Meet the team...
Founder and editor in chief
Emma Holbrook
History is one of my deepest passions in life and my purpose behind making this blog is to help others explore their love for learning about history. I remember my parents gifting me my first Horrible Histories book and just immediately wanting to read another one. After that, I became hooked on reading, watching or just talking about history. I sometimes joke that I was born in the wrong century and that I would have preferred to have lived during the Vikings or the reign of Henry VIII or even gone way back to Ancient Greece. One day, I hope to be a published historical fiction author.
Favourite book - Elizabeth Fremantle's Firebrand
Favourite historical figure - Catherine of Aragon
Favourite historical portrayal - Maria Doyle Kennedy as Catherine of Aragon in The Tudors and Beren Saat as Kösem Sultan.
Blog Writer
Lucy Palmer-Cooper
I was first introduced to the Tudors when I was 6 years old at school and I have been infatuated with the period ever since. I always find myself reconnecting with the past in some kind of way, whether it be writing for Emma's blog or visiting famous Tudor sites such as the Tower of London, Hever Castle and Hampton Court! My favourite thing about history is there is always something new to learn and being able to share it on a platform such as this is really fulfilling.
Favourite book - Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII by Gareth Russell.
Favourite historical figure - Anne Boleyn
Favourite historical portrayal - Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall
Blog Writer
Ellie Webster
The world of History, namely the period spanning from the Wars of the Roses to the end of the Tudors, has fascinated me from a young age. After learning about the Battle of Bosworth Field in Year Three at school, my deep love for reading and research has never ceased. Luckily I live right in the heart of Northumberland, so I am constantly surrounded by rich Tudor history. The best thing about history, especially this period which I so love, is that there is always something new to discover! History always allows us to reconnect with the people that became before us and will come after us!
Favourite book - Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of the King’s Most Faithful Servant by Tracy Borman
Favourite historical figure - Catherine Parr
Favourite historical portrayal - Merle Oberon as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
Blog Writer
Sira Barbeito
I first came across the Tudors back in 2019 when I happened to buy a second-hand book named The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell. I was so enraptured by the story that during the quarantine of 2020 I binged all TV shows, documentaries and movies available about them. A whole lot of books soon followed and the rest is history. And now I am lucky enough to share this passion and borderline obsession with these amazingly talented women.
Favourite book - Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History by Tracy Borman
Favourite historical figure - Anne Boleyn
Favourite historical portrayal - Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in Elizabeth /Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Blog Writer
Jade Lynch
I have always enjoyed and found an escape in history, whether that be Ancient Greece or the Elizabethan era, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a fondness for the medieval period! What truly sparked my love of history was ‘The White Queen’, as it made me realise that historical figures were just normal people with the same drives/emotions as us. Going on to study English Literature at University, I focused much of my study on works based around the medieval period, finding a particular interest in themes such as honour and chivalry.
Favourite book - Shakespeare’s Richard II to Richard III.
Favourite historical figure - Henry V
Favourite historical portrayal - Ruairi O’Connor as Henry VIII in The Spanish Princess.
Blog Writer
Hannah Fawcett
I loved history since I was a child and I decided to pursue it at university as I am currently an Undergraduate History & Religion student. My love for history began by visiting historical places particularly castles with my family and I loved finding out about all the historical figures that have lived there. I also love reading about all areas of history but I have always loved The Tudors since I was a child as I find it so interesting and important part of British history.
Favourite book - The White Princess by Philippa Gregory.
Favourite historical figure - Elizabeth of York. I find it fascinating how technically she had a stronger claim to the throne than her husband but didn't pursue it.
Favourite historical portrayal - Jodie Comer as Elizabeth of York in The White Princess
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Blog Writer
Ashlie Newcombe
My love for Tudor history began at 16, when I found out about the tumultuous events of the sixteenth century, and the people that lived in it. I was so intrigued by these people whose lives were so exciting and dangerous, that I consumed more Tudor history than one arguably ought to.
I did my undergraduate degree at Greenwich University, and now I’m working on my history MA. I spend my afternoons in libraries and my Saturdays in archives. One day, I hope to get my PHD and spend my life writing historical fact and fiction and reading somewhere in the depths of Cornwall with my husband, five babies and 3 dogs. But if a miracle happens, I’ll be time travelling, and making friends with all of Henry’s wives (and Henry…)!
Favourite book - Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Favourite historical figures - Anne Boleyn
Favourite historical portrayal - Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors
Blog Writer / Content Creator
Maria Margarita
I’ve had a fascination with History in general ever since I was a child; one of my favourite pastimes were browsing through Encarta kids and reading all about these people and certain events. This also started my interest in Tudor history and since then I have read books, watched films or TV series that are based on the figures during that time period and all the things that had occurred. Some historical places that I loved visiting and would like to drop by again are the Tower of London, Hever Castle, and Hampton Court Palace. There’s also so much more that I’d like to see and read about, history just never stops being interesting and propelling!
Favourite book - The Life & Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives
Favourite historical figures - Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I, Katherine Howard and Elizabeth of York
Favourite historical portrayal - Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn in Anne of The Thousand Days and Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in Elizabeth
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Blog Writer
KALI HOLLANDS
History has been my favourite thing ever since I can remember! I spent most of my childhood visiting castles and historic sites and reading / watching Horrible Histories and from that, I completely fell in love with it. Learning about people and the way humans think and feel throughout time is why I love it so much and how there is always new things being discovered! I’m currently studying a BA in History at UEA and all parts of history fascinate me particularly medieval and Tudor!
Favourite book - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Favourite historical figures - Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Margaret Beaufort
Favourite historical portrayal - Merle Oberon as Queen Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII
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Blog Writer
Elizabeth Verity Dryden
I am Tudor obsessed - it bleeds into all areas of my life. I adorn my Christmas tree in Tudor decorations, my wedding was Tudor themed, my wedding breakfast tables being named ‘Tudor Window, Tudor Wall’ and ‘I’ll Beheaded to the Bar’. I have two Tudor themed tattoos and have plans to get more in the future. With creativity being my second skin, I knew I had to put this to good use - I am finally chasing what I love, the infamous Tudors. While writing with this team, I am working on my own book about Anne Boleyn.
Favourite book - Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I; The mother and daughter who changed History by Dr Tracy Borman
Favourite historical figure - Anne Boleyn.
Favourite historical portrayal - Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl.
Blog Writer
Rosanna heverin west
One Christmas, I was gifted a copy of The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. The following January I visited Hampton Court Palace, and my fascination with the Tudor court was born, as was my desire to work in heritage. I spent several brilliant years as a costumed heritage interpreter, wearing amazing costumes and talking about incredible women from history. I have an MA in Museums and Galleries in Education, and completed my dissertation on representations of Anne Boleyn at heritage sites. I’m currently working on my first historical fiction novel. When not reading or writing, I can be found out and about in the countryside with my two brilliant, gorgeous tiny sons.
Favourite book - For non fiction, The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir.
Favourite historical figures - Anne Boleyn, Kathryn Parr, Anne Herbert and Margaret Douglas spring to mind in the Tudor court, and the women of the Special Operations Executive in more recent history.
Favourite historical portrayal - Gemma Arterton’s Nell Gywnn, Natalie Dormer’s Anne Boleyn, Cate Blanchett’s Elizabeth I, Rufus Sewell’s Charles II - I could go on and on!