The King's Curse

Written by Philippa Gregory

Narrated by Bianca Amato

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author behind the acclaimed Starz series The White Queen comes the story of lady-in-waiting Margaret Pole and her unique view of King Henry VIII’s stratospheric rise to power in Tudor England.

As an heir to the Plantagenets, Margaret is seen by the King’s mother, the Red Queen, as a rival to the Tudor claim to the throne. She is buried in marriage to a Tudor supporter—Sir Richard Pole, governor of Wales—and becomes guardian to Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon.

But Margaret’s destiny, as cousin to the White Princess, is not for a life in the shadows. Tragedy throws her into poverty, yet a royal death restores her to her place at young Henry VIII’s court where she becomes chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. There she watches the dominance of the Spanish queen over her husband and her tragic decline.

Amid the rapid deterioration of the Tudor court, Margaret must choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical Henry VIII or to her beloved queen. Caught between the old and the new, Margaret must find her own way, concealing her knowledge that an old curse cast upon all the Tudors is slowly coming true...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781442369979

Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory, CBE, is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. Her books include The Other Boleyn Girl, The White Queen, and most recently Dawnlands. A recognized authority on women’s history, she graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. She is a fellow of the University of Sussex and Cardiff University and an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. In 2020 she was made a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to literature and charity. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016 was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. She is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and in 2018 was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. 

Reviews for The King's Curse

[Kim Craddock · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Phillipa Gregory has created another memorable heroine in Margaret Pole. She grows in grace and dignity as the reign of Henry VIII descends into madness and corruption

[Becca Catherine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book was one of my favorites yet. Poor Margaret poles life was so full of sadness and constant betrayal it’s insane to think that this is based on real history and not just a complete fiction novel!!

[Julie Evans · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent narration, really brought the story to life. The story has made me think in depth about the times and has left me wanting to know more. Highly recommended

[Meredith Nalley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I knew very little about Margaret Pole, and I found this book fascinating. It is a sad tale, but for women in the Tudor court, it’s to be expected.

[Carrie Bohnsack · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it! Highly recommended. Great for a long car ride.

[Katherine Pettus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant book. So much depth, so much pain at the destruction of the faith and the monasteries. The authors note at the end is really insightful about Henry as an abuser and powerful man who acts with impunity like so many rulers today.