Queens and Kings: An Unusually Personal History

"Queens & Kings is history with a uniquely personal touch. Warm, insightful, and full of heart, Worsley has distilled a lifetime of personal experience into this crowning achievement of a book. Prepare yourself for a personal tour of the palace rooms with Britain's favorite historian." --Hallie Rubenhold, bestselling author of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper

"This dazzling book is full of brilliant detail, behind-the-scenes wit and humor, and a great tenderness for her subjects. All seen through the lens of Lucy Worsley's career working as Chief Curator at Hampton Court, her scholarship, passion for her subject and deep knowledge is lightly worn, this is history writing at its best." --Kate Mosse, New York Times bestselling author

A colorful journey through some of the most significant moments in British history, as seen through Lucy Worsley's life and adventures as Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces.

No one has lived and breathed the monarchy quite like Lucy Worsley. For over twenty years, she worked as Chief Curator in some of Britain's most splendid palaces--and now she is ready to throw open the doors and welcome us in.

In Queens and Kings, Lucy takes us on a journey through some of our most turbulent and significant moments in history. From the Council Chamber in which Henry VIII decided to break from the pope to lunch with the late Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, from encounters with the Tower of London's Ravenmaster to the depths of Queen Victoria's wardrobe, Lucy shares how she grew to know the queens and kings, courtiers and servants who lived in these buildings over the centuries.

She traces their footsteps through the corridors and cloisters, the courtyards and kitchens and breathes new life into moments of great joy and consequence' as well as tales of intrigue which lurked in the shadows of regal splendor. Packed with new stories told from unexplored places, this is a fresh history of the monarchy.

Author: Lucy Worsley
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Published: 09/01/2026
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 9.07h x 5.92w x 1.51d
ISBN: 9798897101825


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2026

About the Author
Lucy Worsley, OBE, is the author of the bestselling Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman. She is chief curator at the charity Historic Royal Palaces and regularly presents history documentaries for the BBC. Her critically acclaimed books include Queen Victoria; Jane Austen at Home; The Art of the English Murder; and If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home. In 2019, her BBC One program Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley won a BAFTA. She lives in England.