News

ALISON WEIR TOURS GO LIVE!

Thank you all for your patience. We have been delighted and overwhelmed by the response we have had to the announcement (below) on this website that Alison is launching her own historical tours company and will be developing and leading exclusive tours herself. You can now check out our new website www.alisonweirtours.com for more information, and those who are waiting to book for the Alison Weir's Tudor Treasures Tour (June 2011) can now go ahead and do so.

BOOK NEWS

Alison Weir's acclaimed third novel, Captive Queen (ISBN 978-0-345-51187-4, price $26.00) will be published on July 22nd, to coincide with her latest book tour of the United States.

In this book, “Alison Weir conjures up the world of the passionate and notorious twelfth-century queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine , the beautiful woman who abandoned her first husband, Louis VII of France , for a younger man, the future Henry II of England . Thus began one of the most tumultuous royal marriages in history, a marriage based on lust and a mutual struggle for power. This is a vivid portrait of a legendary, fascinating woman.”

Read a short extract from the book:

'There are no words to describe what I think of you,' Henry growled, without preamble. Eleanor looked up, but he would not meet her steady, hostile gaze. 'This is the bitterest betrayal of my whole life,' he declared, his face puce with anger and distress.
'There was no reasoning with you,' she said evenly. 'You could have seen it coming. God knows, I tried to warn you what might happen if you persisted in your unjust treatment of our sons. Did you really expect me, as their mother, to stand by and let you do it?'
'Do you know what you have done?' Henry snarled. 'Half of Europe is up in arms against me, and that includes your whoreson vassals of Aquitaine! They make this quarrel their excuse to rise in protest at what they like to call my oppressive rule.'
'Look to yourself, Henry!' Eleanor flung back. 'Look who is really to blame.'
'Don't try to excuse your conduct,' he spat. 'You have offended grievously, and you are trying to shift the blame on others. Thanks to you and your sons, my kingdom is under threat; why, I could even lose my crown! Is that the act of a dutiful and loyal wife? It is outrageous, beyond belief! You have made me the pity and laughing stock of Christendom. They are even saying that this is God's punishment on me for entering into an incestuous marriage. Incestuous? Diabolic, more like!'
He was beside himself; there could be no reasoning with him, so it was not even worth trying.
'What are you going to do?' she challenged, trying to keep her voice steady. 'Are you going to put me on trial, to be judged by your twelve good men and true?'
He glared at her. 'By rights, I should have you hanged as the traitor you are. But count yourself extremely fortunate that I have no wish to parade my shame – or yours – in public. I have made no announcement of your arrest, nor do I intend to proclaim your disaffection. I want no more scandal, as you has caused scandal and damage enough. The whole of Europe will no doubt be whispering of it by now – I hope you realise that. God, Eleanor, did you really want to hurt me so much?'
'Hurt you?' she echoed. She was safe, she was safe – and could therefore speak out. 'I think the boot was rather on the other foot. What of all your women over the years, all the times you betrayed me? What of your foolish thraldom to Becket, on whom your love was wasted, and for whose counsel you forsook mine? What of the way you rode rough-shod over my advice on how to rule my domains, with consequences you now have to deal with? And, worst of all, what of the injustice you have shown our sons?'
'I never realised you hated me so much,' Henry said, his face working in rage and self-pity. 'By the eyes of God, I have been nourishing a viper in my bosom!'
'I loved you!' cried Eleanor. 'But you destroyed that love, and I had to watch you do it. I can never tell you how deeply you have injured me. All these years…'
She buried her face in her hands and began to sob, all the pent-up tension and fear of the last days finding its release in a flood of tears. 'Alas, it is too late for us!' she wailed.
'None of my so-called betrayals justifies your treachery,' Henry said brutally.
'So punish me!' she screamed, wanting there to be an end to this horrible wrangling between them, wanting to hurt him where he would feel the most pain. 'Do your worst. Ask yourself how deep my betrayal went! Put me to death, and then spend the rest of your life wondering.'
Henry thrust his face into hers. 'What do you mean by that?' he demanded, his tone menacing.
'Ah, so you do care!' Eleanor pounced. Henry gripped her arms.
'Tell me!' he barked. 'Have you been playing the whore, Eleanor?'
'No more than Fair Rosamund has, or the Lady of Akeny, or Rohese de Clare, or any of the legions of other sluts you have bedded, Henry!'
'You will tell me!' he roared.
'And have you make war on a great lord?' She was enjoying having her revenge, in a bitter sort of way; it was as if it was her last chance to do so, as if it no longer mattered what she said or did.
'Who was he?' Henry was beside himself. 'Tell me!'
'Ah! You'll just have to keep guessing – and wondering if I found him a better man than you!'
The taunt went home. Henry was almost foaming at the mouth. In a moment, he would be thrashing on the floor, chewing the rushes.
'Oh, but he was a well-endowed stallion!' she baited him.
'You've done it for yourself now,' he seethed, baring his teeth.
'So what will you do to me? Hang me now?'
'No. That would be too easy for you.'



