The novelty of a queen, without a king, on either the Scottish or English throne would be unusual enough, but two female rulers who clashed over almost every subject and whose struggle ended in the execution of one, is an undeniably riveting tale. The opposing queens of their own kingdoms remained locked in a battle for the possession of the British Isles throughout most of the late 16th Century, until the Virgin Queen, filled with anguish, signed Mary's death warrant for treason.ĭunn juxtaposes the histories of the two women and their power struggle for the British throne by unravelling the characters of each individual.įour hundred years on, the deadly relationship between Elizabeth and Mary remains fascinating. Richly illustrated and written with intelligence and authority, this deserves to be read not just by fellow history enthusiasts, but anyone with a zest for the sparkling intrigue and passion of the royal households during a dark period in British history. For Jane Dunn's meticulously researched double biography unravels the ultimately fatal relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Yet nobody has tackled with any sense of authority those episodes in the Tudor household surrounding his daughter's relationship with the cousin she would put to death. MY fascination for the history of the British monarchy hardly stems from any allegiance to the throne, far from it in fact, but rather some perverse interest in the sinister, unmentionable tales of the lives of those holding the power of the throne.įew can question the most colourful of all the British royals: Henry VIII and his thirst for life in the form of his many wives.

Elizabeth and Mary by Jane Dunn