The Queen's Secret

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The other character in this novel is Kenilworth Castle itself. This is one place I know well, having grown up in Kenilworth, the Castle was my playground. Victoria Lamb brings the Castle to life and describes the life of Elizabeth’s court with intelligence and accuracy which gives this novel authenticity. This book is set in the time period of Queen Elizabeth I and is about Lucy, a girl in the courts. She starts off by being an entertainer in a big group, but ends up being one of the Queens favourites as the time goes on. There is also a big love triangle between the Queen, her cousin and a man, Robert. Along with spying and lots of other things this book had the premise to be a very good book. With that in mind, Lucy really started to grow on me and I started to feel invested in her as a person, not just a character. She still made mistakes and errors of judgment, but also stood up for herself. Harper’s enchanting latest (after American Duchess) explores the private life of Queen Elizabeth, formerly Elizabeth Bowes Lyon...Harper’s evocative prose and able plotting make each twist and turn believable. This displays Harper’s mastery at fictional profiles of prominent 20th-century women." — Publishers Weekly

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Queen’s Secret by Melissa de la Cruz. Elizabeth holds many powerful cards, she’s also hiding damaging secrets about her past and her provenance that could prove to be her undoing. So the "big secret" revealed in chapter 1 is that Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was the offspring of her father and the family's French cook. Here are the real life facts presented as proof this ridiculous theory: 1) Her middle name is Marguerite, the name of the supposed cook. (I mean is it possible they just liked this name?) 2) The family referred to her and her younger brother as "the Benjamins." According to the story (and I discovered that this came directly from the ridiculous The Queen Mother book, solidifying my belief that Karen Harper did absolutely no research) biblical Benjamin was the son of Israel and his wife Rachel's handmaid. Ha, so there's the alleged proof that Elizabeth and David were the product of a similar union. But a very very simple glimpse inside the Bible would show that Benjamin was actually the son of Israel and Rachel. His wife. I don't know the real reason they were called "the Benjamins" but I'd practically guarantee they were called "the Benjamins" because they were a good bit younger than the rest of their siblings, because that's the actual truth of Benjamin in the Bible. A smidge of Biblical knowledge blows the whole theory out the water.When asked by the Guardian, the Queen’s representatives refused to say how many times she had requested alterations to legislation since she came to the throne in 1952. Queen Elizabeth developed a very personal relationship with Australia during her 70-year reign. The monarch made regular visits to the country which saw her travel throughout the different states to meet people from all cultures, walks of life and regions.

Another stupid secret is that Elizabeth and Bertie were celibate and conceived their children through artificial insemination. The reason presented for this is of course vaguely danced around and dragged out forever before it's revealed that Elizabeth was allegedly assaulted when she was 18 by David, Prince of Wales, something she never tells her husband about. Sorry, I don't buy that they'd be celibate for 20+ years without him EVER ASKING WHY and just going along with it? I also realize that assault can be extremely traumatic, definitely not downplaying that in any way. But I also have a hard time believing that a near rape would affect her THIS much and for that long. Add to the fact that apparently he had PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE? In 1918?! I find that really hard to believe. It's not like he could have snapped a picture of the item of clothing she left behind with his smartphone. I loved this book for several reasons. The first reason is the setting, it is set over a few weeks in 1575 when Elizabeth I visits Kenilworth Castle, home of her favourite the Earl of Leicester, on her summer progress. I have read quite a lot of Tudor-set novels and most of them take place over years, for example the adult life of a famous figure or for the duration of a relationship. To dip into the life of Elizabeth I over such a short time was refreshing. It meant there was more room for the descriptions of the more mundane events in her everyday life such as getting dressed, her meals etc which made great settings for the conversations and gossip that would have been so much the part of court life. It made the events, and characters, in the book seem much more real to me. Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.Of course, what's a Tudor themed novel without an appearance by The Bard, William Shakespeare. However, we meet him as a young, adventurous boy who's smitten with Lucy. It is interesting to read the view from British perspective about the beginning of the war. When Poland was horribly bombed, it seemed as nothing was happening on the islands. And how royals from other countries fled to England for safety. And later how Londoners used Underground stations for shelter. The entertainment that the Earl of Leicester lays on from the very beginning has a purpose behind it – symbols of his desire to marry Elizabeth. These are all so very cleverly crafted and all relevant to the time in which they’re set. He is so devious I was never quite sure where his heart truly lay although of course the ultimate prize would be to rule beside Elizabeth, which may not have anything to do with love at all! I did feel extremely sorry for Lettice. At one point it is so clear how frustrating it was at that time in history to have your own home and children but having to please the Queen and her whims instead of living your life. In compliance with FTC guidelines------I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The content of this review is not influenced by that fact. The feelings expressed are solely mine. I sincerely appreciate the chance to read and review this book. In other instances, a connection to the crown’s financial interests is plain, such as a 1988 bill affecting the duchy of Lancaster, the private estate that gives the Queen a multimillion-pound income.