The Queen's Bed: An Intimate History of Elizabeth's Court

About this book

From the private world of a beloved English queen a story of intimacy royalty espionage rumor and subterfuge Queen Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558 restoring the Protestant faith to England. At the heart of the new queens court lay her bedchamber closely guarded by the favored women who helped her dress looked after her jewels and shared her bed. Elizabeths private life was of public concern. Her bedfellows were witnesses to the face and body beneath the makeup and raiment as well as to rumored dalliances with such figures as Earl Robert Dudley. Their presence was for security as well as propriety as the kingdom was haunted by fears of assassination plots and other Catholic stratagems. Such was the significance of the queens body: it represented the very British state itself. In The Queens Bed the historian Anna Whitelock offers a revealing look at the Elizabethan court and the politics of intimacy. She dramatically reconstructs for the first time the queens quarters and the women who patrolled them. It is a story of sex gossip conspiracy and intrigue brought to life amid the colors textures smells and routines of the royal court. The women who attended the queen held the truth about her health chastity and fertility. They were her friends confidantes and spiesnobody knew her better. And until now historians have overlooked them. The Queens Bed is a revelatory insightful look into their daily livesthe untold story of the queen laid bare.