gregory's most popular novel, turned into a movie starring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman as the Boleyn sisters, follows Anne's sister Mary, historically the first Boleyn to catch Henry's eye. Mary becomes Henry's mistress at the behest of her power-hungry uncle, but Henry soon loses interest after conquering her and turns his eye to the manipulative Anne. The novel is pure fun, a thrilling, sexy account of the life of a lady at court. 

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7) 'Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey' by Alison Weir, 2007

Weir is another highly esteemed royal novelist and non-fiction writer, and with her 2007 book, she tells the story of The Nine Days Queen, one of history's most hapless political pawns. Lady Jane Grey was the grand-niece of Henry VIII and the cousin of Edward VI. Edward nominated her to be his successor when he was on his death bed, and her ascension was promoted by detractors of Mary I, the fiercely Catholic daughter of Henry. After taking the crown, Mary's supporters quickly intervened, Mary claimed the throne and Jane was convicted of treason and executed. Weir's novel is strenuously researched and fully absorbing, giving an authentic voice to the intelligent but unlucky Jane. 

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8) 'The Canterbury Papers' by Judith Koll Healey, 2005

Healey gives us an account of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the wealthy and powerful Duchess who became Queen Consort of France and then England in the 1100s. Eleanor - cunning and manipulative - sends her ward Alais to retrieve a stack of incriminating letters hidden deep within the Canterbury Cathedral. Healey's novel is the first in the series following Alais as she battles with the challenges and triumphs inherent in being close to one of the most powerful women in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. 

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9) 'The Three Musketeers' by Alexandre Dumas, 1844

The first royal novel I ever loved, The Three Musketeers is a true classic. Dumas follows Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan as they engage in general derring-do in service of King Louis XIV. The (four, actually) musketeers combat assassination attempts, betrayal, romantic entanglements, and coup conspiracies with wit and panache. The novel's exciting and fun, an absolute riot. 

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10) 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel, 2010

This list is ordered alphabetically; if these books were numbered by quality, Wolf Hall would without a doubt be #1. The book tells the story, once again, of Henry VIII, but this time from the angle of Thomas Cromwell, his little understood advisor. Almost nothing is known of Cromwell's childhood or background, but Mantel weaves a richly textured portrait of the man who helped Henry abandon the Church, divorce one wife and execute another. The novel is razor sharp, gorgeously written and absolutely riveting. It's the first in a proposed trilogy; the sequel comes out next month and I simply cannot wait.

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