Royal Affairs: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy

by Leslie Carroll

A funny, raucous, and delightfully dirty history of 1,000 years of bedroom-hopping secrets and scandals of Britain?s royals.

Insatiable kings, lecherous queens, kissing cousins, and wanton consorts? History has never been so much fun.

Royal unions have always been the stuff of scintillating gossip, from the passionate Plantagenets to Henry VIII's alarming head count of wives and mistresses, to the Sapphic crushes of Mary and Anne Stuart right on up through the scandal-blighted coupling of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Thrown into loveless, arranged marriages for political and economic gain, many royals were driven to indulge their pleasures outside the marital bed, engaging in delicious flirtations, lurid love letters, and rampant sex with voluptuous and willing partners.

This nearly pathological lust made for some of the most titillating scandals in Great Britain?s history. Hardly harmless, these affairs have disrupted dynastic alliances, endangered lives, and most of all, fed the salacious curiosity of the public for centuries. Royal Affairs will satiate that curiosity by bringing this arousing history alive.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Royalty, Biography, Historical, British Literature, Politics

447 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

I used to tell people that I was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx; but the truth is that apart from the stellar education I received at the Fieldston School in Riverdale, much of who I am was shaped by my two grandmothers, who encouraged me to follow my bliss long before it became the sort of catchphrase you find on tee-shirts and new-age tchotchkes. My East Side grandmother took me to FAO Schwarz, the New York City Ballet, and afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel, where I dreamed of becoming another Eloise. My West Side grandmother took me to the Central Park carousel and the zoo and treated me to colorful paper parasols and gummy, lukewarm pretzels from the vendors whose wares my East Side grandmother deemed too "dirty" for human consumption.

There are writers on both sides of my family, and although I always loved to write, I never anticipated that it would become my profession. I had wanted to be a ballerina; and though my club feet were corrected at birth (from the stilettos I adore now, you'd never know) and my short Achilles tendons made my toes turn in (corrected at the age of 9), I was never going to end up en pointe.

About a year later, I decided to become an actress when (if?) I grew up, and I never looked back. I majored in Theatre at Cornell University, worked in summer stock, and took classes with a couple of acknowledged masters. I performed a lot of Shakespeare and other classics in New York parks, basements, church choir lofts, and the occasional Off-Broadway theatre; then founded and ran my own nonprofit theatre company for several years. And when things got slow, and I found myself working three survival jobs simultaneously (one of them as a journalist and editor), I decided it was time to pursue an additional creative avenue.

Fast forward a decade. I'm now a multi-published author in three genres, as well as a freelance journalist. And I've also adapted a number of classic texts (Ivanhoe; The Prisoner of Zenda; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve) for the stage. I began writing women's fiction and historical fiction simultaneously, but my first published novel was the urban romantic comedy Miss Match in 2002. In 2005, as I continued to write about feisty female New Yorkers, my first historical novel was published under the pen name Amanda Elyot. While keeping those literary plates spinning I made my historical nonfiction debut in the spring of 2008.

In what I laughingly refer to as my spare time, I'm still a professional actress, working when the scripts and the roles excite me.

I'm such a native New Yorker that I still don't have a driver's license, "Big Sky Country" means Central Park, and the farthest I've ever been from the Upper West Side for any great length of time was my four-year stint upstate in Ithaca, at Cornell, known for its rigorous academics and its equally harsh permafrost.

My birthday falls on the same day as two of my heroes—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson. So I reread The Great Gatsby every year and number Miss Piggy among the great actresses of her generation. My favorite color is deep hydrangea blue, and it just kills me that it doesn't look good with red hair.

I live in Manhattan with my husband Scott—who is my hero and everything I ever dreamed of. For the past couple of years we've been considering an addition to the family in the form of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually I truly enjoyed this. There was plenty of variety and I liked the quirky details.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Royal Affairs, author Leslie Carroll, chronicles the many scandalous infidelities of the English Monarchs. From Henry II in the 12th century to the current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, Royal Affairs is an entertaining excursion through the lives of our favorite salacious sovereigns!

Due to the fact that royal marriages were for solidifying political alliances between countries and strengthening royal families and NOT designed with love in mind, there comes the unfortunate by-product of infidelity. For the most part, neither the bride nor groom wanted each other and were just doing their royal duty. And infidelity is not only on the part of the the Kings, but Queens also.

Royal Affairs covers staples such as Edward II and his two lovers – Piers Gaveston and Hugh le Despenser, Henry VIII and his gaggle of mistresses, Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley and Mary, Queen of Scots and Earl of Bothwell.

