Do I need to read the other Shadows of the Crown books first?

No. Each Shadows of the Crown novel tells the story of a different figure from the Tudor court and stands on its own; there's no continuing plot across the series.

My lady of Cleves

Historical Fiction Historical Romance

Pages: 316
Published: 1946
Language: English

Anne of Cleves arrives in England to marry Henry VIII sight-unseen, only for the king to recoil from her on their first meeting. Where two of his previous wives lost their heads for far less than his displeasure, Anne navigates the annulment of her own marriage with a shrewdness that wins her Henry's respect, a generous settlement, and a quiet, independent life at the English court she was never meant to keep. Margaret Campbell Barnes tells her story as part of her Shadows of the Crown novels dramatizing the Tudor court.

Prose complexity: 4/10

Atmospheric Reflective

Court Intrigue

Margaret Campbell Barnes

Margaret Campbell Wood was born on 17 February 1891 in Rotherfield, Sussex, England, UK. She was the youngest of ten children, who lied a happy childhood in the Sussex country side. She was eventually educated at small private schools in Paris and London. She married Peter Barnes in 1917, a furniture salesman, and the couple had two sons, Michael and John. Michael, a Royal Armoured Corps Lieutenant, was killed during WW II. She died on 1 April 1962 in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. Her books are...

Anne of ClevesProtagonist

Henry VIII's fourth wife, whose marriage is quickly annulled.

King Henry VIIISupporting

King of England, Anne's husband.

All characters in My lady of Cleves

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to read the other Shadows of the Crown books first?
No. Each Shadows of the Crown novel tells the story of a different figure from the Tudor court and stands on its own; there's no continuing plot across the series.