By Victoria Rasbridge Virtuous or Villainess? The Image of the Royal Mother from the Early Medieval to the Early Modern Era, edited by Carey Fleiner and Elena Woodacre, is the second of two volumes that explore the subject of royal motherhood in Palgrave Macmillan’s Queenship and Power series.
Author Archives: gabbystorey
King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Netflix’s Bridgerton
By Amy-Jane Humphries In 2022, Bridgerton returned to Netflix to popular acclaim. The role of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Great Britain was once again masterfully played by Golda Rosheuvel, who expertly balances the queen’s performative frivolity with the fragility that lay at the heart of the monarchy, within the royal marriage itself. While QueenContinue reading “King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Netflix’s Bridgerton”
The Queen of Canada: Dominating the Dominion or a Dated Role?
By Jessica Storoschuk With Victoria Day (celebrated in Canada on the Monday closest to May 24, the anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth) and a royal visit for the Platinum Jubilee wrapped up, the question of the monarchy in Canada is becoming increasingly prominent. Canada, with Victoria and Elizabeth II, has had a queen as sovereignContinue reading “The Queen of Canada: Dominating the Dominion or a Dated Role?”
Le sacre des reines/The sacrament of queens
By Louise Gay Sacrare: to dedicate to a deity; to dedicate, as a curse, to a divinity. The Latin verb derives from sacer (-cra, -crum), formerly sacros, which designates what belongs to the world of the divine, opposed to what is specific to everyday human life (the profanum). The transition from one to the otherContinue reading “Le sacre des reines/The sacrament of queens”
Mary II and Asian luxury goods
By Amy Lim For a few short years in the 1690s, Mary II’s Water Gallery at Hampton Court was the most sophisticated and influential interior in England. Created from a Tudor water gate on the banks of the river Thames, the queen used it as a retreat from the dust and noise of Sir ChristopherContinue reading “Mary II and Asian luxury goods”
Book Review: Æthelflaed, The Lady of the Mercians by Tim Clarkson
By Catherine Capel The ever-growing field of queenship has brought to light many queens and noblewomen who have been largely ignored in historical scholarship or have been misunderstood, with their narratives shrouded in stereotypes of cruelty, disillusions of power, and sexual scandal. One such royal woman who has been garnering renewed attention is Æthelflaed, daughterContinue reading “Book Review: Æthelflaed, The Lady of the Mercians by Tim Clarkson”
No Reign: Mary, Queen of Scots on Screen
By Jessica Storoschuk Mary, Queen of Scots has remained a popular historical figure in the centuries since her death and remains so to this day. She has appeared in countless television shows and feature films, both as a protagonist and as a secondary character. Despite leading Scotland in a politically turbulent period (both internally andContinue reading “No Reign: Mary, Queen of Scots on Screen”
Film Review: The Princess Diaries & The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
By Catherine Capel The Princess Diaries, released 2001, and its follow up sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, released 2004, were based upon the popular book series of the same name written by Meg Cabot. The films depict the struggles of American teenager Mia Thermopolis, portrayed by Anne Hathaway, as she grapples with herContinue reading “Film Review: The Princess Diaries & The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”
Book Review: Blanche of Castile by Lindy Grant
By Gabby Storey The life and career of Blanche of Castile, queen of France, rivals that of her illustrious grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine: perhaps no surprise to Eleanor, who in 1200 selected Blanche to marry the heir to the French throne, Louis (later Louis VIII). Grant’s thorough and captivating biography of Blanche (2016) is longContinue reading “Book Review: Blanche of Castile by Lindy Grant”
Studying Medieval Queens and (In)fertility
By Emma Trivett Being a mother was a crucial role for medieval queens, and maternity continues to be a central theme in queenship studies. Scholars of queenship have explored how queens were able to exercise authority and influence through their role as mothers and, recently, Kristen Geaman and Theresa Earenfight have drawn attention to howContinue reading “Studying Medieval Queens and (In)fertility”
Team Queens 