The Secret Queen: Eleanor Talbot, the Woman Who Put Richard III on the Throne

A secret marriage, a disputed throne, and a hidden queen who changed the course of English history.

When Edward IV died in 1483, the Yorkist succession was called into question. Was Eleanor Talbot, the secret queen, the true wife of Edward IV? Or was Elizabeth Widville the rightful queen? John Ashdown-Hill argues that Eleanor Talbot was married to Edward IV, and that therefore Edward’s subsequent union with Elizabeth Widville was bigamous, making her children illegitimate.

In his quest to reveal the truth about Eleanor, he also uncovers fascinating new evidence that sheds fresh light on one of the greatest historical mysteries of all time – the identity of the ‘bones in the urn’ in Westminster Abbey, believed for centuries to be the remains of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.

Perfect for readers interested in:

• English history
• Royal biographies
• The Wars of the Roses

The late JOHN ASHDOWN-HILL was a historian and member of the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Genealogists and the Richard III Society. He wrote numerous articles for The Ricardian and was the author of Eleanor, the Secret Queen, Richard III’s ‘Beloved Cousyn’ and Royal Marriage Secrets (all The History Press).