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Opinion

The King’s Curse: your 90 second summer reading review

The King’s Curse is quite simply an epic read and Philippa Gregory, author of the acclaimed The Cousins War series, tells the story of deposed royal, Margaret Pole, quite spectacularly.

Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury.

Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury.

Margaret Pole is the daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, who in turn was the brother of two Plantagenet Kings, Edward IV and Richard III. She is also the cousin of Queen Elizabeth, wife of King Henry VII, the first Tudor king and is regarded as a threat to the volatile claim to the throne of King Henry.

The King’s Curse tells the story of how Margaret’s life changes after Arthur, Prince of Wales marries Katherine of Aragon, and she becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the young royal couple. Following the death of Arthur and Katherine of Aragon’s betrothal to the young King Henry VIII, Margaret Pole becomes a dear friend and chief Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Katherine. She watches as the Spanish princess dominates her husband, though she also witnesses the devastating fall of Katherine of Aragon.

As the Tudor court becomes ever more tyrannical, and the King becomes even more brutal. Margaret Pole has to decide whether her allegiance is to the paranoid King Henry VIII or his exiled Queen and to the religion she lives for or the theology of the King and his twisted advisors.

As Margaret Pole carries the knowledge of a curse that was cast upon the Tudor line, and what is slowly coming true, she has to find her way in this new world. She makes decisions that will not only protect her but also her Plantagenet descendants, who, she hopes, will one day be restored to their rightful place, the English throne.

In The King’s Curse, Philippa Gregory retains her place as Queen of historical fiction and one is sure that her latest release ‘The Taming of The Queen’ will be just as enthralling and thought provoking, if not more!

Photo Credit: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons