The Shadow Queen.
This is the story of Joan of Kent, a tale of treachery, power-hungry families and legal subterfuges, in which Joan, a woman of considerable charm and beauty, played a central role at the Plantagenet Court.
‘What would enhance the pattern of my life further? One word slid into my
mind. A seductive word. A dangerous word, perhaps, for a woman. Power.’
From her first clandestine marriage Joan of Kent’s reputation was one of scandal and rumour. Her royal blood made her a desirable bride, but her ambition and passion could become a threat to the stability of the Plantagenet dynasty.
Joan knew what she must do to survive – the political games to play, the men to marry – even if one man will always have her heart. But would her ambitions bring her happiness?
A dramatic story of love and loyalty and of the cost of personal ambition, this is the story of the woman who would ultimately seek power as the mother to the ten year old King Richard II, from the shadows of the throne.
The Shadow Queen breathes life back into this remarkable medieval woman, Joan of Kent.