Anna of Kleve, the Princess in the Portrait - (Six Tudor Queens) by Alison Weir (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"In this vivid and beautifully crafted portrayal, Alison Weir transforms Henry VIII's much-maligned fourth wife into a woman of passion, courage, and mystery."--Tracy Borman, author of The Private Lives of the Tudors

Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived

Newly widowed and the father of an infant son, Henry VIII realizes he must marry again to ensure the royal succession. Forty-six, overweight, and suffering from gout, Henry is soundly rejected by some of Europe's most eligible princesses. Anna of Kleve, from a small German duchy, is twenty-four, and has a secret she is desperate to keep hidden. Henry commissions her portrait from his court painter, who depicts her from the most flattering perspective. Entranced by the lovely image, Henry is bitterly surprised when Anna arrives in England and he sees her in the flesh. Some think her attractive, but Henry knows he can never love her.

What follows is the fascinating story of an awkward royal union that somehow had to be terminated. Even as Henry begins to warm to his new wife and share her bed, his attention is captivated by one of her maids-of-honor.

Alison Weir takes a fresh look at this royal marriage from the perspective of Queen Anna, a young woman with dreams of her own, alone in a royal court that rejected her from the day she set foot on England's shore.

Review Quotes

"Weir's clever plot reimagines Anna's deliciously scandalous maidenhood, sacrifices, and yearning for love. This riveting historical resonates long after the last page is devoured."--Publishers Weekly

"[Anna of Kleve] is an outstanding novel, the most intriguing so far in Weir's Six Queens series. . . . Weir tells her story with passion, a strong emotional pulse and an excellent knowledge base, creating a novel which will keep her readers page-turning. . . . [It] is a thoroughly researched novel, conveying the tense atmosphere created by Anna's anxieties and fears and the threatening factions at Henry's court."--Historical Novels Review

"The title of Weir's perceptive latest entry in her acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series . . . signals a new, original view of Henry VIII's fourth wife. . . . Political, legal, and religious matters are dexterously illustrated. . . . A richly satisfying portrait of a woman who made the best of limited choices."--Booklist

"To say my expectations were high would be an understatement; to say that this wonderful book exceeded them would be even more so. In this vivid and beautifully crafted portrayal, Alison Weir transforms Henry VIII's much-maligned fourth wife into a woman of passion, courage, and mystery. Utterly gripping and endlessly surprising, this novel captivates from the first page to the last."--Tracy Borman, author of Thomas Cromwell and The Private Lives of the Tudors

About the Author