The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York (A Queens of

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York (A Queens of England Novel)

In 1470, a reluctant Lady Anne Neville is betrothed by her father, the politically ambitious Earl of Warwick, to Edward, Prince of Wales. A gentle yet fiercely intelligent woman, Anne has already given her heart to the princeâ€™s younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Unable to oppose her fatherâ€™s will, she finds herself in line for the throne of Englandâ€”an obligation that she does not want. Yet fate intervenes when Edward is killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Anne suddenly finds herself free to marry the man she lovesâ€”and who loves her in return. The ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, and the duke and duchess make a happy home at Middleham Castle, where both spent much of their childhood. Their life is idyllic, until the reigning king dies and a whirlwind of dynastic maneuvering leads to his children being declared illegitimate. Richard inherits the throne as King Richard III, and Anne is crowned queen consort, a destiny she thought she had successfully avoided. Her husbandâ€™s reign lasts two years, two months, and two daysâ€”and in that short time Anne witnesses the true toll that wearing the crown takes on Richard, the last king from the House of York.

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York (A Queens of England Novel)