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The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens: A History
A colorful and authoritative narrative history of the often-overlooked—yet hugely influential—figures of the Tudor the ladies-in-waiting.
Every Tudor Queen had ladies-in-waiting. They were her confidantes and her chaperones. Only the Queen's ladies had the right to enter her most private chambers, spending hours helping her to get dressed and undressed, caring for her clothes and jewels, listening to her secrets. But they also held a unique power. A quiet word behind the scenes, an appropriately timed gift, a well-negotiated marriage alliance were all forms of political agency wielded expertly by women.
The Waiting Game explores the daily lives of ladies-in-waiting, revealing the secrets of recruitment, costume, what they ate, where (and with whom) they slept. We meet María de Salinas, who traveled to England with Catherine of Aragon when just a teenager and spied for her during the divorce from Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn's lady-in-waiting Jane Parker was instrumental in the execution of not one, but two queens. And maid-of-honor Anne Basset kept her place through the last four consorts, negotiating the conflicting loyalties of her birth family, her mistress the Queen, and even the desires of the King himself.
As Henry changed wives—and changed the very fabric of the country's structure besides—these women had to make choices about loyalty that simply didn't exist before. The Waiting Game is the first time their vital story has been told.
Every Tudor Queen had ladies-in-waiting. They were her confidantes and her chaperones. Only the Queen's ladies had the right to enter her most private chambers, spending hours helping her to get dressed and undressed, caring for her clothes and jewels, listening to her secrets. But they also held a unique power. A quiet word behind the scenes, an appropriately timed gift, a well-negotiated marriage alliance were all forms of political agency wielded expertly by women.
The Waiting Game explores the daily lives of ladies-in-waiting, revealing the secrets of recruitment, costume, what they ate, where (and with whom) they slept. We meet María de Salinas, who traveled to England with Catherine of Aragon when just a teenager and spied for her during the divorce from Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn's lady-in-waiting Jane Parker was instrumental in the execution of not one, but two queens. And maid-of-honor Anne Basset kept her place through the last four consorts, negotiating the conflicting loyalties of her birth family, her mistress the Queen, and even the desires of the King himself.
As Henry changed wives—and changed the very fabric of the country's structure besides—these women had to make choices about loyalty that simply didn't exist before. The Waiting Game is the first time their vital story has been told.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
January 22, 2025
we love a book about girls’ girls
Also!!!! This quote!!!! Women’s history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant
Also!!!! This quote!!!! Women’s history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant
January 24, 2025
The more I read about King Henry VIII, the more I am convinced that he would be termed a "fuck boy" if he were alive today.
Having multiple mistresses and fathering children by them - ✅
Forcibly changing his subjects' religion and putting himself at the head of the English church just so he could divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn - ✅
Becoming engaged to Jane Seymour the day after executing Anne Boleyn - ✅
Making gross, derogatory statements about Anne of Cleves when his marriage to her became politically inconvenient - ✅
Marrying a naive teenager young enough to be his daughter, getting the ick at her being "used goods" (rich coming from a man with a festering leg), and having her beheaded for alleged adultery - ✅
Changing the English law at whim to suit his circumstances and satisfy his thirst for revenge against any perceived wrong - ✅
Ginormous fuck boy confirmed.
This book looks at the Tudor court through the eyes of the various queens' ladies-in-waiting. I appreciated the author's exploration of women's rights and liberties (or lack thereof) during this time. Though a queen's ladies were ostensibly her closest confidantes, this did not always mean loyalty. Many became mistresses to the king and even bore his children, and the queen was simply expected to put up with it (any indiscretion by the queen would be high treason, though). Ladies in waiting were also used as spies against the queen and, when it came down to it, their testimonies were used in court to condemn the king's enemies (aka anyone who fell out of his capricious favor) to death.
One of the most poignant sections was the devotion of Catherine of Aragon's servants. Though she was diminished in social standing and lost the title of queen, many of her ladies stayed with her until her death and refused to think of her as anything other than their sovereign. Maria de Salinas, one of Catherine's closest ladies-in-waiting, even defied strict orders to stay away from the former queen and came to be at Catherine's side upon her death.
All things considered, the profession of a courtier was not for the weak hearted - one's fortune could plummet as quickly as it could rise. Doubly so for a courtier at Henry VIII's court.
Having multiple mistresses and fathering children by them - ✅
Forcibly changing his subjects' religion and putting himself at the head of the English church just so he could divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn - ✅
Becoming engaged to Jane Seymour the day after executing Anne Boleyn - ✅
Making gross, derogatory statements about Anne of Cleves when his marriage to her became politically inconvenient - ✅
Marrying a naive teenager young enough to be his daughter, getting the ick at her being "used goods" (rich coming from a man with a festering leg), and having her beheaded for alleged adultery - ✅
Changing the English law at whim to suit his circumstances and satisfy his thirst for revenge against any perceived wrong - ✅
Ginormous fuck boy confirmed.
This book looks at the Tudor court through the eyes of the various queens' ladies-in-waiting. I appreciated the author's exploration of women's rights and liberties (or lack thereof) during this time. Though a queen's ladies were ostensibly her closest confidantes, this did not always mean loyalty. Many became mistresses to the king and even bore his children, and the queen was simply expected to put up with it (any indiscretion by the queen would be high treason, though). Ladies in waiting were also used as spies against the queen and, when it came down to it, their testimonies were used in court to condemn the king's enemies (aka anyone who fell out of his capricious favor) to death.
One of the most poignant sections was the devotion of Catherine of Aragon's servants. Though she was diminished in social standing and lost the title of queen, many of her ladies stayed with her until her death and refused to think of her as anything other than their sovereign. Maria de Salinas, one of Catherine's closest ladies-in-waiting, even defied strict orders to stay away from the former queen and came to be at Catherine's side upon her death.
All things considered, the profession of a courtier was not for the weak hearted - one's fortune could plummet as quickly as it could rise. Doubly so for a courtier at Henry VIII's court.
January 30, 2025
“Women’s history does not need to be extraordinary in order to be relevant”
May 4, 2025
My April audiobook and I was obsessed! This tells Tudor history through the ladies in waiting and goes on as much detail that is available about their lives. Really fun way to learn about the Tudor court.
May 19, 2025
Historically accurate and very well written but my only wish was that it would have focused more on the mudane every day existence of these endlessly fascinating women.They were chronologically ordered starting with Catherine of Aragon's ladies in waiting and ending with Kathryn Parr's.
February 23, 2025
Love the topic and learning more about the Tudors but so hard to follow as everyone has the same name.
February 21, 2025
I was so ready to get some fresh details of life at court, or learn more of lesser known women but unfortunately, I haven't learned anything new. I don't think this says anything ill of the author (she is a good writer). As she tells us in the beginning, there was little written by or about the subjects during this time period, and the author's information had to be culled from other records not speaking directly to the lives of these women. Fiction writers, on the other hand, are free to add personality and details that a non-fiction writer cannot. This is no fault of Nicola Clark so I leave no rating.
April 12, 2025
excellent
Terrificly interesting look at some of women who were ladies in waiting to the wives of Henry VIII. The Tudor story would seemingly be played out after the multitude of Tudoriana, novels, biographies, television shows, etc. etc. etc. Yet Clark found a new way in, relating the history of the wives through the ladies’ eyes plus writing their own fascinating stories. It’s interesting over the years how Henry’s reputation has waxed and mostly waned; he is portrayed, rightly so, as a misogynist tyrant here. But the wives, for the first time I’ve read, also come in for some skepticism, a perspective I appreciated.
Terrificly interesting look at some of women who were ladies in waiting to the wives of Henry VIII. The Tudor story would seemingly be played out after the multitude of Tudoriana, novels, biographies, television shows, etc. etc. etc. Yet Clark found a new way in, relating the history of the wives through the ladies’ eyes plus writing their own fascinating stories. It’s interesting over the years how Henry’s reputation has waxed and mostly waned; he is portrayed, rightly so, as a misogynist tyrant here. But the wives, for the first time I’ve read, also come in for some skepticism, a perspective I appreciated.
July 1, 2025
"Women's history does not need to be exceptional for it to be fascinating ... women of history do not need to be "girlbossified". If we allow normal women to exist, then they are still worthy subjects of history"
Absolute banger, justice for Catherine Parr and Jane Rochford
Absolute banger, justice for Catherine Parr and Jane Rochford
February 19, 2025
Anyone familiar with Tudor history has come across the names of some of the ladies-in-waiting of the Queens. In history (as in fiction, TV, and films) about the Tudors, they are ever-present background figures.
Author Nicola Clark has brought the lives of these women into the foreground by telling the story of King Henry VIII's reign through the perspective of some of the women who served his Queens.
Ladies-in-waiting to royalty were not merely window-dressing, as they are so often portrayed. Their access to and intimacy with the Queen made them behind-the-scenes power brokers. They could and did act as advisors, counselors, messengers, and spies for their Queen as well as servants and chaperones. Foreign ambassadors and those seeking favors or patronage often sought out ladies-in-waiting, recognizing them as valuable sources of inside information and influence.
