The Other Queen

Written by Philippa Gregory and Graeme Malcolm

Narrated by Bianca Amato and Dagmara Dominczyk

A dramatic novel of passion, politics and betrayal from the author of The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory. Mary, Queen of Scots, fights to regain her kingdom whilst under the guard of Queen Elizabeth’s trusted accomplice, Bess of Hardwick.

Mary is Queen of Scotland but she has been forced to flee her land and take refuge in an England that is ruled by her cousin Elizabeth. But England, precarious in its Protestant state, set against the mighty powers of Spain, France and Rome, doesn’t need a charismatic Catholic figurehead at large. So Elizabeth’s chief advisor, Cecil, devises a plan in which Mary will live under guard with his trusted accomplice: Bess of Hardwick.

Bess is a self-made woman, a shrewd survivor. She is newly married to her fourth and most distinguished husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury. But what marriage can withstand the charms of Mary? Or the threat of rebellion that she always carries? Mary must wait in her privileged imprisonment for the return to Scotland and her infant son; but waiting is not the same as doing nothing…

With her characteristic combination of superb storytelling and authentic historical background, Philippa Gregory brings to life this period of great change, in a riveting tale of betrayal, loyalty, politics and passion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 25, 2008
• ISBN: 9780007265770

Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is the author of many New York Times bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognized authority on women’s history. Many of her works have been adapted for the screen including The Other Boleyn Girl. She graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and was awarded the 2016 Harrogate Festival Award for Contribution to Historical Fiction. She is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. She was awarded a CBE title for services to literature and charity in 2022. She welcomes visitors to her website PhilippaGregory.com.

Reviews for The Other Queen

[maryreinert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story of Mary, Queen of Scots, totally kept my interest. Mary became the Queen of Scotland as an infant, but due to unrest is sent to France where she marries the young Francis who dies leaving her a widow at 18. The rest of her life is turmoil. She has claims to the throne of France, Scotland, and England as she is the granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister. Mary is pretty, charming, and speaks several languages. She is also conniving and self-important. This is also the time of great struggle between the Reformers and the Catholic Church. Mary, is Catholic and wants to rule as a Catholic. Elizabeth I maintains a more balanced rule favoring the Reformers. The religious struggles are a vital part of the story.Much of "The Other Queen" centers on Mary's captivity in England where she is held at the Castle of the Earl of Shrewsburg, George Talbot, and his strong wife, Bess of Harwick. The story is told in alternate chapters by Mary, Bess, and George. Bess was raised as a commoner, but through marriages and shrewdness, eventually becomes the wife of an Earl. She is business smart, a trait not valued by her husband George. Their marriage, however, is a happy one until Mary comes in the picture. Forced to maintain Queen Mary in the style she is accustomed to, the riches of the Earl's house are slowly depleted. Bess, ever the wise one, understands the significance of this in their future. I grew to have much respect for Bess; in fact, she could be the "other queen." She is smart and practical at a time when it wasn't proper for women to be either smart or practical. Bess and George eventually divorce and Mary is eventually beheaded by her cousin, Elizabeth I.Very readable and believable.

[yabut-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Philippa Gregory has a way of getting me more interested in history than I've ever been before. This book takes place at the time of the rule of Queen Elizabeth I. This is the story of how she and her adviser kept Mary, Queen of Scots from her rightful reign.

[tututhefirst_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's a novel. It's historical fiction. I'd definitely have to put more belief in the fiction than the history, as Philippa Gregory gives us a new slant on Mary Queen of Scots in this novel published last year. Told through the eyes of Mary, and the couple chosen to be her 'host and hostess', George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his wife Bess of Hardwick, the Countess Shrewsbury, we are given a good look at Mary's life in the early days of her forced stay in England.As the imprisonment drags on, we learn as much about the Shrewsbury duo as we do about Mary. Bess is portrayed as a penny-pinching, money grabbing spy for Elizabeth's chief advisor (and Mary's chief protagonist) Lord Cecil. George is Bess's husband #4, and she's heretofore managed to better herself from each previous arrangement, somehow getting hubbies #1,2,3 to deed everything they owned to her.She evidently signed it all over to George when she married him, because she wanted to be a Countess. Now however, she sees her fortune going out the window as the Shrewsburys must foot the extravagant bill for Mary (up to 30 dishes a night for dinner! and a staff of over 100 to be housed and fed, royal linens to be washed, etc etc etc).George on the other hand, being the great honorable Galahad wannebe he was raised to be, finds himself tumbling head over heels in love with Mary, but bound by honor to do Elizabeth's bidding. Until the end , he is duped by Mary, and finds it inconceivable that she would ever participate in any kind of plot against her cousin Elizabeth.It is possible to judge Mary Queen of Scots from a number of different perspectives. Gregory's take that she was a conniving wench who used whoever she could to get what she wanted (a throne perhaps???) is probably close to being spot on.

[jepeters333 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Blessed with exceptional beauty, a brilliant mind, and magnificent red hair, the six-foot Mary is striking and unforgettable. She is also Catholic - and a legitimate heir to the thrones of France, Ireland, Scotland, and England. When Mary seeks refuge in her cousin Elizabeth's realm, the English queen arrests her and holds her captive under the watchful eye of Elizabeth's shrewd accomplice Bess Hardwick, recently married to the powerful Earl of Shrewsbury. But what marriage can withstand Mary's bewitching charm or treason's haunting allure?

[letter4no1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I guess you could call me a loyal Gregory reader. I've read the majority of her Tudor series and have read the first book in Plantagenet trilogy. Usually I can find more than a few faults with her novels, but the story is usually enough to overlook large historical inaccuracies and underdeveloped characters. Unfortunately every character in this novel is grating. Mary is pompous, vain, and irritating as she repeats the same choirs of "you must free me, you can't kill me, aren't i pretty". Bess is the stereotypic nagging wife, who can not go a section without worrying about her land, and talking about the money that is being lost, and all the while George is gripping with his love for Mary, while serving Elizabeth and making stupid choices the entire time. Between the three of them there is not one redeemable quality, and that is really the tragedy of this story, not the massive number of executions, the religious persecutions or the historical inaccuracy's. Not one of Gregory's best works.Story:**1/2Structure:***

[alphawoman_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After seeing MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS the movie last week...(2 weeks ago?) I have been fascinated with Mary. This book fed that desire for more, but I found it a little redundant. Yes, Bess was worried about her wealth, George about his honor, and Mary needs to be FREE. A little dull for me, but I'm not sure what I was hoping for. Like GONE WITH THE WIND, no matter how many times I've seen it, I want it to end differently.

[maggieflo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three narrators tell this story in the first person: Mary queen of scots, George Talbot or duke of Shrewsbury and Bess Talbot or Countess of Shrewsbury. After another uprising against Queen Mary by the Scottish lords, she escapes to England and becomes the prisoner of Elizabeth. However, she is not imprisoned in the Tower of London but in the various homes of the Shrewsbury's over a period of several years. The characters are tedious and predictable leaving the reader with little interest in the outcome, even though we know the ending.

[mikitchenlady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hardly bothering to tag this one. My first Philippa Gregory, although based on other reviews, perhaps it should not be my last. This book was repetitive and plodding, with one dimensional characters and an unexciting plot. I won't take up any space to describe it or review it in more detail, as others have done such a great job describing it. I'll just say I grew tired of the three narrators who just kept repeating themselves (Mary, Queen of Scots -- I'm a queen, I'm perfect, I'm awesome, I deserve to be free; Bess of Hardwick -- she's using up all of our money, my husband is a fool, I support Queen Elizabeth who won't pay me anything; George Talbot -- I'm an honorable man, I serve the Queen of England, and I love Mary). And so on...

