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 queen's court lay her bedchamber, closely guarded by the favored women who helped her dress, looked after her jewels, and shared her bed.
Elizabeth's 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 queen's body: it represented the very British state itself.
In The Queen's 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 queen's 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 spies -- nobody knew her better. And until now, historians have overlooked them. The Queen's Bed is a revelatory, insightful look into their daily lives -- the untold story of the queen laid bare.

• We started tracking this book on October 17, 2013.
• This book was $14.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 21 times in the past 4,294 days.
• The current price of this book is $9.99 last checked 9 hours ago.
• This lowest price this book has been offered at in the past year is $2.99.
• The lowest price to date was $2.99 last reached on July 7, 2025.
• This book has been $2.99 2 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $14.99 last reached on May 18, 2025.
• This book has been $14.99 3 times since we started tracking it.

• HistoryEuropeWesternGreat BritainTudor & Elizabethan Era (1485-1603)
• HistoryEuropeRenaissance
• HistoryEuropeWesternUnited KingdomTudor & Elizabethan Era (1485-1603)
• Biographies & MemoirsLeaders & Notable PeopleRoyalty

• Publication Date: February 11, 2014
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 481 Pages
• File Size: 102 KB