COMING SOON!

 

The first in a series of exclusive escorted tours linked to Alison Weir`s books and the Tudor period. Each tour will be unique.

For June 2011: Alison Weir's Tudor Treasures - a comprehensive nine-day tour of Tudor England, visiting many fascinating and significant historic sites connected with the Tudors. The tour will be will be accompanied throughout by Alison Weir as Study Director, and Historic Royal Palaces' Guide Lecturer, Siobhan Clarke. Guests will enjoy the services of an experienced Tour Manager throughout.

The Tour will also include guest lectures from the History Girls, eminent historians Sarah Gristwood, Tracy Borman and Kate Williams.

Guests will be accommodated in top-class historic hotels with a number of dinners, talks and events laid on.

Watch this space for a link to the e-brochure, which will be online in early July.

In the meantime, you can register your interest by emailing alisonweirtours@hotmail.co.uk

 

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn will be published in paperback in the UK on 3rd June.

Alison's US edition of her third novel, Captive Queen, will be published by Ballantine on 13th July. Alison will be doing a book tour in the USA and Toronto, Canada from 20th to 29th July. Full details of events are listed on the Events page.

Alison has enjoyed a long-standing and happy involvement with Historic Royal Palaces, and is proud to have been invited to become an official Champion of Kensington Palace, which is undergoing an exciting major refurbishment, which will be completed in 2012. In the meantime, Historic Royal Palaces has undertaken a world first, an innovative and magical re-interpretation of the state rooms as the 'Enchanted Palace'. Alison is involved in various fund-raising activities, details of which are to come, and urges everyone to visit Kensington Palace while this remarkable exhibition is in place.

Alison will be taking part in a web chat about her new novel, The Captive Queen, from 7pm on 20th April. You can join in at www.rchatrandom.co.uk.

News History

4th March, World Book Day

Alison's Quick Reads book, Traitors of the Tower, was published, and in the morning she did an event with adult learners at Foyles in the Westfield Centre, Shepherd's Bush, which was attended by H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall. In the afternoon, Alison attended a reception hosted by Sarah Brown at 10 Downing Street, for those involved in Quick Reads and other literacy initiatives.

Forthcoming US Book Tour:

Dates have just been announced for Alison's tour, and have been listed on her events page.

Tickets for events:

Alison does not sell tickets for her events. Please apply direct to the venue.

The American edition of Alison's new novel, entitled Captive Queen, will be published on 20th July in the USA, and Alison will be doing a book tour in the States at that time to promote it and The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn. Further details coming soon!

Alison has been at the National Gallery doing interviews about Paul Delaroche's depiction of the execution of Lady Jane Grey, which is on display in a new exhibition called Painting History. You may have seen Alison talking about the picture on BBC 4 and BBC Worldwide news, and you can catch up with her interview on Woman's Hour at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2010_08_tue.shtml

Alison has been busy launching Traitors of the Tower, her book in the Quuck Reads series, with a series of interviews and readings on local radio stations. This title will be published on World Book Day, 4th March.

Alison's next work of fiction, The Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, is to be launched on 1st April at an evening event at the Tower of London, at which Historic Royal Palaces' Members' Book Club is also being launched. Tickets are by invitation or available to members of Historic Royal Palaces only. Please contact members@hrp.org.uk for details.



Whole Story Audio Books – publishers of my unabridged audio books - are offering Katherine Swynford for under £20 as part of their special Christmas promotion. Visit www.wholestoryaudio.co.uk for details.

Alison has just formally opened the restored Elizabethan Smythe Barn at Westenhanger Castle in Kent, and would like to bring this little-known gem of a castle to the notice of anyone with an interest in Rosamund de Clifford, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and the Jamestown settlement in Virginia, USA. It is open to the public on Tiesdays, and is well worth a visit. For further information, go to www.westenhangercastle.co.uk and www.kentcastle.co.uk.

 

 

The UK paperback of The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn will be published in June.

TRAITORS OF THE TOWER

Alison has written this book for the popular Quick Reads series for emergent adult readers. It will be published on 4th March, World Book Day.

THE CAPTIVE QUEEN

Alison's next novel, The Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, will be published by Hutchinson on 1st April 2010.

The US edition of Alison`s new novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, Captive Queen, will be published in America on 20th July 2010.

MARY BOLEYN: THE GREAT AND INFAMOUS WHORE

Alison is currently working on this, her next biography, which is scheduled for publication in 2011.

The UK paperback of Alison's novel, The Lady Elizabeth, will be published in June.