Also included were a few interesting tidbits that I didn’t know prior:

Every English monarch from 1461 is descended from Katherine Swynford, the mistress and eventual wife of John of Gaunt. Mary II was in love with a woman in her youth. And one thing I found particularly amusing was that King James, who lent his name to the English-translated King James Bible, was a homosexual.

Carroll lends her incredible sense of humor to each story and it makes for a much more engaging read. Non-fiction can be stuffy and fact-filled, but not so with Royal Affairs! For example, she compares the 2 mistresses of George I to the ugly step-sisters in Cinderella and speaks about the fabulous upper “assets” of Caroline of Anspach – wife to George II.

With concise and succinct chapters, Royal Affairs is great to pick up when you have a few minutes or equally awesome to devour in one sitting – trust me when I say, it’s not easy to put down! I heartily recommend to anyone who likes a juicy story!

Many thanks to Leslie Carroll for sending me this fantastic read! Be on the lookout for her upcoming release called Notorious Royal Marriages!

[Wealhtheow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is trashy history at its finest. I am pleasantly surprised to find Carroll's history is good--she admits when facts are unclear, and reminds readers of possible bias from sources. She's aware of the newer theories about each figure as well.
That said. This is still trashy trashy trashy, the "chick-lit" version of actual scholarship.

[Linda Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is delightful, gossipy book about some of the royals who lacked a fidelity gene. It covers the obvious (Henry VIII, Charles II) but also some of the lesser known rulers as well. It is never salacious but is vastly entertaining, and the little biographical sections give quite a bit of history in small doses. I found it interesting how the mores changed over time and what was acceptable in one age was anything but in another. In many respects, I understood a particular ruler's desire to find love and companionship outside of marriage since so many of the unions were only political or dynastic and there was no real connection between the spouses. Also for the royals's paramours this was one of the few ways to advance their families or even have any money or power of their own. There are many tongue-in-cheek editorial comments by the author and that makes the book fun to read.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is certainly interesting, I would probably be more likely to recommend Michael Farquhar's "A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories of History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors." As its title suggests, Farquhar's book deals with historical figures from a multitude of countries, rather than just Great Britain, and it includes prominent people who were not part of a monarchy. Nevertheless, it covers enough of the same material as "Royal Affairs" to make it a suitable and more entertaining substitute. Farquhar doesn't take his subjects quite as seriously as Carroll does, and given the behavior of these historical figures, this seems a more appropriate approach.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like pervy history but this was poorly written & quite frankly, a bit convoluted. I guess that's what happens when a pulp romance writer tries her hand at non-fiction. Crappy editing too. Every time I saw the possessive of "Jones'" written as "Jones's", I got more an more pissed. And it happened quite a bit. Only gets 2 stars b/c of subject matter.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's start with my biggest complaint in this book...She repeatedly refered to happy relationshis or not so happy as "True Love" and yes...she capitalized. True and Love. REPEATEDLY. That's just freakin' annoying. But what can you expect from a romance author. Seriously, she's a romance author.

She also referred to at least TWO couples as the "[time period] equivalent of Mutt and Jeff." Now I love Mutt and Jeff, but is there any other analogy you could use?

It was a fun read, but again no adequate citations just a "selected bibliography" and in her acknowlegements--she thanked the New York Public Library. Now, she's a decently well-known author...she's done some books. If you're writing a book about English monarchy and it's not like your term paper, I would appreciate you at least going to the British archives. Or another library. An academic one?

My problem with this, is without knowing her sources I may have wrong information in my head. And if the "Iraq was behind 9/11" is any indication, wrong information is EXTREMELY hard to get out of one's head. And without sourcing the documents--welp I'm a bit lost. So now I've got to double check any information I gleaned from this book. So I spent hours reading a book that I've got to fact check. And finding out her claim to fame is a romance novelist and I'm not even sure she has a degree in history...well it worries me.

It is fun though, so if you don't mind not being completely sure it's accurate...it is fun. It's quick...it's salacious, it's a bit snarky--which I do favor.

I just don't think someone who criticizes the TUDORS on showtime for showing anne boleyn with shaved legs is the target audience--and that would be me.

