The Witch of Leeds Castle.
What was life like for Queen Joanna, widow of King Henry IV, imprisoned for Witchcraft in Leeds Castle? In its beautiful setting, surrounded by water, Leeds Castle in Kent…
Anne’s Blog
Rumours and Portents: the Prophecy of The Six Kings
I had come across this Prophecy of the Six Kings before in my readings surrounding the Plantagenet kings, but when writing ‘The Queen’s Choice’, it suddenly became very pertinent because…
Anne O’Brien in the Independent on Sunday
As part of the excitement for The Queen’s Choice, Anne was featured in a wonderful piece in the Independent on Sunday discussing her aim to give a voice to the…
A Medieval Royal Christmas with the Lancasters
An Invitation to Spend a Royal Christmas and New Year with the Lancasters! Here is William Bruges, Chester Herald, at your door, sent by the King. His tabard glows with the…
Was Joanna of Navarre a Witch?
Was Joanna of Navarre, Dowager Queen of England, guilty of necromancy? So Halloween is approaching and thoughts turn to witchcraft with bats and black cats and things that go bump…
Is this the real Joanna of Navarre?
Historical paintings: Authenticity v. Drama This is a painting of Duke Arthur III of Brittany, painted by the French artist Henriette Lorimier and exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1806…
The King’s Sister: A Family at War
As a close member of the royal family, there was no reason why Elizabeth of Lancaster, after the somewhat scandalous beginnings of her marriage to John Holland, should not have…
Why did I write The King’s Sister?
My compulsion to write about Elizabeth of Lancaster, younger daughter of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster, was born out of my own initial ignorance about her (for which…
New Year Gift Giving
New Year Gift Giving in the House of Lancaster 1392 Jewels all the Way What value do we put on a man who is more than happy to buy gifts…
The Elusive Face of Katherine de Swynford
What can we say about the Face and Figure of Katherine Swynford, eventually Duchess of Lancaster. What did she actually look like? Katherine de Swynford might be the most well…
A Nun’s Lament
A Nun’s Lament A moving cry from a 12th century heart. Why did medieval women join convents? This is a subject well documented, and needs no insightful additions from me….
The remarkable history of Clifford Castle
A tale of an indigestible meal, a royal standoff, a famous royal mistress and a rough seduction. And this insignificant little ruin is all that’s left to tell the tale….