Alison's next non-fiction book, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, will be published in the UK on 1st October 2009, and in the USA on 5th January 2010, along with the paperback of Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster.

TOWER OF LONDON LAUNCH EVENT FOR THE LADY IN THE TOWER: THE FALL OF ANNE BOLEYN ON 9TH SEPTEMBER

I had been given to understand that tickets for this event would be on sale to the general public, but have since been informed that they are only available to members of Historic Royal Palaces. I am very sorry for any disappointment.

NEW NON-FICTION BOOKS

Alison is delighted to announce that she has been commissioned to write three more non-fiction historical works, and that she has already begun work on the first of these, a biography of Mary Boleyn.

WOMAN AND HOME

Alison has published a short ghost story, Anniversary, in the August edition of Woman and Home, but wishes to state the her age, as given in the magazine, is incorrect, and that it has always been her policy not to give out such personal details.

ALISON'S NEW BOOK, THE LADY IN THE TOWER: THE FALL OF ANNE BOLEYN, IS TO BE LAUNCHED AT THE TOWER OF LONDON

This event will take place on the evening of 9th September 2009, and will be a joint event with Tracy Borman, whose book, Elizabeth's Women, is being launched at the same time. The evening has been arranged as follows:

6.30: Guests arrive, and will walk along part of the route that Anne Boleyn trod on the day of her arrest (from the Court Gate in the Byward Tower to the Royal Lodgings) to the event venue above the New Armouries Cafe.

6.45: "The Whore and the Virgin": Joint presentation by Alison Weir and Tracy Borman, followed by drinks, canapes and a book-signing session.
Alison and Tracy will then conduct guests (in two groups) on a short guided tour, visiting the site of the Queen's Lodgings, where Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth were both imprisoned, and the site of the scaffold on which Anne Boleyn met her end.

9.00: Carriages.
Tickets will be available from Historic Royal Palaces soon, and further information will be posted here.

TOUR OF TUDOR ENGLAND - SOLD OUT

In the Spring of 2010, Alison will be Study Leader on a tour of Tudor England organised by The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Details are as follows:

A Tudor Tapestry
11 Days - April 6-16, 2010

Tudor England - the England of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare -comes alive as best-selling author Alison Weir and other historical experts escort you on a journey into the past. At Windsor Castle and Hampton Court, major exhibitions mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne. At the Tower of London, learn about Arbella Stuart's famous and daring escape and see the spot where Anne Boleyn and other Tudor victims were beheaded. Enjoy special tours of castles steeped in Tudor history, as Hever, Leeds and Sudeley, as well as Eltham Palace and Acton Court. In Portsmouth, home to the Royal Navy, view the remains of Henry VIII’s flagship, The Mary Rose, and visit Winchester, where Mary Tudor married Philip of Spain.

• Alison Weir will accompany the tour and her lively narratives will help bring to life the dramatic lives of the Tudors.
• Meet historians Sarah Gristwood, Tracy Borman, and Kate Williams, who together with Alison Weir, form The History Girls, who have created events for BBC radio and are currently developing a major television series.
• Enjoy connoisseur tours and private openings at historic castles and gardens.
• Take private tours of two major exhibitions dedicated to Henry VIII’s Quincentenary.

Itinerary:

April 6: Depart US for London.

April 7: London.
Arrive in London this morning and check into the centrally located Hotel Rubens in St James’s. Gather for a welcome reception and introductory talk on the Tudors by Alison Weir.

April 8: Westminster Abbey/Tower of London.
Take a short walk to Westminster Abbey, which houses the tombs of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Anne of Cleves, Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. At the Tower of London , hear about Arbella Stuart’s daring escape from the Tower, and see where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. This evening’s presentation by Alison Weir and Tracy Borman is entitled The Whore and the Virgin: Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I.

April 9: Winchester/Portsmouth.
Journey south to Portsmouth , home to the British Royal Navy, via Winchester . Visit the cathedral where Mary I married Philip of Spain and see Wolvesey Castle where they enjoyed their wedding breakfast. At the Portsmouth Royal Dockyards, visit Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose and learn about life in the Tudor navy. On the return journey, listen to a talk on The Virgin Queen: Aspects of Elizabeth.

April 10: Leeds Castle/Hever Castle.
Today discover two beautiful castles in the Kent countryside. Leeds Castle was the dower property of medieval queens and was owned by Henry VIII. At Hever Castle , former home of Anne Boleyn, view the many Tudor items on display and wander through the gardens. This evening, Alison Weir will talk about The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

April 11: Eltham Palace.
Time at leisure before traveling to Eltham Palace , where Henry VIII spent much of his childhood. Admire the medieval great hall and archaeological remains in the gardens. Henry VIII: King and Court is the title of Alison’s talk this evening.

