The Queen's Children My Rating: 4.8
Anne of Denmark, Queen of England, gives birth to her daughter Mary, her first child since coming to England in 1603, when her husband James succeeded to the English throne.
Although they would have preferred a son, both parents are pleased that the child is healthy, and their courtiers are thrilled by the birth of the first royal child on English soil in nearly seventy years.
The Scottish royal family has been welcomed by the English, and the reign has begun well, despite continuing tensions between Catholics and Protestants.
Anne enjoys the opportunities England gives her to pursue her artistic interests, but she often feels inferior to James and finds fulfillment in raising her four children, particularly her eldest son, Henry.
She is determined to arrange an engagement between Henry and the Spanish infanta. But with anti-Catholic sentiment on the rise, it may not be the wisest match.
Anne becomes pregnant again, but almost immediately the happy news is overshadowed by the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot—a conspiracy aimed at the near-total destruction of the royal family.
Wow, does this family go through a lot! I really felt for all of them, and even when I didn't agree with their plotting and choices, I could understand the motives behind them. Queen Anne was very tough!
I definitely recommend this series. I love how much history these books pack in while still being quick, absorbing reads. I'm off to the next book—the fifth and final one in the series!
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