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Philippa Gregory (born 9 January 1954) is an English historical novelist who has been publishing since 1987. The best known of her works is ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' (2001), which in 2002 won the
Romantic Novel of the Year Award The Romantic Novel of the Year Award is an award for romance novels since 1960, presented by Romantic Novelists' Association, and since 2003, the novellas, also won the Love Story of the Year (now RoNA Rose Award). Winners Romantic Novel of th ...
from the
Romantic Novelists' Association The Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) is the professional body representing authors of romantic fiction in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1960 by Denise Robins (first president), Barbara Cartland (first vice-president), Vivian Stua ...
and has been adapted into two films. '' AudioFile'' magazine has called Gregory "the queen of British historical fiction".


Early life and education

Philippa Gregory was born on 9 January 1954 in
Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
, at that time serving as capital city of the
Colony and Protectorate of Kenya The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya, commonly known as British Kenya or British East Africa, was part of the British Empire in Africa from 1920 until 1963. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a Brit ...
(modern-day
Republic of Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. K ...
), the second daughter of Elaine (Wedd) and Arthur Percy Gregory, a radio operator and navigator for
East African Airways East African Airways Corporation, more commonly known as East African Airways, was an airline jointly run by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It was set up on 1 January 1946, starting operations the same year. The airline was headquartered in the S ...
. When she was two years old, her family moved to
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, UK.Philippa Gregory walk at BBC Bristol
Retrieved 6 June 2013.
She was a "rebel" at
Colston's Girls' School Montpelier High School (formerly Colston's Girls' School) is a girls secondary Academy, located in the Montpelier area of Bristol, England. The school building was designed by William Venn Gough and dates from 1891. It uses a polychrome mix of ...
Philippa Gregory at Chroniclelive
Retrieved 6 June 2013.
where she obtained a B grade in English and two E grades in History and Geography at
A-level The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...
. She then went to journalism college in
Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
and spent a year as an apprentice with the '' Portsmouth News'' before she managed to gain a place on an English literature degree course at the
University of Sussex The University of Sussex is a public university, public research university, research university located in Falmer, East Sussex, England. It lies mostly within the city boundaries of Brighton and Hove. Its large campus site is surrounded by the ...
, where she switched to a history course. In 1982, she received a
B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...
degree in history from Sussex University.Philippa Gregory, interview
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
Education''. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
She worked for
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
radio for two years before attending the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, where she obtained a
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
degree in 18th-century literature in 1985 for her thesis entitled ''The popular fiction of eighteenth-century commercial circulating libraries''. Gregory has taught at the
University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charter in 1837. It was the first recognised university to ...
, the
University of Teesside Teesside University is a public university with its main campus in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire in North East England. It was officially opened as ''Constantine Technical College'' in 1930, before becoming a polytechnic in 1969, and finally g ...
, and the
Open University The Open University (OU) is a Public university, public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by List of universities in the United Kingdom by enrolment, number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate ...
, and was made a fellow of
Kingston University Kingston University London is a Public university, public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South London, South West London, England. Its roots go back to the Kingston Technical Institute, founded ...
in 1994.


