Royal Marriage Secrets: Consorts & Concubines, Bigamists & Bastards

From royal babies to royal marriages, not all are what they seem—this book exposes the hidden skeletons of England's most famous rulers

Were the "Princes in the Tower" illegitimate? Did Henry VIII really have six wives? How virginal was "the Virgin Queen?" Was James, Duke of Monmouth, the heir to the throne, or just one of Charles II's bastards? Did George IV marry a German princess or a Catholic widow? Was Queen Victoria "Mrs. Brown?" These questions are explored in the context of two broader stories: love and marriage in the English royal family, and the evolution of marriage practice in England. How were royal consorts chosen? Did royal brides use witchcraft? Where did people get married in the past? The answers to such questions provide the fascinating context within which the six disputed royal marriages must be understood.