''The Favored Queen'' is a 2011 historical fiction novel by

Carolly Erickson Carolly Erickson (born January 1, 1943–November 11, 2020) an American author of historical fiction and non-fiction. In 2008, her book ''The Tsarina's Daughter'' won the RT Reader's Choice Award for best Historical Fiction. Personal life Eric ...

Plot summary

The book follows

Jane Seymour Jane Seymour (; 24 October 1537) was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen following the execution of Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, who was ...

, maid-of-honor to Queen

Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England as the Wives of Henry VIII, first wife of King Henry VIII from their marr ...

. Jane witnesses Catherine's fall from grace as her husband King

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. ...

divorces her in favor of

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 ...

. Jane serves Queen Anne as her own romance with Henry begins.

Reception

The book received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom praised it for its prose and entertaining story while others felt it was historically inaccurate and criticized the characterization of Jane.

References

2011 novels Novels set in Tudor England Cultural depictions of Jane Seymour Cultural depictions of Anne Boleyn Cultural depictions of Catherine of Aragon Cultural depictions of Henry VIII {{2010s-novel-stub