Career


Writing

She has written novels set in several different historical periods, though primarily the
Tudor period In England and Wales, the Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603, including the Elizabethan era during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603). The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England, which began with ...
and the 16th century. Reading a number of novels set in the 17th century led her to write the best-selling Lacey trilogy '' Wideacre'', which is a story about the love of land and
incest Incest ( ) is sexual intercourse, sex between kinship, close relatives, for example a brother, sister, or parent. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by lineag ...
, ''The Favoured Child'' and ''Meridon''. This was followed by ''The Wise Woman''. ''A Respectable Trade'', a novel of the slave trade in England, set in 18th-century
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, was adapted by Gregory for a four-part drama series for BBC television. Gregory's script was nominated for a
BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
, won an award from the Committee for Racial Equality, and the film was shown worldwide. Two novels about a gardening family are set during the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
: ''Earthly Joys'' and ''Virgin Earth'', while she has in addition written contemporary fiction – ''Perfectly Correct'', ''Mrs Hartley and the Growth Centre'', ''The Little House'' and ''Zelda's Cut''. She has also written for children. Some of her novels have won awards and have been adapted into television dramas. The most successful of her novels has been ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
,'' published in 2001 and adapted for BBC television in 2003 with
Natascha McElhone Natascha Abigail Taylor (born 14 December 1971), known professionally as Natascha McElhone (), is an English actress. In film, she has starred in the action thriller ''Ronin (film), Ronin'' (1998), the psychological comedy-drama ''The Truman Sho ...
,
Jodhi May Jodhi May (born 8 May 1975) is an English actress. Starting her career as a child actress, she is the youngest recipient (age 12) of the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, for '' A World Apart'' (1988). Her other credits include '' ...
and
Jared Harris Jared Francis Harris (born 24 August 1961) is a British actor. His roles include Lane Pryce in the drama series ''Mad Men'' (2009–2012), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Seri ...
. In the year of its publication, ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' also won the
Romantic Novel of the Year The Romantic Novel of the Year Award is an award for romance novels since 1960, presented by Romantic Novelists' Association, and since 2003, the novellas, also won the Love Story of the Year (now RoNA Rose Award). Winners Romantic Novel of th ...
and it has subsequently spawned sequels – '' The Queen's Fool,'' '' The Virgin's Lover,'' ''
The Constant Princess ''The Constant Princess'' is a historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory, published in 2005. The novel depicts a highly fictionalized version of the life of Catherine of Aragon and her rise to power in England. The novel covers the period fro ...
,'' '' The Boleyn Inheritance,'' and '' The Other Queen''.
Miramax Miramax, LLC, formerly known as Miramax Films, is an American independent film and television production and distribution company owned by beIN Media Group and Paramount Global. Based in Los Angeles, California, it was founded on December 19, ...
bought the film rights to ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' and released a film of the same name in February 2008 starring
Eric Bana Eric Martin Andrew Banadinović (born 9 August 1968), known professionally as Eric Bana (), is an Australian actor. He began his career in the sketch-comedy series '' Full Frontal'' before gaining notice in the comedy drama '' The Castle'' (199 ...
,
Natalie Portman Natalie Hershlag{{efn, Some Hebrew sources claim that her birth name was "Neta-Lee Hershleg" ({{langx, he, נטע-לי הרשלג) and later, her first name was Americanized to "Natalie". {{Cite news , last=Shamir , first=Oron , date=August ...
and
Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress and singer. The List of highest-paid film actors, world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has been featured multiple times on the Forbes Celebrity 100, ''F ...
. Gregory has also published a series of books about the
Plantagenets The House of Plantagenet ( /plænˈtædʒənət/ ''plan-TAJ-ə-nət'') was a royal house which originated from the French county of Anjou. The name Plantagenet is used by modern historians to identify four distinct royal houses: the Angevi ...
, the ruling houses that preceded the
Tudors The House of Tudor ( ) was an English and Welsh dynasty that held the throne of England from 1485 to 1603. They descended from the Tudors of Penmynydd, a Welsh noble family, and Catherine of Valois. The Tudor monarchs ruled the Kingdom of Engl ...
, and the
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fo ...
. Her first book '' The White Queen'', published in 2009, centres on the life of
Elizabeth Woodville Elizabeth Woodville (also spelt Wydville, Wydeville, or Widvile; c. 1437Karen Lindsey, ''Divorced, Beheaded, Survived'', p. xviii, Perseus Books, 1995. – 8 June 1492), known as Dame Elizabeth Grey during her first marriage, was Queen of Engla ...
, the wife of
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
. '' The Red Queen'', published in 2010, is about
Margaret Beaufort Lady Margaret Beaufort ( ; 31 May 1443 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late 15th century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch. She was also a second cousin of Kings Henry ...
the mother of Henry VII and grandmother to
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
. ''
The Lady of the Rivers ''The Lady of the Rivers'' is a 2011 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series ''The Cousins' War''. The story is narrated by Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Elizabeth Woodville, and covers the reign of the Lancastrian King Hen ...
'' (2011), is the life of
Jacquetta of Luxembourg Jacquetta of Luxembourg (1415/1416 – 30 May 1472) was a prominent figure in the Wars of the Roses. Through her short-lived first marriage to the Duke of Bedford, brother of King Henry V, she was firmly allied to the House of Lancaster. Howe ...
, mother of Elizabeth Woodville. '' The Kingmaker's Daughter'', published in 2012, is about
Anne Neville Anne Neville (11 June 1456 – 16 March 1485) was List of English royal consorts , Queen of England from 26 June 1483 until her death in 1485 as the wife of King Richard III. She was the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Richard N ...
, the wife of
Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
, and ''
The White Princess ''The White Princess'' is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series '' The Cousins' War''. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mo ...
'' (2013) centres on the life of
Elizabeth of York Elizabeth of York (11 February 1466 – 11 February 1503) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from her marriage to King Henry VII of England, Henry VII on 18 January 1486 until her death in 1503. She was the daughter of King E ...
, wife of Henry VII and the mother of Henry VIII. ''
The Last Tudor ''The Last Tudor'' is a historical novel by British author Philippa Gregory, published on 9 August 2016. It recounts the story of Lady Mary Grey, the 'last Tudor' and sister to Jane Grey who was Queen of England for nine days, and Lady Katherine ...
'' is a novel about
Jane Grey Lady Jane Grey (1536/1537 – 12 February 1554), also known as Lady Jane Dudley after her marriage, and nicknamed as the "Nine Days Queen", was an English noblewoman who was proclaimed Queen of England and Ireland on 10 July 1553 and reigned ...
and her sisters Katherine and Mary. The 2013
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
television series '' The White Queen'' is a 10-part adaptation of Gregory's novels ''The White Queen'', ''The Red Queen'' and ''The Kingmaker's Daughter'' (2012). In 2013, Helen Brown of ''
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...
'' wrote that "Gregory has made an impressive career out of breathing passionate, independent life into the historical noblewomen whose personalities had previously lain flat on family trees, remembered only as diplomatic currency and brood mares." She added, "Gregory’s historical fiction has always been entertainingly speculative (those tempted to sneer should note that she’s never claimed otherwise) and comes with lashings of romantic licence." In 2011, she contributed a short story "Why Holly Berries are as Red as Roses" to an anthology supporting
the Woodland Trust The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom and is concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 68 million trees since 1972. The Woodland Tru ...
. The anthology, ''Why Willows Weep'' has so far helped The Woodland Trust plant approximately 50,000 trees. Gregory was appointed
Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(CBE) in the
2021 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2021 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded ...
for services to literature and to charity in the UK and the Gambia. In 2024, Gregory's play on Richard III, ''Richard, My Richard'', was performed at
Shakespeare North The Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Merseyside, in the north of England is a cultural and educational venue that opened in 2022. The development includes a 420-seat main auditorium, a modern studio space, outdoor performance garden, exhi ...
Playhouse and
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds The Theatre Royal, formerly the New Theatre, is a restored Regency theatre in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The building is one of eight Grade I listed theatres in the United Kingdom, and is the only working theatre operated under the au ...
.


Criticism

Gregory has said that her "commitment to historical accuracy" is a hallmark of her writing. This is disputed by historians. Historian
David Starkey Dr. David Robert Starkey (born 3 January 1945) is a British historian, radio and television presenter, with views that he describes as conservative. The only child of Quaker parents, he attended Kirkbie Kendal School, Kendal Grammar School b ...
, appearing alongside Gregory in a documentary about
Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...
, described her work as "good
Mills and Boon Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher. The company moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. In 1971, the ...
", adding that: "We really should stop taking historical novelists seriously as historians. The idea that they have authority is ludicrous."
Susan Bordo Susan Bordo is an American philosopher work in contemporary cultural studies, with a particular focus on feminist theory. Her scholarship examines the intersection of culture and the body, addressing topics such as eating disorders, including an ...
criticised Gregory's claims to historical accuracy as "self-deceptive and self-promoting chutzpah", and notes that it is not so much the many inaccuracies in her work as "Gregory's insistence on her meticulous adherence to history that most aggravates the scholars." In her novel ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'', her portrayal of Henry VIII's second wife
Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...
drew criticism.RO The novel depicts Anne as cold and ruthless, as well as strongly implying that the accusations that she committed adultery and incest with her brother were true, despite it being widely accepted that she was innocent of the charges. Novelist Robin Maxwell refused on principle to write a blurb for this book, describing its characterisation of Anne as "vicious, unsupportable".


Philanthropy

Gregory runs a small charity building wells in school gardens in
The Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...
. Gardens for The Gambia was established in 1993 when Gregory was in The Gambia, researching for her book ''A Respectable Trade''. Since then the charity has dug almost 200 low technology, low budget and therefore easily maintained wells, which are on-stream and providing water to irrigate school and community gardens to provide meals for the poorest children and harvest a cash crop to buy school equipment, seeds and tools. In addition to wells, the charity has piloted a successful bee-keeping scheme, funded feeding programmes and educational workshops in batik and pottery and is working with larger donors to install mechanical boreholes in some remote areas of the country where the water table is not accessible by digging alone. Philippa Gregory is a patron of The UK Chagos Support Association, which supports the Chagos islanders in their legal disputes with the British government.


Personal life

Gregory wrote her first novel ''Wideacre'' while completing her doctorate and lived during that time in a cottage on the
Pennine Way The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...
with her first husband Peter Chislett, editor of the ''
Hartlepool Mail The ''Hartlepool Mail'' is a newspaper serving Hartlepool, England and the surrounding area. History The paper was founded in Hartlepool in 1877 as ''The Northern Daily Mail'' and continued to be printed in the town until August 2006, when the ...
'', and their baby daughter. They divorced before the book was published.


Works


Novels

;The ''Wideacre'' trilogy: # '' Wideacre'' (1987) # ''The Favoured Child'' (1989) # '' Meridon'' (1990) ;''Tradescant'' series: # ''Earthly Joys'' (1998) # ''Virgin Earth'' (1999) ;''The Plantagenet and Tudor novels'': Previously separated as the ''Tudor Court'' and ''Cousins' War'' series, as of August 2016 Gregory lists these novels as one series, ''The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels''. # ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' (2001) # '' The Queen's Fool'' (2003) # '' The Virgin's Lover'' (2004) # ''
The Constant Princess ''The Constant Princess'' is a historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory, published in 2005. The novel depicts a highly fictionalized version of the life of Catherine of Aragon and her rise to power in England. The novel covers the period fro ...
'' (2005) # '' The Boleyn Inheritance'' (2006) # '' The Other Queen'' (2008) # '' The White Queen '' (2009) # '' The Red Queen'' (2010) # ''
The Lady of the Rivers ''The Lady of the Rivers'' is a 2011 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series ''The Cousins' War''. The story is narrated by Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Elizabeth Woodville, and covers the reign of the Lancastrian King Hen ...
'' (2011) # '' The Kingmaker's Daughter'' (2012) # ''
The White Princess ''The White Princess'' is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series '' The Cousins' War''. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mo ...
'' (2013) # '' The King's Curse'' (2014) # '' The Taming of the Queen'' (2015) # ''
Three Sisters, Three Queens ''Three Sisters, Three Queens'' is a historical novel by British author Philippa Gregory, published on 9 August 2016. It tells the stories of Margaret Tudor, Mary Tudor and Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ...
'' (2016) # ''
The Last Tudor ''The Last Tudor'' is a historical novel by British author Philippa Gregory, published on 9 August 2016. It recounts the story of Lady Mary Grey, the 'last Tudor' and sister to Jane Grey who was Queen of England for nine days, and Lady Katherine ...
'' (2017) # The Boleyn Traitor (2025) Gregory has suggested a "reading order" for the series, based on the real-world chronology of historical figures and events. # ''The Lady of the Rivers'' (
Jacquetta of Luxembourg Jacquetta of Luxembourg (1415/1416 – 30 May 1472) was a prominent figure in the Wars of the Roses. Through her short-lived first marriage to the Duke of Bedford, brother of King Henry V, she was firmly allied to the House of Lancaster. Howe ...
) # ''The White Queen'' (
Elizabeth Woodville Elizabeth Woodville (also spelt Wydville, Wydeville, or Widvile; c. 1437Karen Lindsey, ''Divorced, Beheaded, Survived'', p. xviii, Perseus Books, 1995. – 8 June 1492), known as Dame Elizabeth Grey during her first marriage, was Queen of Engla ...
) # ''The Red Queen'' (
Margaret Beaufort Lady Margaret Beaufort ( ; 31 May 1443 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late 15th century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch. She was also a second cousin of Kings Henry ...
) # ''The Kingmaker's Daughter'' (
Anne Neville Anne Neville (11 June 1456 – 16 March 1485) was List of English royal consorts , Queen of England from 26 June 1483 until her death in 1485 as the wife of King Richard III. She was the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Richard N ...
; featuring her sister
Isabel Isabel is a female name of Iberian origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of ''Elizabeth (given name), Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheba''). Arising in the 12th c ...
) # ''The White Princess'' (
Elizabeth of York Elizabeth of York (11 February 1466 – 11 February 1503) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from her marriage to King Henry VII of England, Henry VII on 18 January 1486 until her death in 1503. She was the daughter of King E ...
) # ''The Constant Princess'' (
Katherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until its annulment on 23 May ...
) # ''The King's Curse'' (
Margaret Pole Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury (14 August 1473 – 27 May 1541), was the only surviving daughter of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (a brother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III) and his wife Isabel Neville. As a result of Mar ...
) # ''Three Sisters, Three Queens'' (
Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and fought to exte ...
, featuring Mary Tudor and
Katherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until its annulment on 23 May ...
) # ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
and
Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...
) # ''The Boleyn Inheritance'' (
Jane Boleyn Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford (; – 13 February 1542) was an English noblewoman. Her husband, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, was the brother of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, and a cousin to King Henry VIII's fifth wi ...
,
Anne of Cleves Anne of Cleves (; 28 June or 22 September 1515 – 16 July 1557) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 6 January to 12 July 1540 as the Wives of Henry VIII, fourth wife of Henry VIII. Little is known about Anne before 1527, ...
and
Katherine Howard Catherine Howard ( – 13 February 1542) was Queen of England from July 1540 until November 1541 as the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and Joyce Culpeper, a first cousin to Anne Boleyn (the second ...
) # The Boleyn Traitor (
Jane Boleyn Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford (; – 13 February 1542) was an English noblewoman. Her husband, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, was the brother of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, and a cousin to King Henry VIII's fifth wi ...
) # ''The Taming of the Queen'' ( Kateryn Parr) # ''The Queen's Fool'' (A young Jewish girl's story of her service in the courts of
Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...
,
Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She made vigorous a ...
and
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
) # ''The Last Tudor'' ( Jane,
Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
and Mary Grey) # ''The Virgin's Lover'' (
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
, Robert Dudley and
Amy Robsart Amy, Lady Dudley (; 7 June 1532 – 8 September 1560) was the first wife of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, favourite of Elizabeth I of England. She is primarily known for her death by falling do ...
) # ''The Other Queen'' (
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...
, George Talbot and
Bess of Hardwick Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury ( Hardwick; 13 February 1608), known as Bess of Hardwick, of Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, was a notable figure of Elizabethan English society. By a series of well-made marri ...
) ;''The Order of Darkness'' series: # ''Changeling'' (2012) # ''Stormbringers'' (2013) # ''Fools' Gold'' (2014) # ''Dark Tracks'' (2018) ;''Fairmile'' series: # ''Tidelands'' (2019) # ''Dark Tides'' (2020) # Dawnlands (2022) ;Stand-alones: * ''Mrs. Hartley and the Growth Centre'', or ''Alice Hartley's Happiness'' (1992) * ''The Wise Woman'' (1992) *: A young girl forced out of her nunnery and into the real world during the reformation during Anne Boleyn's time of being queen. * ''Fallen Skies'' (1994) * ''
A Respectable Trade ''A Respectable Trade'' is a 1995 historical novel by Philippa Gregory set in the Bristol docks in 1787. Adaptation Gregory adapted her work into a four-part TV serial which was broadcast by the BBC in 1998 and by the PBS in the United States ...
'' (1995) * ''Perfectly Correct'' (1996) * '' The Little House'' (1998) * ''Zelda's Cut'' (2000)


Short stories

Collections: * ''Bread and Chocolate'' (2000)


Children's books

''Princess Florizella'' series (picture books): # ''Princess Florizella'' (1988) # ''Florizella and the Wolves'' (1991) # ''Florizella and the Giant'' (1992) Stand-alones: * ''Diggory and the Boa Conductor'' (1996), picture book * ''The Little Pet Dragon'' (1997), picture book * ''A Pirate Story'' (1999), picture book


Plays

* ''Richard, My Richard'' (2024)


Non-fiction

* '' The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother'' (2011), with David Baldwin and Michael Jones, history * "Early Women Writers" in ''The Women Writers Handbook''. Aurora Metro Books. 2020.
ISBN The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier that is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase or receive ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency. A different ISBN is assigned to e ...
971912430338 *


Adaptations

* ''A Respectable Trade'' (1998), drama directed by
Suri Krishnamma Suri Krishnamma (born 10 May 1961) is a British film director and writer best known for feature films '' A Man of No Importance'', ''New Year's Day'' and '' Dark Tourist'' and television dramas ''A Respectable Trade'' and '' The Cazalets''. He ...
, based on novel ''
A Respectable Trade ''A Respectable Trade'' is a 1995 historical novel by Philippa Gregory set in the Bristol docks in 1787. Adaptation Gregory adapted her work into a four-part TV serial which was broadcast by the BBC in 1998 and by the PBS in the United States ...
'' * ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' (2003), telefilm directed by
Philippa Lowthorpe Philippa Lowthorpe (born 27 December 1961) is an English film and television director. She was awarded the Deluxe Director Award at the WFTV Film and Television Awards for the miniseries '' Three Girls''. She recently directed episodes of the ...
, based on novel ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' * ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' (2008), film directed by
Justin Chadwick Justin Chadwick (born 6 December 1968) is an English actor and television and film director. He directed episodes of ''EastEnders'', ''Byker Grove'', ''The Bill'', ''Spooks (TV series), Spooks'' and ''Red Cap (TV series), Red Cap'' before dire ...
, based on novel ''
The Other Boleyn Girl ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' * ''The Little House'' (2010), miniseries directed by Jamie Payne, based on novel '' The Little House'' * '' The White Queen'' (2013), drama directed by
Colin Teague Colin Teague is a British film and television director. Born in 1970, he grew up in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and studied at Redroofs Theatre SchoolThe White Queen'', '' The Red Queen'' and '' The Kingmaker's Daughter'' * '' The White Princess (miniseries), The White Princess'' (2017), miniseries directed by Jamie Payne and Alex Kalymnios, based on novel ''
The White Princess ''The White Princess'' is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series '' The Cousins' War''. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and mo ...
'' * ''
The Spanish Princess ''The Spanish Princess'' is a historical drama television limited series developed by Emma Frost (screenwriter), Emma Frost and Matthew Graham for Starz. Based on the novels ''The Constant Princess'' (2005) and ''The King's Curse'' (2014) by Phil ...
'' (2019–2020), series directed by Birgitte Stærmose,
Daina Reid Daina Reid (born 1966) is an Australian director and actress who has been acting since the early 1990s. She began directing in 1999. Education and career Reid graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts acting course in 199 ...
, Lisa Clarke,
Stephen Woolfenden Stephen Woolfenden is a British television director. He previously worked as a second unit director for the Harry Potter (film series), ''Harry Potter'' films. He has directed other TV shows and recently the ''Doctor Who'' episode "Nightmare in ...
,
Chanya Button Chanya Joyce Dorothy Button (born 25 December 1986) is an English director and screenwriter. After studying at RADA and learning the ropes in the assistant directors' department on the ''Harry Potter'' franchise, she directed two feature fil ...
and Rebecca Gatward, based on novels ''
The Constant Princess ''The Constant Princess'' is a historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory, published in 2005. The novel depicts a highly fictionalized version of the life of Catherine of Aragon and her rise to power in England. The novel covers the period fro ...
'' and '' The King's Curse''


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gregory, Philippa 1954 births Living people Academics of Teesside University Academics of Durham University Academics of the Open University Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Sussex English historical novelists People educated at Montpelier High School, Bristol Writers from Bristol Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period Writers of historical romances RoNA Award winners English republicans 20th-century English novelists 21st-century English novelists 20th-century English women writers 21st-century English women writers British women romantic fiction writers English women historical novelists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire