10 books like The Constant Princess

By Philippa Gregory,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Constant Princess. Shepherd is a community of 9,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Bring Up the Bodies

By Hilary Mantel,

Book cover of Bring Up the Bodies

Eleanor Shearer Author Of River Sing Me Home

From the list on history in all its strange and unsettling glory.

By Eleanor Shearer Author

Who am I?

Long before I fell in love with History as an academic subject, I fell in love with stories. And as the granddaughter of Caribbean immigrants, true stories of my grandparents’ early lives could transport me to another place as vividly as fiction. So although I have studied History to Master’s level, where I specialized in the legacy of slavery, it is always to fiction that I turn to breathe life into the past. My favourite books are those that are unsettling in the unfamiliarity of the world they create, and yet deeply moving because, at heart, the characters are motivated by timeless and human things like grief, ambition, or love. 

Eleanor's book list on history in all its strange and unsettling glory

Discover why each book is one of Eleanor's favorite books.

Book cover of Bring Up the Bodies Book cover of Small Island Book cover of Beloved Book cover of Omeros Book cover of Barkskins

Why did Eleanor love this book?

Hilary Mantel’s trilogy following the life of Thomas Cromwell is absolutely peerless as far as historical fiction goes.

One of my favourite challenges of the genre is how to take a time and place that is completely unfamiliar, where characters are motivated by ideas and concepts that modern readers find strange, and yet still find that kernel of universal feeling that allows a reader to anchor themselves in the text.

This novel in particular does that perfectly, showing the desperate ambition and cunning of both Cromwell and Anne Boleyn.

The result is completely captivating – and means that the story unfolds as if its final destination is not fixed, even though we all know what must happen in the end. 

Bring Up the Bodies

By Hilary Mantel,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Bring Up the Bodies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Man Booker Prize

The second book in Hilary Mantel's award-winning Wolf Hall trilogy, with a stunning new cover design to celebrate the publication of the much anticipated The Mirror and the Light

An astounding literary accomplishment, Bring Up the Bodies is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greatest living novelists.

'Our most brilliant English writer' Guardian

Bring Up the Bodies unlocks the darkly glittering court of Henry VIII, where Thomas Cromwell is now chief minister. With Henry captivated by plain Jane Seymour and rumours of Anne Boleyn's faithlessness whispered by…

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The Six Wives of Henry VIII

By Alison Weir,

Book cover of The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Janet Wertman Author Of Jane the Quene

From the list on for Tudor fans.

By Janet Wertman Author

Who am I?

By day, I am a freelance grant writer for impactful nonprofits…but by night I indulge a passion for the Tudor era I have harbored since I was eight years old and my parents let me stay up late to watch The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. My Seymour Saga took me deep into one of the era’s central families – and now I am working on my follow up Regina trilogy, exploring Elizabeth’s journey from bastard to icon. I also run a blog where I post interesting takes on the Tudors – I need somewhere to share all the fascinating tidbits I can’t cram into my books!

Janet's book list on for Tudor fans

Discover why each book is one of Janet's favorite books.

Book cover of Elizabeth I Book cover of The Other Boleyn Girl Book cover of The Six Wives of Henry VIII Book cover of Wolf Hall Book cover of Autobiography of Henry VIII

Why did Janet love this book?

This is non-fiction that reads as smoothly as fiction (except it’s all true); there is also a “sequel” about his children that is well worth a read. Lately, Weir has been writing novels set in the period, but I don’t like her fiction nearly as much as I love her non-fiction!

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

By Alison Weir,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Six Wives of Henry VIII as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the most powerful monarchs in British history, Henry VIII ruled England in unprecedented splendour.

In this remarkable composite biography, Alison Weir brings Henry's six wives vividly to life, revealing each as a distinct and compelling personality in her own right. Drawing upon the rich fund of documentary material from the Tudor period, The Six Wives of Henry VIII shows us a court where personal needs frequently influenced public events and where a life of gorgeously ritualised pleasure was shot through with ambition, treason and violence.

'At last we have the truth about Henry VIII's wives. This book is…

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Confession of Katherine Howard

By Suzannah Dunn,

Book cover of Confession of Katherine Howard

Elizabeth Fremantle Author Of Queen's Gambit

From the list on the wives of Henry VIII.

By Elizabeth Fremantle Author

Who am I?

Even in childhood, I was struck by the sheer horror and tragedy of Henry VIII’s wives, women who had a place at the heart of power and managed, some more so than others, to influence the politics of their time, yet were powerless to save themselves when the wind changed. It was a fascinating and turbulent period that saw England rise from a provincial backwater to become an important player in European politics, bringing the social and cultural changes that sewed the seeds of our modern world. Exploring the period through the prism of women’s lives is a major aim of all my six novels.

Elizabeth's book list on the wives of Henry VIII

Discover why each book is one of Elizabeth's favorite books.

Book cover of The Constant Princess Book cover of Lamentation Book cover of Confession of Katherine Howard Book cover of Bring Up the Bodies Book cover of The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Why did Elizabeth love this book?

Susannah Dunn has a way of putting you right inside history with her instinctive and impeccable descriptive writing. She has fictionalised the stories of a number of Tudor women and all are excellent but I’ve chosen this as it was the first of hers I read. It tells of Henry VIII’s tragic fifth wife, a teenager pushed into the King’s bed by her ambitious family. The story unfolds through the eyes of her companion – an intimate insider’s view, typical of Dunn’s work – who witnesses everything but is powerless to help. Without giving too much away, it doesn’t end well.

Confession of Katherine Howard

By Suzannah Dunn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Confession of Katherine Howard as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When 12-year-old Katherine Howard comes to live in the Duchess of Norfolk's household, poor relation Cat Tilney is deeply suspicious. The two girls couldn't be more different: Cat, watchful and ambitious; Katherine, interested only in clothes and boys. Their companions are in thrall to Katherine, but it's Cat in whom Katherine confides and, despite herself, Cat is drawn to her. Summoned to court at 17, Katherine leaves Cat in the company of her ex-lover, Francis, and the two begin their own, much more serious, love affair.

Within months, the king has set aside his Dutch wife Anne for Katherine. The…

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Lamentation

By C.J. Sansom,

Book cover of Lamentation

Elizabeth Fremantle Author Of Queen's Gambit

From the list on the wives of Henry VIII.

By Elizabeth Fremantle Author

Who am I?

Even in childhood, I was struck by the sheer horror and tragedy of Henry VIII’s wives, women who had a place at the heart of power and managed, some more so than others, to influence the politics of their time, yet were powerless to save themselves when the wind changed. It was a fascinating and turbulent period that saw England rise from a provincial backwater to become an important player in European politics, bringing the social and cultural changes that sewed the seeds of our modern world. Exploring the period through the prism of women’s lives is a major aim of all my six novels.

Elizabeth's book list on the wives of Henry VIII

Discover why each book is one of Elizabeth's favorite books.

Book cover of The Constant Princess Book cover of Lamentation Book cover of Confession of Katherine Howard Book cover of Bring Up the Bodies Book cover of The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Why did Elizabeth love this book?

Part of Sansom’s acclaimed Shardlake series, this novel takes a different look at Henry’s last wife, Katherine Parr. It is a thrilling dive into the plots of Parr’s life and her seditious writings from the perspective of Sansom’s eponymous fictional investigator. Detailed and enthralling we are transported to the streets of Tudor London, to explore the shadowy corners where danger lurks. 

Lamentation

By C.J. Sansom,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lamentation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel's The Mirror and The Light, Matthew Shardlake is back in the sixth book in the Shardlake series, from number one bestselling author C. J. Sansom.

'When it comes to intriguing Tudor-based narratives, Hilary Mantel has a serious rival' - Sunday Times
'Sansom has the trick of writing an enthralling narrative. Like Hilary Mantel, he produces densely textured historical novels that absorb their readers in another time' - Andrew Taylor, Spectator

England, 1546: King Henry VIII is slowly, painfully dying. His Protestant and Catholic councillors are engaged in a final and decisive power struggle; whoever…

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Catherine of Aragon

By Theresa Earenfight,

Book cover of Catherine of Aragon: Infanta of Spain, Queen of England

Zita Eva Rohr Author Of Yolande of Aragon (1381-1442) Family and Power: The Reverse of the Tapestry

From the list on premodern women of power and influence.

By Zita Eva Rohr Author

Who am I?

When I was a child, I was forever drawing pictures of princesses in elaborate medieval and early modern dress. I devoured history books—especially those containing artworks that helped me visualize the people whose names rang out from their pages. Inexplicably, I was passionate about France and French language and culture from my primary school years. Then, in my early twenties, I stumbled onto Umberto Eco’s, The Name of the Rose, which appeared in English translation around 1983. History has been, and remains, my passion (as do whodunits). I have been passionately obsessed with in my research for over two decades—uncovering the truth that lies beneath the spin and the ashes.  

Zita's book list on premodern women of power and influence

Discover why each book is one of Zita's favorite books.

Book cover of Queenship and the Women of Westeros: Female Agency and Advice in Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire Book cover of The Creation of the French Royal Mistress: From Agnès Sorel to Madame Du Barry Book cover of Catherine of Aragon: Infanta of Spain, Queen of England Book cover of The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power Book cover of Power, Piety, and Patronage in Late Medieval Queenship: Maria de Luna

Why did Zita love this book?

Theresa starts our journey into the past life of Catherine of Aragon, whom many regard very mistakenly as a victim, with a pair of shoes, a painting, a rosary, a fur-trimmed baby blanket. She shows us how each of these things took meaning from the ways Catherine experienced and perceived them. Upon these traces and fragments, her portrait of Catherine emerges, and we glimpse her life lived five centuries ago. Engagingly written by Theresa in her clear and elegant prose, her cultural and emotional biography of Catherine truly brings us closer to understanding her life from her own perspective.

Catherine of Aragon

By Theresa Earenfight,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Catherine of Aragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Catherine of Aragon is an elusive subject.

Despite her status as a Spanish infanta, Princess of Wales, and Queen of England, few of her personal letters have survived, and she is obscured in the contemporary royal histories. In this evocative biography, Theresa Earenfight presents an intimate and engaging portrait of Catherine told through the objects that she left behind.

A pair of shoes, a painting, a rosary, a fur-trimmed baby blanket-each of these things took meaning from the ways Catherine experienced and perceived them. Through an examination of the inventories listing the few possessions Catherine owned at her death, Earenfight…

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The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

By Eric Ives,

Book cover of The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

Natalia Richards Author Of The Falcon's Flight

From the list on Tudor that are informative and imaginative.

By Natalia Richards Author

Who am I?

I’m Natalia Richards and I have written two novels on Anne Boleyn. My passion for Tudor stuff began over 50 years ago after watching the film Anne of the Thousand Days. I’d always loved the Tudors and by the 1980’s had a go at writing a novel about her. Sadly, it descended into a bodice ripper. It was a first try though, and I still have it if ever I want a good laugh. It took me until the new millennium to start seriously writing and I’m sure there is not a single book out there that I have not read about Anne! 

Natalia's book list on Tudor that are informative and imaginative

Discover why each book is one of Natalia's favorite books.

Book cover of In the Lion's Court: Power, Ambition, and Sudden Death in the Reign of Henry VIII Book cover of Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford Book cover of Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII Book cover of The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn Book cover of The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

Why did Natalia love this book?

This book is considered by many to be ‘the bible’ for all Anne Boleyn fans and I imagine it is the number one go-to book. Covering her life from birth to death, it is so scholarly that I use it constantly as a reference book. 

What is good is that it fully exposes the circumstances that led to Anne’s death, and you can clearly see how it came about – and why the king had to get rid of her. But it is not a dry textbook. Everyone can enjoy it as it’s easy to read, hard to put down, and immaculately researched.

If you are thinking about writing about Anne Boleyn this must be your first reference book. In fact, if you buy only one book about Anne, this is it. 

The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

By Eric Ives,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This definitive biography of Anne Boleyn establishes her as a figure of considerable importance and influence in her own right.

A full biography of Anne Boleyn, based on the latest scholarly research. Focusses on Anne's life and legacy and establishes Anne as a figure of considerable importance and influence in her own right. Adulteress or innocent victim? Looks afresh at the issues at the heart of Anne's downfall. Pays attention to her importance as a patron of the arts, particularly in relation to Hans Holbein. Presents evidence about Anne's spirituality and her interest in the intellectual debates of the period.…

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Jane the Quene

By Janet Wertman,

Book cover of Jane the Quene

Judith Arnopp Author Of A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, The Aragon Years

From the list on that illustrate life at the Tudor Court.

By Judith Arnopp Author

Who am I?

Reading Historical Fiction as a youngster led me to study history at university – so the Tudors have been part of my life for about forty years now. After graduating with a Master’s degree, my career choice was easy. Of my thirteen novels, ten are Tudor, covering among others, the lives of Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth of York, Anne Boleyn, Katheryn Parr, Mary Tudor, and King Henry VIII himself. It isn’t necessarily ‘normal’ to live in such close proximity to the Tudors, but I would be hard pushed to write in a modern setting. Give me an ill-lit chamber, a royal banquet, or even a grisly beheading and I am perfectly at home.

Judith's book list on that illustrate life at the Tudor Court

Discover why each book is one of Judith's favorite books.

Book cover of Wolf Hall Book cover of Mistress Cromwell Book cover of Mary – Tudor Princess Book cover of Jane the Quene Book cover of Songbird

Why did Judith love this book?

This book provides a different angle on Jane Seymour. I’ve never particularly ‘liked’ fictional Janes because they are usually so one-dimensional but this author delves more deeply. Jane’s character is subtle. On the surface she seems meek but beneath the façade she is quite determined to get what she wants. Often, the modern ideal of strong women doesn’t sit well on historical figures but J. Wertman has understood that subterfuge was often the only way for a female, even a queen, to get her own way. Janet Wertman has written other engaging Tudor books but this is my favourite.

Jane the Quene

By Janet Wertman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jane the Quene as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"One of the Best Books of 2016" - Open Letters Monthly; Finalist, 2016 Novel of the Year - Underground Book Reviews; Semi-Finalist - 2017 M.M. Bennetts Award

All Jane Seymour wants is a husband; but when she catches the eye of a volatile king, she is pulled deep into the Tudor court's realm of plot and intrigue....

England. 1535. Jane Seymour is 27 years old and increasingly desperate to marry and secure her place in the world. When the court visits Wolf Hall, the Seymour ancestral manor, Jane has the perfect opportunity to shine: her diligence, efficiency, and newfound poise…

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Young and Damned and Fair

By Gareth Russell,

Book cover of Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII

Claire Ridgway Author Of The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown

From the list on the Tudors that really grab you.

By Claire Ridgway Author

Who am I?

I’m a blogger, vlogger, historian, and author of 14 history books, and have a true passion for Tudor history. Tudor history grabbed me at the age of 11, when I had to do a project on Henry VIII and his six wives, and has never let me go. Anne Boleyn is my historical heroine and area of expertise, but I love anything to do with the Tudors. I’m a complete Tudor nut and if I’m not researching and writing about Tudor history, I’m talking about it or getting lost in a good book about it. I love any book that brings my favourite character to life or transports me back to the 16th century. 

Claire's book list on the Tudors that really grab you

Discover why each book is one of Claire's favorite books.

Book cover of Dissolution Book cover of Virgin and the Crab: Sketches, Fables and Mysteries from the Early Life of John Dee and Elizabeth Tudor Book cover of The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Lady Jane Grey Book cover of Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII Book cover of God's Traitors: Terror and Faith in Elizabethan England

Why did Claire love this book?

Gareth Russell can do no wrong in my eyes! He brings history to life with storytelling that many novelists could only hope to emulate. Not only that, his books are based on meticulous research

In Young and Damned and Fair Russell tells the story of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s ill-fated wife, and what I love about Russell’s narrative is the way it brings Catherine to life. Here, she’s not the wayward ‘tart’ who betrayed Henry VIII, or the victim of sexual abuse, she’s fully three-dimensional and all facets of her life are explored.

I particularly loved Russell’s examination of her queenship, which is so often neglected. A riveting read!

Young and Damned and Fair

By Gareth Russell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Young and Damned and Fair as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017

During one of the hottest summers on record the court of Henry VIII is embroiled, once again, in political scandal. The King's marriage to Anne of Cleves has failed, his closest adviser Thomas Cromwell is to be executed for treason and, in the countryside, an aristocratic teenager named Catherine Howard prepares to become fifth wife to the increasingly irascible, unpredictable monarch.

Her story is both a very dark fairy tale and a gripping thriller. Born into nobility and married into the royal family, Catherine was attended every waking hour by…

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The Lady in the Tower

By Alison Weir,

Book cover of The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn

Natalia Richards Author Of The Falcon's Flight

From the list on Tudor that are informative and imaginative.

By Natalia Richards Author

Who am I?

I’m Natalia Richards and I have written two novels on Anne Boleyn. My passion for Tudor stuff began over 50 years ago after watching the film Anne of the Thousand Days. I’d always loved the Tudors and by the 1980’s had a go at writing a novel about her. Sadly, it descended into a bodice ripper. It was a first try though, and I still have it if ever I want a good laugh. It took me until the new millennium to start seriously writing and I’m sure there is not a single book out there that I have not read about Anne! 

Natalia's book list on Tudor that are informative and imaginative

Discover why each book is one of Natalia's favorite books.

Book cover of In the Lion's Court: Power, Ambition, and Sudden Death in the Reign of Henry VIII Book cover of Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford Book cover of Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII Book cover of The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn Book cover of The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

Why did Natalia love this book?

I read this book many years ago as it covers the imprisonment and execution of Queen Anne Boleyn.

With its immense detail, it is one of the few books you need to read on this later period of Anne's life. Best of all, the author has reassessed the evidence and done away with romantic misconceptions. It is therefore an utterly reliable resource. The storytelling is superb, easy to read, and, again, hard to put down.

I return to it again and again for reference material but it still makes a gripping holiday read.

The Lady in the Tower

By Alison Weir,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Lady in the Tower as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nearly five hundred years after her violent death, Anne Boleyn, second wife to Henry VIII, remains one of the world's most fascinating, controversial, and tragic heroines. Now acclaimed historian and bestselling author Alison Weir has drawn on myriad sources from the Tudor era to give us the first book that examines, in unprecedented depth, the gripping, dark, and chilling story of Anne Boleyn's final days.

The tempestuous love affair between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn scandalized Christendom and altered forever the religious landscape of England. Anne's ascent from private gentlewoman to queen was astonishing, but equally compelling was her shockingly…

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Elizabeth I

By Anne Somerset,

Book cover of Elizabeth I

Janet Wertman Author Of Jane the Quene

From the list on for Tudor fans.

By Janet Wertman Author

Who am I?

By day, I am a freelance grant writer for impactful nonprofits…but by night I indulge a passion for the Tudor era I have harbored since I was eight years old and my parents let me stay up late to watch The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. My Seymour Saga took me deep into one of the era’s central families – and now I am working on my follow up Regina trilogy, exploring Elizabeth’s journey from bastard to icon. I also run a blog where I post interesting takes on the Tudors – I need somewhere to share all the fascinating tidbits I can’t cram into my books!

Janet's book list on for Tudor fans

Discover why each book is one of Janet's favorite books.

Book cover of Elizabeth I Book cover of The Other Boleyn Girl Book cover of The Six Wives of Henry VIII Book cover of Wolf Hall Book cover of Autobiography of Henry VIII

Why did Janet love this book?

To be honest, I realized I was at the end of the list and all the books I mentioned were centered around Henry VIII and his era! Elizabeth was just as important and interesting as her crazy father, perhaps even more so. This book is more non-fiction, but again beautifully readable. 

Elizabeth I

By Anne Somerset,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elizabeth I as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Elizabeth 1 ruled England in defiance of convention, exercising supreme authority in a man's world. With courage, brilliance and style, she reigned for nearly forty-five years. Anne Somerset's penetrating biography of this complex and uniquely gifted woman is unrivalled in its analysis of both Elizabeth's personal life and her career as leader. "By applying herself industriously to the evidence, Anne Somerset presents a convincing as well as complex character at the centre of her long, but ever lucid narrative" Antonia Fraser "I strongly recommend this book...the writing is a delight" Daily Telegraph "The fullest and best biography of the queen…

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5 book lists we think you will like!

The best books about the wives of Henry VIII
The best Tudor books that are informative, imaginative and bring the past alive
The best books on the modern British monarchy
The best books for Tudor fans
The best history books about the Tudors that really grab you

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