Joan of Kent: not content with one scandalous marriage …
The marriage of Joan of Kent to Edward, Prince of Wales, heir to the English throne proved to be in some ways quite as scandalous as her previous marital adventures…
Anne’s Blog
What is the Chronological Order of my Novels?
Frequently asked questions: What is the chronological order of your historical novels? In which order is it best for me to read them in? Some readers, new to my…
Anne O’Brien in The Times Review
As part of the excitement for the publication of The Shadow Queen, Anne was featured in a wonderful piece in The Times where she chooses her Six Best Queens. What…
Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent; a Woman of much Charm and Ambition.
All the medieval women I have written about in the past have been chosen by me because of the characters with whom they interacted and the story they had to…
Epitaph of Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales
Edward’s title, the Black Prince, frequently used in history, was not found in evidence until the Tudor period, and so it would be wrong to use it to assess either…
Ten Fascinating Facts about the Fair Maid of Kent
Celebrating Joan of Kent as The Shadow Queen. http://buff.ly/2pKQh5t Ten Fascinating Facts: 1.Daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent, son of Edward I by his second wife, Joan was…
The Death of Joan, Countess of Kent, Princess of Wales, King’s Mother.
… the final days of a determined and ambitious woman. After a life which was nothing if not adventurous, Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, died on 14th August 1385,…
The Last Will and Testament of Joan of Kent, Princess of Wales, King’s Mother.
… and the importance of a good bed. In the year of our Lord 1385, and of the reign of my dear son Richard, King of England and France; at…
Wooing By Proxy: A Medieval Love Story
In February 1400, Joanna of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany and newly widowed, wrote this letter, in her own hand, to King Henry IV of England. It was within…
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…
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…