We are very pleased to be able to welcome as our speaker Tracy Borman, Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, who will be talking about her new book The Private Lives of the Tudors.
The Tudor monarchs were constantly surrounded by an army of attendants, courtiers and ministers. Even in their most private moments, they were accompanied by a servant specifically appointed for the task. A groom of the stool would stand patiently by as Henry VIII performed his daily purges, and when Elizabeth I retired for the evening, one of her female servants would sleep at the end of her bed.
These attendants knew the truth behind the glamorous exterior. They saw the tears shed by Henry VII upon the death of his son Arthur. They knew the tragic secret behind "Bloody Mary's" phantom pregnancies. And they saw the "crooked carcass" beneath Elizabeth I's carefully applied makeup, gowns and accessories.
It is the accounts of these eyewitnesses, as well as a rich array of other contemporary sources which Tracy Borman has examined more closely than ever before. With new insights and discoveries, The Private Life of the Tudors reveals previously unexamined details about the characters we think we know so well.
Come along and join us for what promises to be a fascinating talk. Tickets cost £5 - which includes a glass of wine or soft drink - and can be obtained from Molesey Library.
