Philippa Gregory Books

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An Englishwoman with a soft spot for horses and fowl, Philippa Gregory was born in January 1954. Gregory’s place of birth is Nairobi upon Kenya. She is presently domiciled in Yorkshire. Other than writing, Gregory is a lobbyist, TV broadcaster, and radio hostess. She is also a reviewer and her articles have appeared in many publications, including American dailies LA Times and The Washington Post. Gregory is not only a reputable historian but also renowned for her donations to poor African regions.

A highly educated woman, Philippa Gregory went to the Brighton-based University of Sussex for her undergraduate studies wherein she pursued history. For her doctoral studies, Gregory attended the University of Edinburg wherein her doctoral degree relating to Eighteenth century literature. Gregory is the recipient of an honorary degree that was proffered by the Middlesbrough-based Teeside University.

According to penwoman Philippa Gregory, her occupation as a historian augured well for her awareness of the Tudor era—this is the duration from 1485 and 1603— and prompted her to start writing novels. As such, Gregory debuted in 1987 and her debut book, which is titled Wideacre, was written while studying for her PhD.

Incidentally, Philippa Gregory’s niche is particularly romance, literature, and fiction, especially historical fiction. There are a number of book series in Philippa Gregory’s bibliography. Her bibliography consists of a duology, two trilogies, tetralogy, sextet, octalogy, and a 15-book literary series.

Philippa Gregory’s most notable novel series consists of fifteen books. The said series is a synthesis of two other series, The Cousin’s War series alongside Tudor Court series; both series have since been repackaged as Plantagenet and Tudor Novels.

There are as much as 109 editions of Philippa Gregory’s earliest book in The Tudor Court series. It is worth noting that the earliest book is listed as the third in The Tudor Court series and the ninth installment in the larger series. The first edition was initially published in 2001, titled The Other Boleyn Girl; and this book is shelved under the fiction (notably historical fiction subgenre) and romance genres.

The main character in Philippa Gregory’s book is named Mary Boleyn. Generally, the book’s plot is fictitious, though Gregory’s character Mary Boleyn is modeled on the real-life Lady Mary who lived during the King Kenry VIII’s era. The king’s mistress, she was born circa 1500 and passed away in 1543. She had a sibling named Anne Boleyn. Initially, Mary is an innocent teenager but she rolls with the punches and grows up.

Philippa Gregory’s book, The Other Boleyn, is all about Henry’s love affairs, particularly when he falls in love with two siblings, one after another. Henry’s first lover is Mary and, after their love runs out of steam, Henry leaves her for her sibling Anne. Worse still, Henry instructs Mary to coach Anne to ensure that the transition is smooth. The book’s title denotes the statement used to refer to Mary and different her from her Anne after the former falls from grace. But Mary resolves to stand up for her interests and it segues into an intriguing quest for supremacy in this award-winning book.

Philippa Gregory Awards

Novelist Philippa Gregory has clinched these literary prizes. In 2002, Gregory clinched RoNA’s Award. In 2009, she was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award, in the Fiction category; in both cases, it was as a result of her 2001 book The Other Boleyn Girl. In 2006, Philippa Gregory bagged the RT Award, in the Best Historical Fiction category, thanks to her 2006 named The Boleyn Inheritance. Gregory’s 2015 book titled The Taming of the Queen clinched the Reader’s Choice Book Awards, in the Best Historical Saga. In 2016, Philippa Gregory got Harrogate Festival Award for her commendable efforts in advancing historical fiction.

Philippa Gregory Books into Movies and T/V Shows

Philippa Gregory’s work has been adapted for the silver screen. For instance, Gregory’s book The Other Boleyn Girl has a similarly titled 2008 film, starring Scarlett Johansson (portraying Mary Boleyn) and Natalie Portman (appearing as Anne Boleyn). Gregory’s 2009 novel titled The White Queen was made into a TV series that first aired in 2013; the starring is Rebecca Ferguson who plays Elizabeth Woodville’s role.

Best Philippa Gregory Books

Read on the three best books in Philippa Gregory’s bibliography. The first is The Other Boleyn Girl—has already been discussed.

The Boleyn Inheritance It is about three women whose relationships with the royalty inconveniences them, oftentimes leading to their deaths.

The Taming of the Queen: It is about a tricenarian widow, Kateryn Parr, who must marry widower King Henry VIII despite the fact that he has killed several of his previous wives in quick succession.

Other Book Series You May Like

Readers who liked Philippa Gregory’s works also liked these novel series. Jean Plaidy’s 11-book series, “Queens of England” series, is a fictitious account of the various queens that have reigned in England, ranging from their strengths and weaknesses to the people’s perception of them. Kate Quinn’s tetralogy, “The Empress of Rome”, is set in ancient Rome; it is about Roman Empire-era royals’ aspirations amid challenges. Sandra Gulland’s trilogy, “Josephine Bonaparte” series, revolves around a one-time spouse of Napoleon Bonaparte and ranges from her influence to shortcomings.

When Does The Next Philippa Gregory book come out?

The next book by Philippa Gregory is Boleyn Traitor and will be released on October, 14th 2025.

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