Arbel: Majesty and Sorrow

by Jan Lloyd

It is 1575, and these are uncertain times for the English Monarchy. Queen Elizabeth grows older without an heir, religious division continues to fuel conspiracy and bloodshed, and the question of who will inherit the English throne hangs over the kingdom. In a great house at Hackney, a child is born whose bloodline will shape her tragic destiny. Lady Arbella Stuart is a direct descendant of Henry VII, placing her among the strongest claimants to the English crown. From her earliest years, she is watched, judged and manipulated by those who see her not as a woman, but as a political prize. Denied the freedom to choose her own future, even the love she longs for becomes a commodity to be bargained in the ruthless game of royal succession. As ambition, fear and intrigue close around her, Arbella finds herself trapped by a claim she never sought. Her extraordinary story is told through the eyes of her lifelong companion and guardian, Meggie, whose devotion carries her from humble beginnings into the intimate circle of Arbella's mother, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Stuart, Countess of Lennox, and the formidable Bess of Hardwick. Richly researched and vividly imagined, this is a compelling portrait of one of England's most overlooked royal women, set against the splendour, danger and intrigue of the Tudor and early Stuart courts. Read more