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The Queen's Frog Prince
Between the years 1579 and 1581, a courtship between Elizabeth I of England and François, Duke of Anjou took place. Though this courtship is often dismissed as a political tactic on Elizabeth's part to create an Anglo-French alliance during the Wars of Religion, The Queen's Frog Prince presents an alternative interpretation. In this book, David Lee pores over some of the surviving love letters exchanged between Elizabeth and Anjou, whom Elizabeth affectionately nicknamed “my frog.” Lee suggests that although the courtship suited Elizabeth I politically, it also blossomed into something much more complex, an affectionate bond, and that to understand Elizabeth I as a woman, she must first be seen for who she was beneath all the vainglory and iconography.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 25, 2023
Romances in the Tudor era are legendary for their effects on English, European, and world history. From international matches to domestic love stories, the Tudors had a way of capturing our attention with whom they married. The one Tudor whose relationships caught everyone’s attention just as much as Henry VIII is his daughter with Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I. The legendary “Virgin Queen” did have some men who caught her eye and some that she even considered marrying. There was Robert Dudley, but the one who may surprise a lot of people is the French prince, Francis Duke of Anjou. So how did this whirlwind romance begin and why did Elizabeth choose to stay single instead of marrying to secure a strong alliance with France? In his latest book, “The Queen’s Frog Prince: The Courtship of Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou,” David Lee explores the heart of this long-forgotten international romance.
I would like to thank Chronos Books for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for a new book about the reign of Elizabeth I. I will admit that I was one of those people who did not take her relationship with the Duke of Anjou as a serious infatuation, but when I heard about this title, I wanted to see if I could be proven wrong.
Unlike many books dedicated to the reign of Elizabeth I, Lee begins in 1579, when the relationship between Elizabeth and the Duke of Anjou began. Elizabeth knew that if she was going to marry anyone, it had to be soon or there would be no Tudor heirs to inherit the throne. The top contender for her heart, Robert Dudley, betrayed the queen and married Lettice Knollys behind her back in 1578. The following year, she was presented with an opportunity to marry the younger brother of the King of France, Francis Duke of Anjou.
The bulk of this book examines the correspondence between Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou through their letters from 1579 until the end of the relationship in 1581. When we think about Elizabeth I and her international romantic relationships, we often have an image of a stoic queen who wants to keep relationships with other countries cordial even when she rejects their advances. These letters are so heartfelt and present a new side of Elizabeth I which I was not expecting to see, especially not for someone who was not Robert Dudley. There was true passion and love between the queen and her frog prince, but it was not meant to be as religious differences, her age, and the question of Elizabeth’s ability to rule with a man by her side made it impossible for the relationship to continue.
Lee has presented a heartbreaking tale of love and loss between a queen and her frog prince. He has done meticulous research to show a different side of Elizabeth I that I did not know even existed. It begs the question if nothing was standing in her way, would Elizabeth have married the Duke of Anjou and how would that have affected English and European history as a whole?
If you want a book that makes you question the end of Elizabeth I’s reign and her last international romance, I highly recommend you read, “The Queen’s Frog Prince: The Courtship of Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou” by David Lee.
I would like to thank Chronos Books for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for a new book about the reign of Elizabeth I. I will admit that I was one of those people who did not take her relationship with the Duke of Anjou as a serious infatuation, but when I heard about this title, I wanted to see if I could be proven wrong.
Unlike many books dedicated to the reign of Elizabeth I, Lee begins in 1579, when the relationship between Elizabeth and the Duke of Anjou began. Elizabeth knew that if she was going to marry anyone, it had to be soon or there would be no Tudor heirs to inherit the throne. The top contender for her heart, Robert Dudley, betrayed the queen and married Lettice Knollys behind her back in 1578. The following year, she was presented with an opportunity to marry the younger brother of the King of France, Francis Duke of Anjou.