As Henry's reign progressed and resulted in the highest turnover of queens consort ever seen in a single reign, it became increasingly dangerous to serve a Tudor Queen. Some ladies-in-waiting were legally prosecuted and even executed for enabling or trying to cover up their Queen's supposed misdeeds.
This book examines how these women navigated the tightrope of royal service. The first two parts focus on the women who served Queens Catharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, while the third section deals with the four remaining queens. An epilogue at the end summarizes the experiences of some of the the ladies-in-waiting to Henry's daughters Queens Mary and Elizabeth.
The scarcity and sparsity of the written source materials for Henry's last four queens makes the third section of the book feel rushed. But the author does a good job of dealing with what information she was able to find, pointing out the different ways the ladies-in-waiting dealt with their conflicting loyalties.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants a fresh and different perspective of Tudor history.
Author Nicola Clark has brought the lives of these women into the foreground by telling the story of King Henry VIII's reign through the perspective of some of the women who served his Queens.
Ladies-in-waiting to royalty were not merely window-dressing, as they are so often portrayed. Their access to and intimacy with the Queen made them behind-the-scenes power brokers. They could and did act as advisors, counselors, messengers, and spies for their Queen as well as servants and chaperones. Foreign ambassadors and those seeking favors or patronage often sought out ladies-in-waiting, recognizing them as valuable sources of inside information and influence.
As Henry's reign progressed and resulted in the highest turnover of queens consort ever seen in a single reign, it became increasingly dangerous to serve a Tudor Queen. Some ladies-in-waiting were legally prosecuted and even executed for enabling or trying to cover up their Queen's supposed misdeeds.
This book examines how these women navigated the tightrope of royal service. The first two parts focus on the women who served Queens Catharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, while the third section deals with the four remaining queens. An epilogue at the end summarizes the experiences of some of the the ladies-in-waiting to Henry's daughters Queens Mary and Elizabeth.
The scarcity and sparsity of the written source materials for Henry's last four queens makes the third section of the book feel rushed. But the author does a good job of dealing with what information she was able to find, pointing out the different ways the ladies-in-waiting dealt with their conflicting loyalties.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants a fresh and different perspective of Tudor history.
Read
November 29, 2024It’s tough to find a new angle on Tudor history but Nicola Clark has an excellent one in The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens (W&N). Clark explores the lives and fates of the ladies-in-waiting who witnessed the drama of the Tudor court, with a sharp eye for the different ways they navigated the ebbs and flows of fortune.
Read History Today’s Books of the Year 2024 at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/...
Catherine Fletcher is Professor of History at Manchester Metropolitan University and author of The Roads to Rome: A History (Bodley Head)
Read History Today’s Books of the Year 2024 at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/...
Catherine Fletcher is Professor of History at Manchester Metropolitan University and author of The Roads to Rome: A History (Bodley Head)
August 19, 2025
5 star 🌟!!! ‘Women’s history does not need to be extraordinary to be relevant’ ❤️❤️❤️
Fantastic book about my favourite era, my Roman Empire the Tudors❤️ such an interesting read about the impact and influence of the true ladies in waiting, also amazing to read as an audiobook
Fantastic book about my favourite era, my Roman Empire the Tudors❤️ such an interesting read about the impact and influence of the true ladies in waiting, also amazing to read as an audiobook
May 27, 2025
this was fine, wished it went more in depth however i did enjoy reading this and was excited to do so. just felt left wanting more and not in a good way, hm, a solid way to pass recovery from surgery. it just wasn’t very illuminating which is fine, i understand there is a lack of source material but still. also it was apparent the author thought anne boleyn somewhat guilty or duplicitous when historical consensus is sure she was not, my girl still rent free in these gworls heads, nearly 500 years later lmao
okay more thoughts: also author seemed to dismiss katherine howard’s very real grooming???
LOOK i know this was not about the queens explicitly per say but a lot of framing in passing is very…yikes to say the least.
the book is fine if somewhat lacking, it will scratch a tudor history itch if you have one.
okay more thoughts: also author seemed to dismiss katherine howard’s very real grooming???
LOOK i know this was not about the queens explicitly per say but a lot of framing in passing is very…yikes to say the least.
the book is fine if somewhat lacking, it will scratch a tudor history itch if you have one.
April 1, 2025
"Women's history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant."
