On the Blink

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Dr. Lucy Worsley is one of my favorite author-historians, and I’ve been anticipating her book Queens and Kings: An Unusually Personal History of the Monarchy since she announced it on social media. I enjoyed her previous books on Georgian history: Jane Austen at Home and The Courtiers. She was Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces and is now an ambassador for the charity and a historian-at-large.

On Substack Lucy writes My Life in the Past. One of her best pieces is a tribute to Queen Caroline, her favorite queen. Lucy shared stories from Queens and Kings in a fun Q&A with historian Anthony Delaney:

Divided into six parts, Lucy’s book chronicles the British monarchy. I was especially interested in the Tudor and Regency lives, but the Victorian and 20th-century sections were diverting as well. Lucy portrays most figures with sympathetic balance. I appreciated her attention to Queen Alexandra, consort to Edward VII. And her inclusion of various Romanov family members was fascinating.

The Curator’s Touch

I wasn’t sure what new angle Lucy would bring to these historical topics. I’ve read Gaareth Russell’s The Palace and Tracy Borman’s Crown & Sceptre — and both were engaging and well-researched. Even though I love Lucy’s work, I worried whether the topic had been done to death.

But Lucy’s approach is intimate: she explains the objects and architecture of the palaces with clarity and precision. She takes readers deep into the world of the curator’s daily task — from discovering Tudor pee in a chamber pot to describing how the palace bricks have changed in color. She analyzes rooms, portraits, artifacts, and clothing, as well as providing stories of the many men and women who lived at Court. The work is delightfully situated in her perspective: we hear her steps and jingling keys, follow her hands along the walls. It is a beautiful testament to her decades of work as Chief Curator.

A Surprise for Disability Scholars

In her section on the Tudors, Lucy tracks the physical decline of Henry VIII in later life. Henry sustained injuries from jousting that affected his ability to walk and exercise, so he gradually lost mobility. He walked with a cane, but he was also wheeled around his palaces in a special sedan chair. He was carried up the stairs in a kind of 16th-century lift device.

I’m familiar with Henry’s health history and limitations, but I did not expect Lucy to use this topic to remark on the social model of disability. I was surprised and delighted to find that she discussed the question, “Was Henry VIII disabled?” with a balanced and accurate knowledge of disability studies. It’s rare to find these discussions in mainstream books, so I was excited to read this passage.

Final Impressions

From her touching dedication to her hopeful signoff, Lucy has created a humane work of intellectual rigor and thoughtful narrative. Lucy narrated the audiobook, and her voice is smooth, pleasant, and skilled. She possesses a low-pitched voice that is quite expressive. I can hear the smile in certain passages and longing in others. When she says goodbye to her career as Chief Curator, her voice is filled with warmth and a touch of sadness.

Enhance Your Knowledge:

Here’s my favorite documentary about Hampton Court Palace, featuring Tracy Borman, Lucy Worsley, and Suzannah Lipscomb:

Lucy Worsley and David Starkey celebrate Hampton Court’s 500th anniversary by recreating Edward VI’s christening: