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The beautiful Palais Royal
A Fashionably Dressed Young Woman in the Arcade of the Palais Royal, Garnier, 1787. Detail from Turgot’s map of Paris, showing the Palais Royal. Most of the action in Minette, my forthcoming novel...
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The first wedding of Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots, Clouet, 1558. Photo: Royal Collection. ‘All I can tell you is that I account myself one of the happiest women in the world‘ – Mary, Queen of Scots to her mother on the morning of...
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Charlotte Corday and the Murder of Marat
At 7am on the morning of Sunday, the 13th July 1793, a young woman, just twenty five years of age, with neatly arranged curling chestnut hair and clear blue eyes walked with a firm and steady tread...
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Sleeping Beauty’s Daughter –Émilie de Sainte-Amaranthe
Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe. Sadly, not much is known about Émilie, who was reputed to be one of the most beautiful women in Paris in the early 1790s. She was born Charlotte-Rose-Émilie Davasse de...
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Alexandrine Le Normant d’Étoilles
Alexandrine Le Normant d’Étoilles, Boucher, private collection. Although Versailles is better known as a very adult sort of playground, full of gilt and priceless treasures, I’ve always been...
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How to Ruin a Queen
‘On 5 September 1785, a trial began in Paris that would divide the country, captivate Europe and send the French monarchy tumbling down the slope towards the Revolution. Cardinal Louis de Rohan, scion...
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Josephine: Desire, Ambition, Napoleon
‘This is the incredible rise and unbelievable fall of a woman whose energy and ambition is often overshadowed by Napoleon’s military might. In this triumphant biography, Kate Williams tells...
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Joséphine crowned, 2nd December 1804
Sunday, the second of December 1804 was the coldest day of the year, with snow overnight and freezing rain the next morning, which turned the streets of Paris to slush. Spirits in the French capital...
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La Mode à la Cour de Marie Antoinette
How beautiful is this book? I was pleased as punch when I got La mode à la Cour de Marie-Antoinette from my brother in law as a Christmas present, and also rather astounded by how big it is as it is...
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Marie Antoinette: An Intimate History
I’m so sorry about taking a month off from my blog but I hope you’ll all forgive me when I reveal that the reason for my absence was a brand new book about Marie Antoinette, based on decades of pretty...
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