This was an engaging read! While Clark explains the major points of Henry VIII's marriages, this book will be enjoyed more so by readers who have a familiarity of his reign. This shouldn't be anyone's first dive into the fuckery that is Henry and women, in that I'm not sure all the details regarding the women's stories can be fully appreciated without an understanding of the traditional narrative -- how the women's stories are usually told (or, rather, not told).
For example, while reading, I learned about the shifting political alliances that likely determined Henry's decision to divorce Anna of Cleves. In the past, I have encountered two common explanations of this decision: 1.) Her portrait was inaccurate OR 2.) She wasn't nice enough to Henry when he jump-scared her as their first meeting. So, learning about the politics and hearing some excerpts from Anna's ambassador to England (he accused Henry of treating Anna as a prostitute!!) expanded my understanding of their marriage and this period of Henry's reign.
I found Clark's writing to be accessible, though there were two patterns that bothered me:
1.) Clark has a tendency to start chapters in media res, with juicy details to pull the reader in. However, these occurrences were rarely dated -- I had to keep reading for a few pages to determine what year we were in. Clark shared the women's stories mostly in chronological order, but as she discussed many people, sometimes the chronology was not clear. I would have appreciated more signposting whether in the text itself or in chapter headings to know where we were in time.
2.) What makes this book really special is the inclusion of knowledge/gossip/rumors from archival materials -- Clark has obviously spent time close reading letters/poems/etc and shares the deets with us (see the prostitute tidbit above!!!). However, when Clark quotes from these sources directly, she doesn't always interpret or explain the excerpt. I often had to pause to puzzle over the Tudor syntax and diction, and would move on without fully getting the quotation. I wish Clark would have taken a step beyond presenting this archival material to more fully interpret it for those of us who aren't as familiar with Tudor-era language.
Overall, I enjoyed this! Recommend for my Six-listening, Tudors-watching, Royal Diaries of Elizabeth I-reading casual Tudor fans.
This was an engaging read! While Clark explains the major points of Henry VIII's marriages, this book will be enjoyed more so by readers who have a familiarity of his reign. This shouldn't be anyone's first dive into the fuckery that is Henry and women, in that I'm not sure all the details regarding the women's stories can be fully appreciated without an understanding of the traditional narrative -- how the women's stories are usually told (or, rather, not told).
For example, while reading, I learned about the shifting political alliances that likely determined Henry's decision to divorce Anna of Cleves. In the past, I have encountered two common explanations of this decision: 1.) Her portrait was inaccurate OR 2.) She wasn't nice enough to Henry when he jump-scared her as their first meeting. So, learning about the politics and hearing some excerpts from Anna's ambassador to England (he accused Henry of treating Anna as a prostitute!!) expanded my understanding of their marriage and this period of Henry's reign.
I found Clark's writing to be accessible, though there were two patterns that bothered me:
1.) Clark has a tendency to start chapters in media res, with juicy details to pull the reader in. However, these occurrences were rarely dated -- I had to keep reading for a few pages to determine what year we were in. Clark shared the women's stories mostly in chronological order, but as she discussed many people, sometimes the chronology was not clear. I would have appreciated more signposting whether in the text itself or in chapter headings to know where we were in time.
2.) What makes this book really special is the inclusion of knowledge/gossip/rumors from archival materials -- Clark has obviously spent time close reading letters/poems/etc and shares the deets with us (see the prostitute tidbit above!!!). However, when Clark quotes from these sources directly, she doesn't always interpret or explain the excerpt. I often had to pause to puzzle over the Tudor syntax and diction, and would move on without fully getting the quotation. I wish Clark would have taken a step beyond presenting this archival material to more fully interpret it for those of us who aren't as familiar with Tudor-era language.
Overall, I enjoyed this! Recommend for my Six-listening, Tudors-watching, Royal Diaries of Elizabeth I-reading casual Tudor fans.
July 31, 2025
4.5 ⭐ Read as an audiobook.
"Women's history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant."
Nicola Clark did a phenomenal job telling the stories of these women who had such an intimate and powerful role in the Tudor court. It's not an insight you get much in historical books, if at all, due to the nature of the job as well as lack of surviving documents. For such a short, entertaining read the author achieves a narrative that provides thorough, well-researched information without being bogged down and dry.
I will say that some of the points the author made - pertaining to Mary Boleyn's children's parentage as well as feelings surrounding the innocence of Anne of Cleves- did feel counter to what many reads will convey. Frankly, I don't know how much I agree with her on a few points, however, every argument made is surrounded with salient points and research.