[thetometraveller · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mary, Queen of Scots was in her mid-twenties and had only been on the throne of Scotland for a few years when the rebel lords banded together to force her to their will. She feared a forced marriage, rape or imprisonment and so she fled the country. If she had only gotten on a boat and headed for France, where she had been raised, or Spain, a sympathetic Catholic country, history would have turned out very differently. But she didn't. She fled south, across the border into England. She was under the misguided notion that her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, would take care of her and restore her to the throne of Scotland.Of course, Queen Elizabeth could never have given true assistance to a rival for her own throne. Plus Mary was a magnet for every Catholic lord who would rather see someone of their own faith in power. The result was a very long sixteen year prison sentence for Mary that ended in her execution. George Talbot, The Earl of Shrewsbury, and his wife Bess of Hardwick were the unhappy jailers for Queen Mary. They had no choice in the matter and never received any money for her keep. The result was that they spent their entire fortune, over the years, providing the level of luxurious furnishings, food, and lifestyle that a Queen is supposed to have. Only it is supposed to be provided to her by the taxation of a nation of subjects and the burden was too much for George and Bess to bear. Their marriage suffered from the strain. George's infatuation with the Queen didn't help, either. This novel covers the first three years of Queen Mary's imprisonment in England. Several plots were hatched and one went so far as to raise an army. But they came to nothing thanks to the lukewarm support of Spain and the extensive spy network set up by Elizabeth's chief advisor, William Cecil.I love Philippa Gregory's novels and always eagerly await a new one. To me, this one was a bit of a disappointment. It has well developed and interesting characters and excellent historical accuracy. I think the problem lies in the chosen subject. There had not been a historical novel written about Mary's imprisonment before, probably because it couldn't have been very exciting. In this story there were several plots hatched, a platonic love affair and some excitement in changing locations. The narrative switches between the points-of-view of Mary, Bess and George and that adds some interest, but the unfortunate fact is that the novel is just a little boring. I found myself really disliking poor Queen Mary, whose constant refrain of "I must be free" made me want to smack her. It is well worth a read for lovers of historical fiction and, of course, a must for Philippa Gregory fans, but it is my least favorite of all of her books.

[heidialice · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Other Queen chronicles Mary Queen of Scots' time in captivity with the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess. Most of the book occurs over a four year period, as Mary and couple get mixed and contradictory orders and reports from Queen Elizabeth and their various spies and co-conspirators.Ultimately, this is a novel of psychology and intrigue. Not a lot actually *happens*, but the insight into the emotions (love, loyalty, betrayal) and the motivations (greed, fear, loyalty and faith) is fascinating. The relationship development is particularly compelling. None of the characters is especially likeable, but all are sympathetic. That in itself is a feat -- the reader is left wondering who to "root" for, and that is one of the books great strengths, to my mind. There are no clear good guys or bad guys in the greater historical context. This is an easy read, due to short (2-3 page) chapters, and the switching viewpoints (Mary, George and Bess). Maybe not the most exciting novel, but a fascinating look into a fascinating period of history, which affected the practice of religion and the role of the parliament and advisors in England, and determined to a great degree the fate of Scotland.

[mbmackay · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Historical fiction about the captivity of Mary Queen of Scots, held by the Earl of Shrewsberry and his wife, who later became known as Bess of Hardwick. Told in the voice of the three main characters in alternating chapters, the result is unsatisfying. The characters of the Earl and Bess are one-dimensional and don't develop at all in the course of the book. Mary is more interesting, but in the end, I don't think I have a better idea of the 'real' Mary Queen of Scots than I had at the start. Read November 2009.

[ladydymondz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having read all of Gregory's other Tudor novels, this one was just a bit of a bore. Well written as usual, however the characters were flat & redundant. The ending was abrupt, just did not expect that...

[Nicola Rogers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As usual this is a great read by Phillipa Gregory. If you are interested in history it is a fascinating insight into the lives of the two queens. Obviously knew the ending but the writing brought the story to life.

[michdubb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gregory tells this story through the eyes of Bess of Hardwick, Mary Queen of Scots, and the Earl of ???, and engages the reader with the feelings of these three characters. The Bess character is particularily witty in how she describes the plight of women in Elizabethan society.

[jenreidreads · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I loved The Other Boleyn Girl, but I just couldn't finish this one. I thought the subject was boring (exactly why should I care about this queen's short life?) and the writing just wasn't as good. I'll give Gregory another try some other time, but I won't pick this one up again.

[lecari_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is centered around The Other Queen, Mary Queen of Scots, and the newly weds who have to guard and take care of her - George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Elizabeth (known better as Bess of Hardwick). The book switches between these three perspectives.I'm not sure I agree with her characterisations. Bess got irritating, constantly she was talking/thinking about her land, with hardly any mention of anything else - I agree that she was obviously a very determined and focused woman, but I don't think she was so obsessed with her fortune and houses to the extent that she thought of nothing else!It is quite repetitive, and not a lot seems to happen - it would have been more interesting if there had been more information on what was happening in London at the time, or on the uprisings against Elizabeth. Unfortunately, by restricting herself to only the 3 perspectives, Gregory restricts herself and this isn't possible. Even when George Talbot *does* go to England, he has a brief meeting with the Queen, then goes back, with no real information on what had been happening. A shame as this could have been such a thrilling, exciting read.

[cookiecat_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Boring and repetitive.I didn't even learn anything really... not that I would necessarily believe Philippa's "take" on t he story anyway.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the story behind this novel. It was very well-written and interesting. I really enjoyed Bess's character. She was definitely my favorite. My only complaint was that Mary, Queen of Scots seemed very whiny in the audio version. That might have been intentional, but it did get annoying in parts.

[lbswiener · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Other Queen is a very very long book. The book is a historical fictional story of Mary Queen of Scots who was ordered to be "imprisoned" by Queen Elizabeth at George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury's castles. She was to be treated like a queen and told that all expenses that the Earl incurred would be repaid by Queen Elizabeth. Unfortunately, the "imprisonment" cost the Earl all of his money because she never repaid him. The book just dragged on and on. One finds oneself hoping that all of the characters in the story die already so that the story would end. In all honesty the author's summary of the book at the end was quite interesting more so than the book itself. That being said, the author clearly researched the book. There is a beginning and an end. The rating here of three stars is a solid score.

[mom2acat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is based on the true life story of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.Mary looks to her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, for sanctuary after fleeing the violent rebellions in Scotland. Though she is promised protection, Mary is perceived as a serious threat to the English crown, and finds herself imprisoned as a "guest" in the house of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsberry, and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. The newly married couple welcome the condemned queen into their home, hoping that serving as her hosts and jailers will be of an advantage to them in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court.But to their horror, they soon realize that the task will bankrupt their estate and lose them what little favor they were able to gain with Elizabeth, as Mary manipulates the earl and spins her web of treachery and deceit to reclaim her Scottish throne, and to take over Queen Elizabeth's England.This was a very enjoyable read, though with three narrators for the story (Mary, George, and Bess), often the same events were gone over three times, which slowed the story down at times. I think this story could have been a few chapters shorter without the reader feeling anything was missing from the story.Bess was just as interesting to read about as Mary; she was a very successful businesswoman in her own right, which was very impressive as at that time, women had very few legal rights.

[michellech_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Having just left Sarum and the individual narratives that made up that historical framework I was a bit let-down when I saw that this was similar in style. I personally am not a big fan of the changing viewpoint from the perspective of the three main characters: Mary, Bess and George.The one character that I did find somewhat interesting was Bess - rare to find such a seemingly strong person in charge of their own finances during that time period. There was redundancy about how one woman was more beautiful than the other that got to be a bit much. Read it, now moving on..

[juliec0802 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not Ms. Gregory's strongest book that I've read. Not a real likable character in the novel.

[krizia_lazaro_3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It was boring and uneventful. The pacing was tooooooo slow. I don't even know who's the lead character. I thought it was Mary but it was more Bess. I don't get to connect with any of the characters. All I can say is that they were all fools at that time. One good thing I got from the stoy is the moral lesson : "Patience is a virtue."  

[canalrat · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Entertaining tale of Mary, Queen of Scots in the period of her imprisonment in England. Interesting enough to to inspire me to pick up a bio of Bess Hardwick her hostess for the duration of her incarceration.

[curvymommy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to love this book, as I so thoroughly enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl. But this story was SO boring and repetitive.I got really tired of hearing about how Mary was regal and untouchable, and George was honorable, and Bess brought herself up from nothing and loved nothing more than her houses and land. Over and over, the same things. Yawn.The plot was boring. Nothing ever really happened. A lot of planning, but no results. Back and forth from house to house. I didn't feel a need to keep reading - it was far from compelling. I realize this story is based on real events, so maybe this just wasn't the best subject for Ms. Gregory to write a novel about. I forced myself to keep reading, but found my mind drifting off several times, because I wasn't engaged in the story.A disappointing read.

[aspiringameliorant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gregory tells the story of the English imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary I of Scotland) from the perspective of the queen herself, and her two "hosts," Countess Elizabeth Shrovesbury, and The Earl of Shrovesbury, George.The book is certainly effective in making the history very personal and interesting. The Other Queen is portrayed as a devout woman, confident in her position as an inalienable person, born, married, and anointed royally. Bess is the nouveau riche, climbing the social ladder through successively more impressive marriages, incredibly concerned with her accumulated wealth and its safety, while her husband (whom she delights as referring to as "my husband, the earl," is characterized as a somewhat dopey member of the dying aristocracy, wooed by the young queen, obsessed with his own honor, and unsure of exactly where his allegiances do, or should, lie.The audiobook by recorded books is narrated by three different voices and produced quite well.

[auntieclio · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's always interesting to read other points of view about a topic. As a Tudor fan, I'm already familiar with what history says about the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, who also believed herself to be true heir to the thrones of England and France. This was a tough situation for Elizabeth since Mary was also her cousin and a queen's body was sacrosanct and could not be touched or killed.Yet Mary's presence in England fomented much rebellion among the Catholics who resented Elizabeth both for her father's dismantling of the Church and for the sketchy lineage that brought Elizabeth to the throne. Many believed Mary had the truer lineage. In the end, Mary's uncanny ability to be obtuse and arrogant made her a prisoner in England for 18.5 years, until she was executed in 1587 for plotting to assassinate the Queen of England.The Other Queen is told through the eyes of George, Earl of Shrewsberry, his wife Bess, Countess of Shrewsberry, and Queen Mary. The earl and countess were Mary's guards for 15 years.While this story is fascinating, the real hero of the story, at least to my mind, is Bess Hardwick who literally rose from nothing to be one of the richest women in England at a time when women were not allowed to own anything. It was a time when women married, all property and assets in their name became their husband's property. Not jointly owned, not overseen, but taken away and given to the husband.Bess was a business woman who believed true power and security came from owning property and making it work for her. She knew to the penny what things cost, what was coming in and what was going out. A rarity of the time, she knew how to read and kept her books strictly.The Earl, on the other hand, had come from nobility for generations and had no idea how to work with money. He seemed to believe it came from the air, and that his stewards took care of things which kept him in rich living.Keeping Mary as a prisoner nearly bankrupted the Hardwicks. But Bess got the best of the Earl with her common sense and reached an agreement which allowed his debts to her be paid with his land and property put in her name, becoming a landed woman again Though they remained married, the upkeep of Mary broke their marriage, and the agreement between Bess and George was just short of a divorce agreement. They lived in their separate houses for the rest of the marriage.Bess turned her finances around and made favorable matches for her children; adding to her, and theirs, wealth. Her Earl was no match for her. His prejudice against her background and upbringing blinded him to her cunning and practicality. While they loved each other deeply at the beginning of their marriage, their different approaches to life were put to the test by Mary's presence.I very much enjoyed reading Bess Hardwick's part in this drama, and now have another strong woman to read up on.

[purelush · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really lovely, as always from Philippa.

[kalky_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It amazes me that such an interesting period in history can be made so boring! This novel dragged. The characters repeated themselves endlessly. Even the action scenes lacked action. And the historical inaccuracies, although minor, were very annoying. I only continued the book in the hope that it would improve, and once it became obvious that it wouldn't improve, I only finished the book because I had already invested so much time in it.In short, if you're thinking about picking this book up, read something else. If you're interested in Mary, Queen of Scots, read Alison Weir's book

[cathymoore_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and her imprisonment in England by her cousin Elizabeth I. Gregory brings the England of the period to life beautifully as usual. However, the problem I think, is that a story where the central character is imprisoned throughout is never going to be action packed. Compared to the tales of intrigue and bed-hopping of Henry VIII's court this seems rather dull. I'm not going to let this put me off the author though, and I look forward to the first in her series about the Plantagenets.