Fern Riddell

Forget wilting wallflowers and doting daughters – these royal women rocked the world with their skills and smarts, saying a firm NO to social conventions.Think the past was only full of dull, uptight royals? Then strap right in for stories of wilful women who defied expectations, changed the course of history, and sometimes were just downright badass! From fearless fighters who rallied spectacular armies to no-nonsense negotiators who fought for independence, each woman in this book turned norms on their head and smashed gender stereotypes.Get ready for pages and pages of monarchial mayhem as you meet the rebels, revolutionaries, and all-round righteous gals who weren’t afraid to break the rules and make their mark.

NOW A GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY‘Now, at last, we know the truth about Queen Victoria and John Brown’ BENDOR GROSVENOR ‘Irresistible’ SATHNAM SANGHERA ‘So often I told him no one loved him more than I did ... and he answered, “nor you than me. No one loves you more”...’ From the moment John Brown arrived as a servant to Queen Victoria’s household, he became known across the land as her loyal companion, her fierce protector and her right-hand man – and the centre of scandalous rumours, whispered in secret. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? Might Queen Victoria have had a second chance at love, in spite of everything her crown, country and family required from her? In this provocative exploration of Victoria’s private passions, the acclaimed historian Fern Riddell re-examines everything we thought we knew about one of Britain’s most iconic women. A timeless romance and an extraordinary retelling of the emotional life of a queen, Victoria’s Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love. ‘This meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery showcases Riddell at her bold and passionate best’ EMILY BRAND ‘Riveting, bold and deeply human … Riddell reveals the woman behind the crown in all her fascinating complexity’ ELINOR CLEGHORN ‘It’s tender, surprising and might just change how we see her’ ROBERT RINDER ‘Fascinating’ ANTONIA FRASER

*The book that inspired the major Channel 4 documentary airing this summer!*A passionate and provocative re-evaluation of Queen Victoria's relationship with her servant John Brown that uncovers the secrets the royal machine keeps from us, by acclaimed historian Dr Fern Riddell. From the moment John Brown arrived as a servant to Queen Victoria's household, he became known across the land as her loyal companion, her fierce protector, and her right-hand man; their friendship immortalised in print and later on-screen. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? And what has history been hiding from u? umours have swirled around this relationship for years as historians have attempted to bring the truth to light – now for the first time, Dr Fern Riddell re-examines everything we thought we knew about one of Britain's most iconic women. Through unearthing groundbreaking new evidence, Riddell challenges the prevalent image of Victoria as a grieving widow to create a compelling human portrait of a woman in passionate midlife. Against a backdrop of court politics, family dynasties and the magic of the Highlands, Victoria’s Secret untangles the mysteries that the royal family have tried to keep hidden for generations, forcing us to question ‘who really writes our history’? Both a timeless romance and an extraordinary retelling of the emotional life of a queen, Victoria's Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love. 'A witty, compelling, irresistible read that unpretentiously reveals a great deal about the Victorian age.' Sathnam Sanghera'A meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery' Emily Brand'Riveting, bold and deeply human' - Elinor Cleghorn'Tender, surprising and just might change how we see Queen Victoria' - Robert Rinder