[Anna Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Leslie Carroll’s books where she writes about rulers from all different countries for the variety, but despite being totally focused on the British monarchy this book was extremely engaging. This monarchy has had such scandals and intrigues as a part of its history that are fascinating to read about, and Carroll writes in an easy-to-understand manner that is both salacious and also pretty factual as far as I can tell. She clearly states when her points can be verified while citing her sources, and also states when they are gossip from the era that may not be true. I would recommend Carroll’s “Notorious Royal Marriages” and “Royal Romances” over this one in general but this one was still definitely worth a read, especially if you’re really into England or English royals. Carroll also has an upcoming book about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s romance that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was highly readable, even entertaining, and high informative about the COST of royal affairs, especially monetarily. Having a royal mistress was quite expensive in terms of annuities, properties, etc--but probably justified by women who knew they would soon be discarded. So many of these affairs were "purchased" with monetary amounts settled before the woman succumbed; obviously money can buy love, at least for a little while. Also, I was especially amazed at the extent of debt acquired by royalty--one example was $88 million--which frequently caused them to agree to arranged marriages.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining read. Nothing serious but a look at the royalty of England through today

[Stephanie Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny to read as we were traveling in London and seeing the musical Six. We also visited the Tower Bridge near where Anne Boleyn and others were held until beheaded.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically a trashy tabloid with a historical bent, and as someone with a historical bent who loves trashy tabloids, I was in heaven reading this book. The king who took his wife's ex-husband's 16 year-old daughter as a ward, engaged her to his son, and then promptly started having a hot and steamy affair! The queen who fell in love with her (heterosexual) lady-in-waiting and maneuvered her into a decades-long sexual affair! Oooh, scandals galore. The book was everything I had hoped for, and more.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a deep read by any stretch, but a fun, insightful look at the how history is often shaped by selfish impulses. It gives a quick glimpse into the personal lives of many of Britain's monarchs. I enjoyed it.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for what it is- historical gossip!

[Heather Domin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snarky, sassy, trashy fun. It might not be high academia, but it sure was entertaining. Good times.

[Steve lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the last week or so I've been up to my armpits in mistresses and been taken on most enjoyable rides. They were spread over three books, I hasten to add. Please excuse the excruciating puns – I should be ashamed of myself!

In two of the tomes the authors have dumbed down history to give rollicking accounts of various notorious tumblerers in the hay and the havoc they caused. These ranged from some very savvy gold-diggers to others as ditzy and thick as the proverbial. Some even found love with the objects of their attention. Some were secret – only exposed in later decades, others became infamous within their own lifespans. With some, it ran in the family. Some even changed the course of history. With the third listed title, the impact of a mistress on an everyday family is fictionally examined.

The lurid enticements, promised on the cover blurb for 'Royal Affairs', are not exactly forthcoming between the covers. Perhaps readers influenced into purchase by them would be disappointed at the lack of interior titillation. But what may be discerned instead are fine accounts of history-shaking trysts written in modern colloquialese that sets a fast pace, interspersed with brief first hand accounts in the language of the perpetrators' times. The reader is never bored. Initially I thought I'd skip those connections that have been done to death by various forms of modern media – the dalliances of Henry VIII, Mrs Simpson and Edward VIII, Charlie and Di – but so well does Ms Carroll explore their machinations they also were not to be missed. From Henry II's bedding of Rosamund de Clifford to our future (presumably) king's Camilla, I discovered so much history I was completely unaware of. In this offering are the mistresses synonymous with temptation - Anne Boleyn, Nell Gwyn, Lillie Langtry and Mrs Keppel – but there are also a host more creating waves, from ripples to tidal, in their own times – many largely forgotten. We are informed of the randiness of Charles II – who had one mistress installed in the chamber immediately above his bedding room – and one immediately below. Then there was the weird sex life of George 1 with his much lampooned (during his reign) twin grotesques, a decidedly gay king (or two) and an obese lesbian monarch who only craved up close and personal affection. And, well, was she really the Virgin Queen? There are any number of (bodice) ripping yarns that would make for terrific television series along the lines of 'The Tudors' and 'The White Queen.' Full credit to Carroll for presenting them in such a lively, entertaining manner.

With 'Mistress' we come to home soil. In a series of vignettes authors Benn and Smyth take the reader through the history of Oz and the impact mistresses have had, not so much on the nation's 'affairs' – although there are those, but more those that have intrigued the general populace of our big land. Sometimes these lay 'uncovered' for decades, only being exposed to light once the protagonists had passed on. Others screamed at us from the tabloids virtually the day after the next affront occurred. Again, with this tome, there are the usual suspects – Juni and Blanche, for example, from our own times. As well, though, there many others whose amorous deeds were largely unknown to me. I discovered that the execrably wretched and now definitely unmissed Liberal pollie Sophie Mirabella, was/is just as repulsively grasping in her personal life as she was in her public. Surely, though, the most fantastical sheila of all in these revelatory stories of sexual abandonment was one Mrs DL Gadfrey who cut a swathe of wantonness through expat Sumatra during the staid 1950s. She was on a quest to find an unfortunate lover, who had jilted her, by getting uproariously drunk and dispensing with her clothes at the drop of a hat. In the end her quarry was forced to take to the jungle to escape. He'd rather brave tigers than this furiously bonkers force of nature. It's in this book that you'll hit pay-dirt by discovering how a flirtatious Filipino maid initially tempted, then snagged, our richest man and discern exactly who was that legendary 'girl in the mink bikini'.


For a couple of their yarns the duo of authors drew a long bow, such as with Lola Montez and the adventures of Mick Jagger in his Ned Kelly heyday. But this is a fluffy summer read and who cares if we're a little lax with the definition of what it takes to be a mistress in Ozland. This title doesn't enthral to the same degree as the previous, but it still is of interest and certainly brings back some scandalous memories.

And the two publications do overlap. Firstly there's good time Aussie antipodean Kanga Tyrone who almost entrapped our Charles. And then there was the remarkable lass who knocked the future George VI for six - Sheila Chisholm. She was introduced to Bertie (as young Georgie was originally known) by one Freda Dudley Ward, an early paramour of elder brother David, destined to be, briefly, Edward VIII. When 'The Firm' discovered what was going on – well it either had to be the luscious colonial woman or his duty to his country? Poor Bertie was in a bind. He chose the latter, the 'Queen Mum' was hastily found for him to wed and the type of scandal that later enveloped serial-offender David was averted. Our thwarted Oz game-changer then moved on to Rudolph Valentino, putting him in a tailspin as well.

The story that I've always found the most interesting, in matters involving out of wedlock shenanigans, is that of the two sisters and PM Chifley. It must have been a very cosy arrangement in that little Canberra motel he preferred to the Lodge – and which one was by his bedside when he left this mortal coil? 'Mistresses' throws no new light on that, though. Billy Snedden's death in the saddle, so to speak, is referenced, as is that of the highly sexed INXS front-man who led our Kylie astray, as well as assorted others. There are 'Underbelly' gangster molls and bushranger ladies as well within its riches when the book branches into the nation's plentiful pantheon of crime figures.

As opposed to the above, we discover little about the mistress at the core of the delightful 'Loving Richard Fegnman', a YA novel from a few years back by Penny Tangey. It's known that the culprit is a work colleague of Catherine's father's and a professor of German. Her dad conducted his flings with her when he was out of town at conferences – the town being Victoria's Kyneton. Catherine keeps a journal of her inner most thoughts that only we and the eponymous dead physicist are privy to. You see, the young lady in question is a science nerd who has taken one of the participants in the Alamo Project as her hero, despite his flaws- discovered whilst reading about his deeds and views. Tangey's tome is brim full, as we might expect, of teenage angst, but the writer handles it in such a light, gossipy way that it never becomes dire in the slightest. I ripped through it on a day of reflection about atrocious deeds done in a Sydney cafe and a Pakistani school. On completing it, I felt much better about the world - it lifted my spirits no end.

Following one's romantic heart or, conversely, lustful inclinations, can often get one knee deep in the proverbial – whether one is famous, rich or just plain 'normal' as with Catherine's dad. It's often espoused that humankind isn't designed for monogamy, but I wouldn't necessarily adhere to that premise. However, whether one engages in the extramarital or keeps squeaky clean – certainly reading about the pickles others entangle themselves in following those two aforementioned impulses certainly adds to the spice of life.

[Jimmy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The affairs of the high and mighty are invariably entertaining, and Leslie Carroll has done a marvelous job of writing a contemporary, chatty and witty book that takes us, monarch by monarch and affair by affair, through English history.

I did notice a date issue? on page 76 of the 10th edition, Bessie Blount is noted as being "carried off by consumption" sometime between "January 1539 and June 1541....by which time her former royal lover was in process....to marry his current inamorata, Anne Boleyn." However, Anne Boleyn died in 1533. By 1540, Henry had already digested Anne, Jane and Anne #2 and had skipped ahead to Catherine Howard. I don't know much about Bessie Blount, but Tudor information is pretty prevalent.

I usually take dates published in books at face value, but after this error, I'm not really sure whether the author was spot on with the rest of the book, or if, in the flurry of being gossipy, didn't really take the time to check other dates and names. Because the book is indeed gossipy, repeating quite a bit of unattributed yet highly entertaining gossip regarding the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the Princess of Wales, and more.

It's certainly not easy to keep track of the myriad James, Charles, Edwards, and Williams, not to mention their paramours, and the dates. The book is above all amusing and fun. Accuracy would have been ideal - I'm hoping that there was just the one error - but the book has a lovely perspective on history and will stay on my shelf.

[Sarah Stallard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slut shaming in a book about affairs?
Ugh, this book shamefully lacks nuance!
I was not expecting this to be pinpoint historically accurate, and yet what was exactly in line with history was how this author portrayed women who had affairs vs men. If the man was the monarch then he "surely loved her", but the woman was "scheming". If the monarch was a woman who had the affair then the author highlighted how old  the woman was and how inappropriate the affair was. And if the "mistress" didn't have sex with the monarch (a HIGHLY naive perspective) then the author praised the "mistress" vs fully slut shaming others, even if the woman was a child at the first sexual encounter. The fat shaming is annoying, mainly because when it's a man that is fat, the author is clinical, mainly focusing on the facts of their size, whereas when it's a woman that is fat, the author will highlight mean nicknames or be so shocked that someone could possibly still want to have sex with them. I also couldn't abide her complete naivete that Elizabeth I *couldn't possibly* have had sex with anyone!
I did appreciate the time line the author maintained and the way she showed how much the money given/ spent would be today.
I definitely rage finished this book and probably should have DNF'd it.

[Christina Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cheerful romp! Don't let the little kids read it because there are a few four-letter words. Yes. Those words.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because Carroll completely skipped over George III. "Bridgerton" fans will know he adored his Charlotte. What they may not know is that before he married her, George had a very serious flirtation with [Lady Sarah Lennox](https://europeanroyalhistory.wordpres...). Fans of "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" will recall that she was in George's hallucinations when he went mad.

[David Szatkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series of stories about the British Royal family (similar to other books the same author has written). The author looks at the ways in which extramarital relationships changed the history of Britain (and so the world). I find that Carroll does a great job at making the people you are reading about real - as opposed to just flat, two-dimensional figures. By humanizing the people you read about, you understand them a bit better.

[Lisa Mussi · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are always entertaining but take them with a grain of salt. When it came to the eras and people I am most interested in, and so am very familiar with, there were many inaccuracies and I imagine that applies elsewhere in the book.

[Rosalind Hoenig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight to the ruling class. Funny how things don't really change over the years.
I believe a great amount of research went into this book and it shows.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed and necessarily brief accounting of U.K. royal affairs from the 1100s (Angevins) to 2008 (Windsors). An interesting reference.

[amanda eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Entertaining but not entirely truthful.

[Helen L Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok

Ok book for who it covered; was hoping for more about other members of the Royal family and less popularly covered monarchs.

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another in her series of misbehaving, philandering royals. Casual and conversant but reasonably researched. Recommended for light historical reading.

[katherina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25⭐️

amo el chisme

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Royals with mistresses (or lovers) are profiled, from history and through the present.

These books are always immensely readable while also being slightly salacious, which makes it a fun read.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing how extramarital affairs are inseparable from the British monarchy. I always knew they happened but not this frequently. This account of royal affairs is historically stimulating and scandalously intriguing. You learn about the structure of the British monarchy, historical events, and all the inside gossip and personal traumas that concerned many of the people who have worn the crown. Some monarchs, including Charles II and Edward VII, had so many affairs they were legion. I'm quite relieved I am not royal: they do not have the freedom to marry who they like let alone love and face many challenges and heartaches because of it.

[Rory M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Royals Affairs was a pleasant surprise! As part of the Spring Challenge for The Next Best Book Club I had to read a book on the British Monarchy that was over 400 pages long. I went to my local Barnes & Noble, located the British Monarchy section (that I had never visited before) and pull all the 400+ books off the shelf. I then found a comfy chair & read the first page of every book to see which one I could actually deal with. Royal Affairs won out and in about 2 days I had half of the book read I was so engrossed! What made this an enjoyable read for me was linking the information I already possessed about the royals, as I'm a keen watcher of period piece movies. Even though EVERY monarch was NOT in Royal Affairs it was still an excellent source of information and it was entertaining. This book helped me put my existing knowledge in a chronological and related order. Plus, it was just plain fun reading about the lovers of Britain’s kings and queens.