The Private Lives of the Tudors

A revelatory glimpse into the lives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and more from Sunday Times bestselling author Tracy Borman

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The Private Lives of the Tudors

By: Tracy Borman

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble, Sandra Duncan

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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

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Secrets. Silence. Scandal. This is the Tudors as you have never seen them before - as told through the eyes of the people who were ALWAYS watching.

'I do not live in a corner. A thousand eyes see all I do.' Elizabeth I

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 that historian Tracy Borman has examined more closely than ever before. With new insights and discoveries, and in the same way that she brilliantly illuminated the real Thomas Cromwell - The Private Life of the Tudors will reveal previously unexamined details about the characters we think we know so well.

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Critical acclaim for The Private Lives of the Tudors:

'Borman approaches her topic with huge enthusiasm and a keen eye for entertaining...this is a very human story of a remarkable family, full of vignettes that sit long in the mind.' Dan Jones, Sunday Times

'Tracy Borman's eye for detail is impressive; the book is packed with fascinating courtly minutiae... this is a wonderful book.' The Times

'Borman is an authoritative and engaging writer, good at prising out those humanising details that make the past alive to us.' The Observer

'Fascinating, detailed account of the everyday reality of the royals... This is a book of rich scholarship.' Daily Mail

'Tracy Borman's passion for the Tudor period shines forth from the pages of this fascinatingly detailed book, which vividly illuminates what went on behind the scenes at the Tudor court.' Alison Weir©2016 Tracy Borman

Tracy BormanJonathan KeebleSandra DuncanHodder & Stoughton

Europe

Great Britain

Tudor

England

Royalty

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Europe Great Britain Tudor England Royalty Thought-Provoking

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This is a rich and wonderfully detailed study packed with fascinating tidbits of gossip and intrigue which come together to build a beautifully crafted telling of the Tudor story.

My only issue with it was the author's constant repetitive use of the term "the latter" and, much more significantly, the narration.

The main voice is lovely to listen to until you begin to notice how much he indulges in the words "stool" and "gold", pronounced "shtooooool" and "goooooold" which he lingers on with such ridiculous over-emphasis that soon whole chapters are nearly ruined. He also has an irritating habit of gulping and gurgling in-between sentences and particularly before quotations.

Most heinous though is the voice artist cast to perform the majority of the male quotations. He has an awful, affected, strained voice; gargling and straining through each sentence. I can't imagine why he was employed.

Thankfully, the subject matter is so strong and the writing so pacey that I was able to let these irritations pass but they very nearly ruined the listening experience for me.