April 12: Sudeley Castle/Acton Court.
Journey west to Gloucestershire and see Sudeley Castle , the last home and burial place of Katherine Parr. After lunch in Winchcombe, take a private tour of the well-preserved Acton Court, visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Enjoy an elegant dinner at historic Thornbury Castle tonight. Overnight at The Close Hotel, Tetbury.

April 13: Kenilworth/Stratford-upon-Avon.
Elizabeth I visited the Earl of Leicester at Kenilworth Castle in 1575 for nineteen days of pageantry, the magnificent “Princely Pleasures”. Visit the extensive ruins and Leicester 's newly recreated garden. Spend the afternoon at Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, where you can visit houses associated with him before continuing to Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the home of his wife. Return to The Close Hotel and listen to Sarah Gristwood’s talk on Elizabeth and Leicester.

April 14: Windsor Castle.
Alison Weir will guide you through the special exhibition commemorating Henry VIII's quincentenary. After lunch, take a guided tour of the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel where Henry VIII is buried, then enjoy some free time to explore the castle and town. During this evening's talk, Deadly Rivals: Treason, Intrigue and Threats to the Tudor Throne, five historians will give engaging presentations.

April 15: Hampton Court.
Spend a full day at delightful Hampton Court Palace on the River Thames. Siobhan Clarke is your authentically-costumed Tudor guide, and will lead you on a fascinating tour of the palace. Visit the Henry VIII Heads and Hearts exhibition, see the gardens or get lost in the maze! This evening, enjoy a lively debate, with audience participation, on Dramatising the Tudors. Our guest speakers will discuss the merits – or otherwise – of films and TV series on the Tudor period. A light-hearted Tudor quiz follows a festive farewell dinner.

April 16: Return to the US

Hotels:

The Rubens Hotel is an elegant four-star hotel in the heart of London.

Set in the delightful Cotswolds market town of Tetbury, the boutique Close Hotel was originally built during the reign of Henry VIII. Rooms are individually furnished and comfortable. There is a charming garden restaurant with an original Adam ceiling and views of the walled garden.

 

NEW BOOK LAUNCH EVENT

Alison Weir's forthcoming book, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, will be launched on 9th September at a special evening event at the Tower of London. This will be a joint launch event with Tracy Borman, whose book, Elizabeth's Women: The Hidden Story of the Virgin Queen, will be published that month. Alison and Tracy will be giving a joint talk entitled The Whore and the Virgin: Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I, after which they will sign books while drinks and canapes are served. They will then escort guests on a short guided tour to the sites of the Queen's Lodgings, where Anne and Elizabeth were both imprisoned, and the scaffold, where Anne was executed in 1536. Prepare for grim tales and one or two surprises!

Tickets will soon be on sale through Historic Royal Palaces. Please do not apply yet - when they are available, details will be posted on the Events page.

On 25th May, Alison will be speaking on Henry VIII: Hearts and Heads in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace. There will be a power-point presentation, and after giving the talk and taking questions, Alison will sign books in the Cartoon Gallery, where wine and canapes will be served, and Cantocordia, a Tudor consort of musicians, will play some of Henry VIII's music. Tickets are available now through Historic Royal Palaces.

THE HISTORY GIRLS

Alison Weir, Tracy Borman, Sarah Gristwood and Kate Williams are delighted to announce that they are available for events on Scarlet Women: Mistresses in History, and a new topic, Great Queens, featuring Eleanor of Aquitaine, Elizabeth I and Victoria.

HENRY VIII QUINCENTENARY

This year sees the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne in 1509. There are major exhibitions and events around the country, and Alison Weir is giving a full programme of talks on Henry VIII, his six wives, and the fall of Anne Boleyn (in connection with her forthcoming book). Alison will be speaking in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace, the British Library, the Tower of London, Kenilworth Castle, Gainsborough Old Hall and the Square Tower, Portsmouth, to name only a few venues. For dates and details, see the Events page, and for details of Alison's books on Henry VIII see the Books page.

FORTHCOMING NOVEL

Alison has now delivered her novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, which is scheduled for publication next spring.

Online Interview

An interview with Alison about Katherine Swynford can now be accessed here.

Alison signed up for three more novels

Alison has just signed contracts with her UK and US publishers for three new novels, one of which will be a sequel to The Lady Elizabeth.

The Lady Elizabeth

I should like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who bought this book and helped to make it a Sunday Times bestseller, entering the Top Ten in the first week after publication and staying there for eight weeks.

Katherine Swynford

I should also like to thank all those who purchased this book and made it my highest-selling non-fiction hardback to date.

An Exciting Discovery!

In the June issue of BBC History Magazine, you can read how I and Tracy Borman discovered an unknown portrait of Elizabeth I as princess, a rare find indeed!