Recent Posts

In what year was Anne Boleyn born? Part 2

A summary of the arguments for 1507 The date of Anne Boleyn’s birth and the relative ages of her brother and sister have caused much debate over the years. There are two prominent schools of thought when it comes down to Anne’s DOB, circa 1501 and the other circa 1507. Last week I looked at the arguments for 1501 and now I would like to summarise the arguments for 1507. I would like to say a big thank you to Gareth Russell from Confessions of a Ci-Devant for his excellent article … [Read More...]

When did Anne Boleyn first appear in public with Henry VIII?

In early 1527, Anne Boleyn spent an extended period of time at Hever Castle. Her absence had caused Henry ‘greater heart-ache than the Angel [Gabriel?] or Scripture could express’ (Starkey, Pg. 284). Upon Anne’s return to Court it was clear that Henry would fulfil the vow he had made Anne and make her his ‘maitresse en titre’, his sole mistress. They were by now also contemplating how to elevate Anne to a much more important role – that of Queen of England. Anne Boleyn first appeared … [Read More...]

Easter and May Bank Holiday Fun with Historic Royal Palaces

A quick update on the upcoming Tudor events at the Historic Royal Palaces. Tudor Events A son and heir? Hampton Court Palace 22-25 April Expect merrymaking and celebrations on a grand scale as King Henry VIII waits to find out if at last he has been granted his dearest wish: a baby boy to succeed to the throne of England. Henry VIII’s Tudor Kitchens will be at full swing, preparing for the happy event. Costumed interpreters will bring the palace to life this Easter and there is … [Read More...]

A review of The Virgin Widow by Anne O’Brien

What separates the good from the great when it comes to historical fiction is the author’s ability to seamlessly weave fact and fiction whilst simultaneously transporting us back in time via an engrossing storyline and vibrant characters. Another important factor for me is the author’s ability to incite interest in the ‘real’ historical characters through their portrayal of the fictitious ones. Anne O’Brien’s The Virgin Widow checks all the boxes! Essentially, it is a historical … [Read More...]

In what year was Anne Boleyn born? Part 1

Part 1- 1501 The date of Anne Boleyn's birth and the relative ages of her brother and sister have caused much debate over the years. There are two prominent schools of thought when it comes down to Anne's DOB, circa 1501 and the other circa 1507. We have been having a very interesting discussion about this exact topic on the ‘Save Anne Boleyn’s Portrait’ Page and so in order to encourage further, respectful discussion I thought it might be a good idea to collect all the arguments for both … [Read More...]

Tudor Survivor: The Life and Times of Courtier William Paulet

I have just stumbled upon this book by Margaret Scard due to be published in April 2011. Here is a synopsis provided by The History Press: William Paulet was the sine qua non of the Tudor courtier. For an astonishing 46 years he served at the courts of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth and was one of the men responsible for introducing the changes in religious, economic and social issues which shaped England as we know it today. He was a judge at the trials of Fisher, More and the … [Read More...]

Natalie Dormer offers her support to help save Anne Boleyn’s portrait!

I am delighted to share with you that British actress Natalie Dormer, well known for her role as Anne Boleyn in Showtime's The Tudors, has pledged her support to the fundraising efforts for the restoration of Anne Boleyn's National Portrait Gallery portrait. Not only this but she is also delighted to endorse 'Save Anne Boleyn's Portrait' page on Facebook and has offered these kind words of encouragement: "It is imperative that we maintain this definitive portrait of Anne Boleyn … [Read More...]

A Queen’s Childhood

Today's addition is a guest post written by Maggie Secara author of 'A Compendium of Common Knowledge 1558-1603: Elizabethan Commonplaces for Writers, Actors and Re-enactors.' Maggie also runs Renaissance: The Elizabethan World, a fabulous website overflowing with information about life in Elizabeth's England. Maggie's post is essentially a compendium page focussing on some interesting facts about Elizabeth I's royal childhood. Enjoy! A Queen's Childhood by Maggie Secara She was a … [Read More...]

Exclusive interview with historian Suzannah Lipscomb

Dr Suzannah Lipscomb is a lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia. From February 2007 to August 2010 she was Research Curator at Hampton Court Palace and is now an External Consultant to Historic Royal Palaces. Suzannah has written and contributed to a number of publications including '1536: The Year that Changed Henry VIII'. You can download a full list of her publications here. Dr Lipscomb has also appeared on a number of television shows including BBC's … [Read More...]

Childhood Home of King Richard III- Middleham Castle

"King Richard, late mercifully reigning upon us.. was slain and murdered to the great heaviness of this city" (York City Council Books - entered the day after Bosworth) I have just finished reading a book about Anne Neville and Richard, Duke of Gloucester and so was inspired to find out more about a location connected to both these characters, Middleham Castle. The present day castle, in the county of North Yorkshire, was built by Robert Fitzrandolph and commenced in 1190 during … [Read More...]

Remembering Anne Boleyn

As On the Tudor Trail’s Facebook page nears 500 ‘likes’ I would like to celebrate this achievement and thank you all for your support and encouragement by giving away a copy of Eric Ives’ ‘The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn.’ This is by far the best biography available and no Anne Boleyn fan should be without it! With the anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s death fast approaching I thought it appropriate to celebrate and commemorate this great lady’s life by remembering her through poetry, music, … [Read More...]

Exclusive interview with Diane Haeger

I have just published my interview with Diane Haeger author of historical fiction. Diane's 12th novel, The Queen's Rival, is the third In the Court of Henry VIII series. It will be released on March 1, 2011 and is the untold story of King Henry VIII's first well-known mistress, Bessie Blount. From Diane's website: The book is based on the true, not often told story of Bess Blount, mother of Henry VIII’s only acknowledged natural son. Her inspirational story is one of a naïve young woman’s … [Read More...]