What I really appreciated about this book was that these women were not villainized for acting in ways that are incredibly human. Trying to climb the social ladder, plotting in secret, or even basic disagreements between maid and queen are all very human activities that anyone could relate with. We all have disagreements with coworkers or bosses, we all make mistakes in social interactions. There stakes were higher as well as different due to both their gender as well as the court in which they moved. The queens and the ladies that served them were given room to be flawed and that can be missing from historical reads.
Her writing reminds me of Tracy Borman's books. It was a fast read but also informative. However, having some prior knowledge over Tudor history- particularly Henry VIII's court- would benefit a reader immensely. Overall, Clark does an excellent job handling all the grand to minute details of the lives of women who were meant to fade into the background.
"Women's history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant."
Nicola Clark did a phenomenal job telling the stories of these women who had such an intimate and powerful role in the Tudor court. It's not an insight you get much in historical books, if at all, due to the nature of the job as well as lack of surviving documents. For such a short, entertaining read the author achieves a narrative that provides thorough, well-researched information without being bogged down and dry.
I will say that some of the points the author made - pertaining to Mary Boleyn's children's parentage as well as feelings surrounding the innocence of Anne of Cleves- did feel counter to what many reads will convey. Frankly, I don't know how much I agree with her on a few points, however, every argument made is surrounded with salient points and research.
What I really appreciated about this book was that these women were not villainized for acting in ways that are incredibly human. Trying to climb the social ladder, plotting in secret, or even basic disagreements between maid and queen are all very human activities that anyone could relate with. We all have disagreements with coworkers or bosses, we all make mistakes in social interactions. There stakes were higher as well as different due to both their gender as well as the court in which they moved. The queens and the ladies that served them were given room to be flawed and that can be missing from historical reads.
Her writing reminds me of Tracy Borman's books. It was a fast read but also informative. However, having some prior knowledge over Tudor history- particularly Henry VIII's court- would benefit a reader immensely. Overall, Clark does an excellent job handling all the grand to minute details of the lives of women who were meant to fade into the background.
August 10, 2025
One of my favorite nonfiction audiobooks in memory— a retelling of Henry VIII’s marriages thru the eyes of the ladies in waiting at court. If you’re a big Tudor history buff you won’t learn much new but you will enjoy the ride!
August 24, 2025
“The Waiting Game shows that if we simply allow women to exist in the past on their own terms there is no need for explicit “gilbossification”; they are a fascinating historical lens in their own right. Women’s history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant.”
LOVE
LOVE
August 28, 2025
I loved reading about the Tudor period through the lens of the queens’ ladies in waiting. Further proof that Henry was indeed the worst. “Women’s history doesn’t need to be extraordinary to be relevant”!!!
February 17, 2025
"Women's history does not need to be exceptional to be relevant" 🔥
March 15, 2025
“Where once employment in the queen’s service had been merely a route to a better marriage, now it was, quite literally, a matter of life and death.”
4💫
The Tudor era is so chaotic and I love it.
4💫
The Tudor era is so chaotic and I love it.
April 26, 2025
a book for the girlies 💅 we love a good historical era TMZ and Clark came in w the receipts.
May 11, 2025
really enjoyed this one thanks gia
May 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this— fascinating to read an alternate perspective of court life in this time period
July 19, 2025
3.5⭐️ The audiobook was difficult to follow if I was doing anything other than listening. I would have preferred to have actually read the text. With that said, I loved the material.
August 7, 2025
good prose, amazing historical, writing, and argument, and I flipping loved it!
March 6, 2025
I found this to be a fascinating, well researched book with lots of interesting details about not only the women themselves but their part in the history of English monarchy during the Tudor reign. I think this book would make a compelling TV documentary as well!
April 30, 2025
4.5 Stars
Well researched and admirable in its ability to separate all of the Elizabeths and Marys without confusion. It was a fresh point of view in the Tudor court. You always read and hear about the husbands of the women featured and it was a refreshing take.
Well researched and admirable in its ability to separate all of the Elizabeths and Marys without confusion. It was a fresh point of view in the Tudor court. You always read and hear about the husbands of the women featured and it was a refreshing take.
July 28, 2025
The Waiting Game read a little textbook- like, but did shed fascinating details about the women who worked behind-the-scenes of Henry VIII’s six wives.
July 4, 2025
I’ve fallen into a Tudor hole and can’t get out. This was good. Excellent research and even the queens felt more nuanced and complicated through the lens of their ladies in waiting.
February 16, 2025
I confess I’m a sucker for all things Tudor so enjoyed this most recent contribution to the canon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews