Thursday, 23 December 2021

Merry Christmas!

Today the salon doors close for a Christmas break as we devote ourselves to festivities. 

I hope you have a wonderfully merry Christmas, however you choose to spend it. I shall see you for more glorious Georgian tales in the New Year!



Christmas Eve by William Allan
Christmas Eve by William Allan



Thursday, 16 December 2021

The Codebreaker Girls: Out Today for 99p

I'm thrilled to announce that our new WW2 saga, The Codebreaker Girls, is out in eBook and audiobook today. For a limited time only, the eBook is just 99p! 

‘Saga lovers will really enjoy this book and i look forward to more’ NetGalley reviewer

‘What a fantastic read. This book pulled me in from the get go, so naturally was finished in one sitting’ NetGalley reviewer

1944. Rosie Sinclair is full of pride to be doing her bit for the war effort as a driver at Cottisbourne Park – the secret heart of Britain’s fight against Germany, where a team of brilliant and eccentric codebreakers are battling to save the country.

But when she’s given a new mission to drive Major-General ‘Bluff’ Kingsley-Flynn down to Cottisbourne, Rosie finds herself on the frontline of a new battle – to uncover a possible spy at the Park who is jeopardising their vital work, and to resist her own growing attraction to the dashing Bluff himself…

As the threat to her fellow codebreaker girls grows ever stronger, Rosie realises her country needs her more than ever. Can she save the day without losing her heart?

A heartwarming, funny and utterly charming World War II saga, perfect for fans of Kate Hewitt, Jenny Holmes and Annie Murray.

Wednesday, 8 December 2021

Queen Charlotte's Christmas Tree

Most people believe that we have Prince Albert and Queen Victoria to thank for the tradition of Christmas trees in England, but that isn’t actually the case. In fact, for that particular tradition we should look thank and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. 

 

Charlotte put up the first known English tree at her home at the Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, in December, 1800. It was a tradition that she brought with her from Germany, where trees were a popular bit of festive decor. Legend has it that they were popularised by Martin Luther in 1536 who was strolling in a pine forest in Wittenberg one night when he glanced up through the canopy at the stars twinkling above him. Inspired, he hurried home and brought a fir red into his house, which he lit with candles. Luther hoped that this would remind his children of the heavens and, by extension, God. 

 

Throughout the 17th century, trees of various types that were illuminated by candlelight became popular across Southern Germany whilst in Charlotte’s homeland of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a single, mighty yew branch being decorated rather than a whole tree. Samuel Taylor Coleridge visited the country in 1799 and wrote of the traditions there. Among them, he noted, was the Yew branch.

"There is a Christmas custom here which pleased and interested me. The children make little presents to their parents, and to each other; and the parents to the children. For three or four months before Christmas the girls are all busy; and the boys save up their pocket money, to make or purchase these presents. What the present is to be is cautiously kept secret, and the girls have a world of contrivances to conceal it -- such as working when they are out on visits, and the others are not with them; getting up in the morning before daylight; and the like. then, on the evening before Christmas day, one of the parlours is lighted up by the children, into which the parents must not go. 

 

A great yew bough is fastened on the table at a little distance from the wall, a multitude of little tapers are fastened in the bough, but so as not to catch it till they are nearly burnt out, and coloured paper hangs and flutters from the twings. Under this bough, the children lay out in great order the presents they mean for their parents, still concealing in their pockets what they intend for each other. Then the parents are introduced, and each presents his little gift, and then bring out the rest one by one from their pockets, and present them with kisses and embraces. 

 

Where I witnessed this scene there were eight or nine children, and the eldest daughter and the mother wept aloud for joy and tenderness; and the tears ran down the face of the father, and he clasped all his children so tight to his breast, it seemed as if he did it to stifle the sob that was rising within him. I was very much affected. 

 

The shadow of the bough and its appendages on the wall, and arching over on the ceiling, made a pretty picture, and then the raptures of the very little ones, when at last the twings and their needles began to take fire and snap! -- Oh, it was a delight for them! On the next day, in the great parlour, the parents lay out on the table the presents for the children; a scene of more sober joy success, as on this day, after an old custom, the mother says privately to each of her daughters, and the father to his sons, that which he has observed most praiseworthy, and that which was most faulty in their conduct. 

Formerly, and still in all the smaller towns and villages throughout North Germany, these presents were sent by all the parents to some one fellow, who in high buskins, a white robe, a mask, and an enormous flax wig, personate Knecht Rupert, the servant Rupert. On Christmas night he goes round to every house, and says that Jesus christ his master sent him thither, the parents and elder children receive him with great pomp of reverence, while the little ones are most terribly frightened. 

 

He then inquires for the children, and, according to the character which he hears from the parent, he gives them the intended presents, as if they came out of heaven from Jesus Christ. Or, if they should have been bad children, he gives the parents a rod, and in the name of his master recommends them to use it frequently. About seven or eight years old the children are let into the secret, and it is curious to observe how faithfully they keep it."

Charlotte was devoted to her homeland and when she came to England as a bride, she brought many traditions with her. Among them was the traditional Christmas yew branch and Charlotte used the tradition as a way to bring the royal household. She and her ladies-in-waiting positioned and decorated the bough in the centre of the Queen’s House’s largest room. As evening fell and the tapers were lit, the court assembled around the yew and sang carols. Then, by the light of the tree, they exchanged opulent gifts to celebrate Christmas.

This was the first, but not the last notable Christmas foliage of the Georgian era.

In 1800, Queen Charlotte was planning a Christmas Day party for the children of the most important and wealthy families in Windsor - I should say that the poor weren't forgotten either, and the 60 poorest families were given an enormous Christmas lunch too. This time, however, there would be no yew bow, but a whole tree. From it were hung the traditional decorations as well as small gifts for the children from the royal family. The children were enchanted by the sight before them, for they had never seen anything like it before. It glittered with glass and crystal and the scent of fruit and spice filled the drawing room, capturing the heart and imagination of all who saw it. 

 

Dr John Watkins, one of the adults present, wrote:

"Sixty poor families had a substantial dinner given them and in the evening the children of the principal families in the neighbourhood were invited to an entertainment at the Lodge. Here, among other amusing objects for the gratification of the juvenile visitors, in the middle of the room stood an immense tub with a yew tree placed in it, from the branches of which hung bunches of sweetmeats, almonds and raisins in papers, fruits and toys most tastefully arranged and the whole illuminated by small wax candles. After the company had walked round and admired the tree, each child obtained a portion of the sweets which it bore together with a toy, and then all returned home quite delighted."

Thanks to the queen, the fashionable world raced to put up their Christmas trees and no one who fancied themselves anyone went without. Across high society trees were soon glittering in the most opulent drawing rooms in Britain. 

 

So, when the adoring Prince Albert first put up his tree, he really was following in the footsteps of the glorious Georgians. Far from being first to the show, he was actually one of the last!

Thursday, 2 December 2021

The Wives of George IV: Out Now

I'm thrilled to report that my new book, The Wives of George IV: The Secret Bride & the Scorned Princess, is out now from Pen & Sword Books. It's available from this link, or your favourite bookshop!

In Georgian England, few men were more fashionable or more eligible than George, Prince of Wales. Wild, glamorous, and with a penchant for beautiful women, the heir to George III’s throne was a very good catch – or so it seemed.

The two women who married him might beg to differ. Maria Fitzherbert was a twice-widowed Roman Catholic with a natural aversion to trouble. When she married the prince in a secret ceremony conducted in her Mayfair sitting room, she opened the door on three decades of heartbreak. Cast aside by her husband one minute, pursued tirelessly by him the next, Maria’s clandestine marriage was anything but blissful. It was also the worst kept secret in England.

Caroline of Brunswick was George’s official bride. Little did she know that her husband was marrying for money and when she reached her new home in England, she found him so drunk that he couldn’t even walk to the altar. Caroline might not have her husband’s love, but the public adored her. In a world where radicalism was stirring, it was a recipe for disaster.

In The Wives of George IV: The Secret Bride & the Scorned Princess, Maria and Caroline navigate the choppy waters of marriage to a capricious, womanising king-in-waiting. With a queen on trial for adultery and the succession itself in the balance, Britain had never seen scandal like it.


Wednesday, 1 December 2021

The Devil Visits Wales

On 24th June 1815, the Lancaster Gazetteer reported a warning to those who might fancy the odd bit of sport on a Sunday...

The Devil Visits Wales
A MONITORY NOTICE,

On a Stone, placed in the Church-yard of Llanfair, in Wales.

Who Ever hear on son day
Will practise playing At Ball.
it May Be be Fore munday
The devil Will Have you All.


The Devil Visits Wales

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

La brillante toillete de la Déesse du Gout


“I don’t wear wigs, this is my hair.” In La brillante toillete de la Déesse du Gout, c.1775, a fashionable lady models a towering wig for her adoring macaroni as her maid prepares another!  

Via the British Museum.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

A Candid Portrait

I love how you can almost see Mrs Mortlock trying not to laugh as her son refuses to look suitably sombre... Elizabeth Mortlock (b.1756) and her son John Mortlock the Younger, by John Downman, 1779.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Wednesday, 10 November 2021

History Hack

 I had a wonderful time chatting to the folks from History Hack about the mistresses of George I and II. From rumours of murder to ghostly ravens and the grumpiest kings Hanover ever saw, it's all here!




Wednesday, 3 November 2021

A Dandy Cock


It's not easy being a dandy during a heatwave! A Dandy Cock in Stays or A New Thing for the Ladies, Isaac Cruikshank, 1818. #gloriousGeorgians from the British Museum.

Wednesday, 27 October 2021

Lady Gorget


When fashionable ladies in military-inspired fashions joined their husbands at Coxheath Camp, their critics thought it would lead to nothing but scandal and trouble! Lady Gorget raising Recruits for Cox-Heath, Robert Dighton, 1781. Via the British Museum.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

A Cheeky Monkey


Beware wig-stealing monkeys when out for a stroll! “Sleight of hand by a monkey, or the lady’s head unloaded”, 1776, via the Lewis Walpole Library. 

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Tight Lacing



A canny lady’s maid employs a poker to help dress her fashionable mistress! Tight Lacing, 1777, via Yale Center for British Art.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Thursday, 26 August 2021

Being Mr Wickham: UK Tour

I'm so excited to announce that Being Mr Wickham is going on a UK tour. Click here for full details, including dates and tickets!


Being Mr Wickham

Written off as a rake and reviled as a rogue, join George Wickham on his sixtieth birthday to discover his version of some very famous literary events. From childhood games at Pemberley to a run-in with Lord Byron, via marriage to Lydia and the battlefields of Europe, Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight.
This brand new production by Catherine Curzon sees Adrian Lukis return to his celebrated role as George Wickham, Jane Austen's most quintessential trouble-maker. 

To be the first to receive news and updates regarding Being Mr Wickham, sign up for the Newsletter!


Sunday, 8 August 2021

Being Mr Wickham: Offie Nomination

Adrian and I were chuffed to learn that our play, Being Mr Wickham, has been nominated by the Offies in its new online show category. The performance is currently being streamed by Original Theatre, prior to a UK tour in the autumn. 

 The OnComm is the Offies Commendation for online shows – it aims to recognise the excellence of shows from independent, alternative and fringe theatres that are being presented online. This award was introduced in May 2020 in the light of the lockdown arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. ” Read more here

Wednesday, 4 August 2021

The Regent's Bomb


The Georgians loved to rib the Prince Regent as often and as cheekily as possible! “A view of the R-g-t's bomb" by Charles Williams, 1816, is more concerned with the Prince’s was enormous bum than the mortar he received from the Spanish after the Peninsular War.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Wednesday, 7 July 2021

The Mistresses of George I & II

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my new book, The Mistresses of George I & II: A Maypole and a Peevish Beast, is available now! It was such a privilege to tell the remarkable stories of Melusine von der Schulenberg and Henrietta Howard, two women in a position that wasn’t always enviable. 

Click here to buy from Pen & Sword.

When George I arrived in England he found a kingdom in turmoil. Mistrustful of the new monarch from Hanover, his subjects met his coronation with riots. At George’s side was his mistress, Melusine von der Schulenberg, whilst his ex-wife languished in prison. Known as the Maypole thanks to her eye-catching figure, Melusine was the king’s confidante for decades. She was a mother to his children and a queen without a crown.

George II never forgave his father for tearing him from his mother's arms and he was determined to marry for love, not duty. Though his wife, Caroline of Ansbach, proved to be a politically gifted queen, George II turned to another for affection. She was Henrietta Howard, the impoverished Countess of Suffolk, and she was desperate to escape her brutish husband. As the years passed, the royal affair became a powerplay between king and queen and the woman who was mistress to one and servant to another.

Melusine and Henrietta's privileged position made them the envy of every courtier. It also made them a target of jealousy, plotting and ambition. In the tumultuous Georgian court, the bedroom and the throne room weren't so far apart.


Wednesday, 16 June 2021

The Imprisoned Princess: eBook

The Imprisoned Princess is out today in ebook, and it tells the tragic tale of one of the messiest marriages in Hanover! 

When Sophia Dorothea of Celle married her first cousin, the future King George I, she was an unhappy bride. Filled with dreams of romance and privilege, she hated the groom she called “pig snout” and wept at news of her engagement.

In the austere court of Hanover, the vibrant young princess found herself ignored and unwanted. Bewildered by dusty protocol and regarded as a necessary evil by her husband, Sophia Dorothea grew lonely as he gallivanted with his mistress under her nose.

When Sophia Dorothea plunged headlong into a passionate and dangerous affair with Count Phillip Christoph von Königsmarck, the stage was set for disaster. This dashing soldier was as celebrated for his looks as his bravery, and when he and Sophia Dorothea fell in love, they were dicing with death. Watched by a scheming and manipulative countess who had ambitions of her own, it was only a matter of time before scandal gripped the House of Hanover and tore the marriage of the heir to the British throne and his unhappy wife apart.

Divorced and disgraced, Sophia Dorothea was locked away in a gilded cage for 30 years, whilst her lover faced an even darker fate.


Tuesday, 4 May 2021

Being Mr Wickham - Available on Demand

Being Mr Wickham streamed live last weekend to viewers worldwide! It was an exhilarating experience and earned us a five star rave review from Broadway World and four stars from the Mail Online. It’s been a blast to hear from people across the globe who came together to watch the show, and if you’d like to watch on demand, you can do so from 11th May by clicking here!



Thursday, 1 April 2021

Under a Spitfire Sky - 99p for a limited time!

  

Our debut Ellie Curzon novel, Under a Spitfire Sky, is just 99p for a limited time!

Buy it now! Published by Orion DASH, writing as Ellie Curzon.

Can they find love in the darkest days of war?

It’s 1944, and Florence is a talented engineer in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, patching up planes to make sure that the brave Spitfire pilots of Cottisbourne airbase return safely day after day.

When she befriends the new squadron leader – shy, handsome Siegfried – it seems that romance might blossom under the war-torn skies. But Florence is nursing a broken heart and a terrible secret, which might destroy her one chance of happiness…

Meanwhile, a new plane is being developed that could turn the tide of the war, but Florence fears there is traitor is in their midst, putting Siegfried – and the whole country – in terrible danger. Can Florence save her Spitfire boys, and her own heart?

This romantic, exciting World War II saga is perfect for fans of Kate Hewitt, Jenny Holmes and Annie Murray

Tuesday, 23 March 2021

Being Mr Wickham: Live Streaming

Being Mr Wickham starring Adrian Lukis will stream live later this Spring... You asked for it, Adrian and I delivered!

Click on the link to find out more and book your virtual ticket!

Being Mr Wickham

Unfortunately, I can’t answer technical questions about the stream and its availability - please direct them via the link above  



Wednesday, 17 March 2021

The Three Graces in a High Wind


Never underestimate the perils of fashion! The Graces in a high wind - a Scene taken from Nature, in Kensington Gardens, by James Gillray. Via the V&A.

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

The Commercial Dandy

Dr. Samuel Phillips Eady, a quack specialist in sexual health, certainly seems to get on well with his glamorous patients! "The Commercial Dandy and his sleeping partners", by George Cruikshank, 1821.Via the Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection.

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Miss Prattle and the Doctor


“This old thing? I just threw this on.” Miss Prattle Consulting Doctor Double Fee about her Pantheon Head Dress,  1772, via the Met.

See more #gloriousGeorgians on Twitter!

Sunday, 28 February 2021

Jane Austen Made Me Do It

 It's my pleasure to welcome Zoe Wheddon, with a charming tale of Jane Austen's best friend.

---oOo---

‘Jane Austen made me do it’ is a refrain that we may have heard before, but in my case, it really is true. In the summer of 2017, the bi-centenary year of Jane Austen’s death, book benches designed and painted by local artists were dotted around my Hampshire home as part of an art trail that encircled various places where Jane Austen had once walked before us. Amongst other things following the map to each bench spawned a reading frenzy about our beloved authoress, the like of which I had never embarked upon before. Why had I never made the most of the opportunity to find out more about our local heroine in the past? I could not answer, but I read every biography I could get my hands on.  

With the end of the Summer would come the end of my obsession – or so I thought, but instead I fell headfirst down a very beautiful rabbit hole as I stumbled upon the chance to volunteer both at Jane Austen’s House and ‘the Great House,’ Chawton House. It was as I spent time in these beautiful places the following Spring, the words of talented biographers weaving their way through my mind and mingling with the images and objects of her affection all around me, that a thought struck me. I will not forget that moment (one that anyone who has ever followed a creative impulse will recognise.) A question loomed in on me...who is this Martha Lloyd? She flitted in and out of my peripheral vision, almost like a ghost, her name would sometimes appear and then disappear, there were whispers of her on the wind here and there – who really was she and why, if she had spent so many years living with Jane, had no-one said anything about her before? My feelings began to stir and I realised I felt more than a little passionate about this, ‘If Jane had been married you can bet your bottom dollar, we would know about it’ I quietly ranted in my head, thinking of the many films and tv series that this would have inspired over the years. Yet this friend, who apparently cooked for Jane and lived in a little room just along the upstairs landing from her bedroom was barely ever mentioned. The thought would not shift, I began to turn it over and over in my mind, I had to find out more. So, I began and it was as if Jane was nodding at me now, encouraging me along to find out more, she wanted Martha to be talked about too.

Why would Jane want the world introduced to Martha I wondered? Could it be that her story was so unique that Jane wanted it shared? Perhaps. Was it that she had inspired one of the characters in Jane’s novels? Possibly. Slowly but surely, it dawned on me it was about the uniqueness of their friendship, a friendship that had been so very important to Jane - Jane the person as well as perhaps Jane the novelist. I realised that I wanted to tell this story more than anything, because Martha knew Jane as only a best friend can, just as Henry knew her as only a brother could and James Edward as only a nephew could. This, this was a completely different perspective, one with more meaning and interest to Jane’s followers than a male relative’s view of her, one that would reveal more of the person that Cassandra so touchingly depicted in her own eulogy letter to her niece. Here was a way for us to peep behind the curtain into Jane’s homelife and see her as another young woman might have seen her. This was too special an opportunity to pass by, too rare a glimpse not to be sought after with every effort and using every possible source available. This was a dream come true – the dream of everyone who has ever read a Jane Austen novel or seen an adaptation and wished with all their heart that they could carry on the conversation with the author herself. This was surely a narrative for our time, and with the resurgence of the female voice through campaigns such as the #MeToo movement it seemed even more important, more relevant than ever, that we should seek a clearer picture of Jane Austen the woman. For in doing so we might not only indulge our dreams of being Jane’s friend but also reveal a more authentic view of Jane and thus with it a deeper understanding of her messages to us in her novels. 

The book written, I took a trip to Jane and Martha’s Chawton home and sat on the beautifully carved commemorative stone bench. I imagined them both coming and sitting with me as we gazed out upon verdure. I felt truly grateful for the many hands of friendship offered to me throughout the research and writing journey, especially to Catherine the very first to reach out and encourage me.  ‘Friendship is certainly the finest balm’ not just for ‘disappointments in love’ as Jane pointed out, but also for our hopes and dreams, those really quiet ones that we perhaps flick away like flies or that lay hidden deep within our hearts. Learning about Jane and Martha’s friendship taught me to have faith in my own creativity. It unearthed the realisation that I, as we all do, have a contribution to make to life through love and connection with others. 

Hidden in Jane Austen’s Best Friend: The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd there is a challenge implicitly issued to every reader - what would Jane have YOU do? In writing this book I have found she would have you be your truest and fullest self, to find a way to bring your dreams into the light, and to give your own ‘darling child’ a lease of life. She would encourage you to let the spark catch, to start where you are, to find your own small group of supporters and to begin to carve out moments, to mould your time to do your bidding. She would acknowledge that you need to dredge up the gumption and put in the hard work even though that work be difficult or imperfect because in letting forth this fountain, this force, you will know, as Jane did, the thrill that only the expression of yourself can bring and you will, in that moment, know how to value yourself as you should. 

---oOo---

A native of Jane Austen's beloved county of Hampshire, Zoe lives in a North Hampshire village, on the outskirts of the town that she and her husband Matt both grew up in, with their 3 grown up children and their cat Leia. When she is not researching or writing, Zoe can be found in the classroom teaching Spanish and French or singing ABBA songs loudly in her kitchen.

JANE AUSTEN'S BEST FRIEND: THE LIFE AND INFLUENCE OF MARTHA LLOYD is a heart-warming examination of the 'recipe for friendship' between Jane Austen, (with whom all Janeites are best friends in their imaginations,) and Martha Lloyd. In looking back somewhat longingly at Martha and Jane's strong and enduring bond we can examine all their interests, including the hits and misses of their romantic love lives, their passion for shopping and fashion, their family histories, their lucky breaks and their girly chats.

Through an examination of the defining moments of their shared lives together, the book gives readers an insight into the inner circle of the famously enigmatic and private authoress and the life changing force of their friendship.



Monday, 22 February 2021

Under a Spitfire Sky

 

Out now! Published by Orion DASH, writing as Ellie Curzon.

We’re so excited – today’s the day that our debut Ellie Curzon novel, Under a Spitfire Sky, will be hitting your Kindles!

Can they find love in the darkest days of war?

It’s 1944, and Florence is a talented engineer in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, patching up planes to make sure that the brave Spitfire pilots of Cottisbourne airbase return safely day after day.

When she befriends the new squadron leader – shy, handsome Siegfried – it seems that romance might blossom under the war-torn skies. But Florence is nursing a broken heart and a terrible secret, which might destroy her one chance of happiness…

Meanwhile, a new plane is being developed that could turn the tide of the war, but Florence fears there is traitor is in their midst, putting Siegfried – and the whole country – in terrible danger. Can Florence save her Spitfire boys, and her own heart?

This romantic, exciting World War II saga is perfect for fans of Kate Hewitt, Jenny Holmes and Annie Murray

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

Pampered Cats

More cats who know they’re onto a good thing! A Catamaran Or an old maid’s nursey, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1811. Via the British Museum.

Wednesday, 10 February 2021

A Use for a Rump


An alternative use for one lady’s flamboyant hat and fake rump - a rain shelter! The Summer Shower, or Mademoiselle Par, a Pluye, 1786. Via the Met.

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

A Spoiled Cat


This cat knows it’s onto a good thing. Miss Sukey and her Nursery, 1772. Via the British Museum.

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Breeches


“I think I make as good a man as my brother.” My brother's breeches--or not quite the thing, 1816. Via British Cartoon Prints Collection (Library of Congress).

Monday, 18 January 2021

The Elder Sons of George III: Kings, Princes, and a Grand Old Duke

I'm thrilled to announce that The Elder Sons of George III: Kings, Princes, and a Grand Old Duke, is out now. If you'd like to learn more about the six daughters of the Windsor nunnery, follow the link below to read my guest post at the Pen & Sword blog.

The Elder Sons of George III: Kings, Princes, and a Grand Old Duke

For nearly 60 years, King George III reigned over a tumultuous kingdom. His health and realm were in turmoil, whilst family life held challenges of its own. From the corpulent Prinny and the Grand Old Duke of York, to a king who battled the Lords and the disciplinarian Duke of Kent, this is the story of the elder sons of George III.

Born over the course of half a decade of upheaval, George, Frederick, William, and Edward defined an era. Their scandals intrigued the nation and their efforts to build lives away from the shadow of their impossibly pious parents led them down diverse paths. Whether devoting their lives to the military or to pleasure, every moment was captured in the full glare of the spotlight.

The sons of George III were prepared from infancy to take their place on the world’s stage, but as the king’s health failed and the country lurched from one drama to the next, they found that duty was easier said than done. With scandalous romances, illegal marriages, rumours of corruption and even the odd kidnapping plot, their lives were as breathless as they were dramatic. In The Elder Sons of George III: Kings, Princes, and a Grand Old Duke, travel from Great Britain to America and on to Hanover in the company of princes who were sometimes scandalous, sometimes sensational, but never, ever dull.




Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Pickpockets


This “cake” (a naive young fellow) is so busy being charmed by his lady friends, that he hasn’t noticed they’re picking his pocket! A Cake in Danger by Rowlandson, 1806. Via the Royal Collection.

Monday, 4 January 2021

Bridgerton: The True Story of Lady Whistledown

If you've been enjoying Netflix's brand new regency drama Bridgerton over Christmas, then you'll already be familiar with Lady Whistledown and the scandal sheets that kept the gossipy wheels of Georgian Britain turning. I'm delighted to be featured by Town & Country to lift the lid on the real Lady W, and the true story of some very scandalous newspapers indeed!

Click here to read more!

Netflix