Anne Boleyn, Katherine’s lady-in-waiting and the woman who stole Henry’s heart, is the last straw. What should have been a glorious reign for the Spanish Princess ends in disaster when Henry turns on Katherine, stripping her of her title and her privileges, and eventually raising another woman to the position of Queen. Six weeks from home across treacherous seas, everything is different: the language, the food, the weather. And for her there is no comfort in any of it. At sixteen years old, Catalina is alone among strangers.

Henry's first Queen emerges as an intelligent, resilient woman who demonstrated considerable political ability. Alison Weir is in command of her detail and her handling of Katherine's misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching." (Elizabeth Buchan, The Daily Mail) Her resistance against Henry’s demands and the conflict that ensued between her and Anne Boleyn placed King Henry VIII on the path to a destination he could never have foreseen.I want to seek out the truths that lie behind the historical evidence, and for this fiction is a versatile medium, because it offers the scope to develop ideas and themes that have no place in a history book, but which - based on sound research and informed guesses – can be of real value in illuminating the lives of these long-dead queens, and explain their motives and actions. A historian uses such inventiveness at their peril - but a novelist has the power to get inside their subject`s head, and that can afford one insights that would not be permissable to a historian, and yet can have a legitimate value of their own. A historian has to work within the strict constraints imposed by the source material and credible speculation. A novelist, however, is able to use their imagination to fill in the gaps - although I strongly feel that what they write must be credible within the context of what is known about the subject.” You can read more about my Six Tudor Queens series and a lot of other fascinating historical topics at http://hforhistory.co.uk/

Listen to my interview with Donna Freed for Radio Gorgeous here: https://audioboom.com/boos/4580395-alison-weir-katherine-of-aragon-the-true-queen-six-tudor-queens-author-of-the-week-with-donna-freed Alison Weir takes on what no fiction writer has done before: creating a dramatic six-book series in which each novel covers one of King Henry VIII's wives. In this captivating opening volume, Weirbrings to life the tumultuous tale of Katherine of Aragon, Henry's first, devoted, and true queen." (Brilliant Books) Alison Weir shares the inspiration behind her new Six Tudor Queens series": https://historicalnovelsociety.org/alison-weir-shares-the-inspiration-behind-her-new-six-tudor-queens-series/ Alison also tantalised the audience promising that the books would explore exciting revelations and newly discovered elements of each of the wives’ lives:Margery Otwell, a self-made gentleman's young daughter, gets her first taste of courtly life when she takes up a position as chamberer to Lady Peche of Lullingstone Castle. Dances, music, feasting - and a seduction - follow, and Margery learns the rules of courtly love the hard way. Sadly for the audience Alison didn’t divulge much more or go into precise details. We’ll have to wait for the books. Alison Weir on Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen': https://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/blog/alison-weir-on-katherine-of-aragon-the-true-queen/ Listen to my interview with Jane Garvey on Woman's Hour here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079m0ld