Books On Board

Six Tudor Queens Books in Order

  • 19 Books
  • 2016 – 2021 Published

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Reading order
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Step Into the Tudor Court

For centuries, the story of Henry VIII’s wives has been summed up by a simple rhyme: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived." But these women were far more than footnotes in the life of a tyrannical king. In her sweeping historical fiction series, Six Tudor Queens, acclaimed historian and author Alison Weir gives each queen the spotlight she deserves. center-stage. Centering their perspectives, their agency, and their internal struggles, Weir paints a rich, dramatic, and historically grounded portrait of these legendary figures.

If you are looking to dive into this treacherous world of courtly intrigue, politics, and romance, navigating the reading order can seem daunting. With six massive main novels and a baker's dozen of companion short stories, here is how you should approach this remarkable saga.

The Core Six Tudor Queens Novels in Order

The main novels were published in the exact chronological order of Henry VIII’s marriages. Reading them in this sequence allows you to experience the timeline of Henry's court as it evolved from the youthful splendor of his early reign to the suspicious terror of his final years. The main novels include:

  1. Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen (2016) – Follows Katherine from her arrival in England as a Spanish princess, through her marriage to Arthur, and her subsequent long, turbulent marriage to Henry VIII.
  2. Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession (2017) – Focuses on the ambitious, brilliant, and polarizing woman who captured the king's heart, dismantled the English church, and ultimately lost her head.
  3. Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen (2018) – Explores the life of the quiet queen who followed the tragedy of Anne Boleyn, showing her not just as a submissive peacemaker, but as a woman haunted by the fates of those before her.
  4. Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets (also published as Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait) (2019) – Reimagines the story of Henry’s fourth wife, often dismissed as the "Flanders Mare," painting her instead as an intelligent, independent woman who managed to survive court politics.
  5. Katheryn Howard: The Tainted Queen (also published as Katheryn Howard: The Scandalous Queen) (2020) – Tells the tragic story of the young fifth queen, highlighting her vulnerability and the exploitation she faced before her downfall.
  6. Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife (2021) – Concludes the wives' story with the intellectual, twice-widowed final queen who survived Henry and managed to marry the love of her life.

The Companion Novellas: In the Shadow of Queens

Alongside the main novels, Alison Weir published a series of companion digital e-shorts. These novellas explore the lives of minor characters, family members, courtiers, and historical events taking place on the periphery of the main stories. They were later compiled into a single paperback volume titled In the Shadow of Queens: Tales from the Tudor Court (2021). The e-shorts include:

  • Six Tudor Queens: Writing a New Story (2016) – An introductory piece outlining Weir's historical methodology and vision.
  • Arthur: Prince of the Roses (2016) – Focuses on Henry's older brother Arthur, Katherine of Aragon's first husband.
  • The Blackened Heart (2017) – Follows Margery Horsman, Katherine of Aragon's maid of honor, bridging the transition between Katherine and Anne Boleyn.
  • The Chateau of Briis: A Lesson in Love (2018) – Explores Anne Boleyn’s formative early years in France.
  • The Grandmother's Tale (2018) – Tells the story of Elizabeth Cheney, great-grandmother to Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Katheryn Howard.
  • The Tower is Full of Ghosts Today (2017) – A unique, slightly ghostly tale set at the Tower of London, connecting the past to a modern tour guide.
  • The Unhappiest Lady in Christendom (2018) – Follows Princess Mary (later Mary I) as she navigates the rise of Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour.
  • The King's Painter (2019) – Follows court artist Hans Holbein as he travels to paint Anna of Kleve.
  • The Curse of the Hungerfords (2019) – Explores the dark fate of the Hungerford family during Anna of Kleve’s era.
  • The Princess of Scotland (2020) – Centers on Margaret Douglas, Henry VIII's niece, during the reign of Katheryn Howard.
  • The Wicked Wife (2021) – Explores Lady Jane Rochford, who played a key role in the falls of both Anne Boleyn and Katheryn Howard.
  • The Queen's Child (2021) – Follows Mary Seymour, Katharine Parr's orphan daughter, after the Queen's death.
  • In This New Sepulchre (2021) – Explores the macabre afterlife of Katharine Parr and the modern exhumation of her remains.

Recommended Chronological Reading Order

If you want the ultimate, immersive experience, you can weave the companion e-shorts directly into the timeline of the main novels. Here is how they align chronologically:

  1. "Arthur: Prince of the Roses"
  2. Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen
  3. "The Chateau of Briis"
  4. Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession
  5. "The Blackened Heart"
  6. "The Grandmother's Tale"
  7. "The Tower is Full of Ghosts Today"
  8. "The Unhappiest Lady in Christendom"
  9. Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen
  10. "The King's Painter"
  11. Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets
  12. "The Curse of the Hungerfords"
  13. "The Wicked Wife"
  14. Katheryn Howard: The Tainted Queen
  15. "The Princess of Scotland"
  16. Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife
  17. "The Queen's Child"
  18. "In This New Sepulchre"

Practical Reader Advice

Can these books be read as standalones? Yes, absolutely. Because each novel is told strictly from the perspective of a single queen, they function beautifully as standalone historical portraits. However, reading them in sequence rewards you with a deep sense of historical continuity, as you see characters age, power shift, and events mentioned in previous books from completely new angles.

Where should you start? The absolute best starting point is Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen. It establishes the courtly dynamic and introduces Henry VIII as a young, charismatic king before his descent into tyranny.

What next? Once you finish the wives' stories, you can jump straight into Weir’s follow-up series, the Tudor Rose trilogy, which follows the wider dynasty: Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose (2022), The King's Pleasure / Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown (2023), and The Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I (2024).

Frequently Asked

Can I read the Six Tudor Queens books out of order?

Yes, you can read them as standalones since each book is written from the perspective of a different queen. However, reading them in chronological order is highly recommended to appreciate how the Tudor court changes over time.

Where should I start reading the series?

It is best to start with the first novel, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen, to understand the foundations of Henry VIII's court before the drama of the later marriages unfolds.

What is the book 'In the Shadow of Queens'?

It is a print collection compiling all thirteen digital e-short stories and novellas that Alison Weir wrote as companion pieces to the main novels.

Are there any sequels or spin-off series?

Yes! Alison Weir followed this series with the Tudor Rose trilogy, starting with Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose, which focuses on other key figures in the Tudor dynasty.

Who wrote the Six Tudor Queens series?

The series was written by the acclaimed British historian and author Alison Weir, ensuring the novels are rich in genuine historical research.