The Queen's Bed: An Intimate History of Elizabeth's Court

WINNER OF THE 2015 PEN/JACQUELINE BOGRAD WELD AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY Queen Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558, restoring the Protestant faith to England. For over forty years, her bedchamber was the heart of court. Elizabeth's private life was of public concern: Her body represented the State itself, and her bedfellows were charged with safeguarding both the Queen and her propriety. These women bore witness to the figure beneath the makeup and the raiment, and also to the Queen's rumored dalliances. They were her friends, confidantes, and spies-nobody knew her better. And until now, historians have overlooked them. In The Queen's Bed, the historian Anna Whitelock offers a revealing look at the Elizabethan court and the politics of intimacy, dramatically reconstructing the Queen's quarters and the women who patrolled them. With expert research and lively prose, Whitelock weaves a fascinating tale of sex, gossip, conspiracy, and intrigue, brought to life amid the colors, textures, and routines of the court: the untold story of Elizabeth I laid bare.