The bulk of this book examines the correspondence between Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou through their letters from 1579 until the end of the relationship in 1581. When we think about Elizabeth I and her international romantic relationships, we often have an image of a stoic queen who wants to keep relationships with other countries cordial even when she rejects their advances. These letters are so heartfelt and present a new side of Elizabeth I which I was not expecting to see, especially not for someone who was not Robert Dudley. There was true passion and love between the queen and her frog prince, but it was not meant to be as religious differences, her age, and the question of Elizabeth’s ability to rule with a man by her side made it impossible for the relationship to continue.
Lee has presented a heartbreaking tale of love and loss between a queen and her frog prince. He has done meticulous research to show a different side of Elizabeth I that I did not know even existed. It begs the question if nothing was standing in her way, would Elizabeth have married the Duke of Anjou and how would that have affected English and European history as a whole?
If you want a book that makes you question the end of Elizabeth I’s reign and her last international romance, I highly recommend you read, “The Queen’s Frog Prince: The Courtship of Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou” by David Lee.
June 30, 2023
The forgotten love story of England’s virgin queen and the husband that was denied to her. Revealing Elizabeth, the woman behind the mask of monarchy, her desire to love and to be loved. That’s what the new book by author David Lee is about.
Elizabeth I remained unmarried throughout her life and was nicknamed the Virgin Queen, although it was actually a monarch’s duty to marry and provide a successor. Philip II, widower of her older sister, had been the first to make her an offer, even when Mary was alive, was the first to be turned down. Many suitors would follow, and just as many rejections. She was rumored to have a relationship with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and she probably seriously considered marrying him, especially after his wife died in 1560. However, the circumstances of Dudley’s wife’s death were suspicious and for that reason alone, Elizabeth would have damaged her reputation by marrying Dudley. Until Dudley’s death in 1588 she maintained a good, but never fully clarified relationship with him.
A late, but serious candidate for political reasons around 1579 was the 23 years younger French prince and Duke of Anjou, the younger brother of the French king. Both France and England had bad relations with Spain. She liked this French prince (she sometimes called him her ‘little frog’), but he encountered too much resistance from the population because of his Catholicism. The marriage never happened, for various reasons. Of course we are not going to describe that here. You have to read the book yourself for that. However, by not marrying anyone, Elizabeth I presented herself as a queen married to her people.
This book largely deals with the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou. This is done on the basis of documentation and the letters that have been preserved from both of them. These letters give a beautiful insight into the feelings of Elizabeth and her Frog Prince…
The author has done a thorough job of his book, you notice that everything has been well researched. To avoid confusion for the reader, the book is started with the characters who appear frequently in this story. A short biography is given of each person. Very handy, that saves the reader who is not familiar with these names a lot of searching.
After reading the book you as a reader have a good idea about how and what happened between Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou. It is a good and special book because little was known about this relationship, until now. It looks well cared for, fairly easy to read and it is completed by photos of the main characters in the book. Do you want to know more about the “heart affairs” of Queen Elizabeth I? Then this book is definitely recommended!
Elizabeth I remained unmarried throughout her life and was nicknamed the Virgin Queen, although it was actually a monarch’s duty to marry and provide a successor. Philip II, widower of her older sister, had been the first to make her an offer, even when Mary was alive, was the first to be turned down. Many suitors would follow, and just as many rejections. She was rumored to have a relationship with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and she probably seriously considered marrying him, especially after his wife died in 1560. However, the circumstances of Dudley’s wife’s death were suspicious and for that reason alone, Elizabeth would have damaged her reputation by marrying Dudley. Until Dudley’s death in 1588 she maintained a good, but never fully clarified relationship with him.
A late, but serious candidate for political reasons around 1579 was the 23 years younger French prince and Duke of Anjou, the younger brother of the French king. Both France and England had bad relations with Spain. She liked this French prince (she sometimes called him her ‘little frog’), but he encountered too much resistance from the population because of his Catholicism. The marriage never happened, for various reasons. Of course we are not going to describe that here. You have to read the book yourself for that. However, by not marrying anyone, Elizabeth I presented herself as a queen married to her people.
This book largely deals with the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou. This is done on the basis of documentation and the letters that have been preserved from both of them. These letters give a beautiful insight into the feelings of Elizabeth and her Frog Prince…
The author has done a thorough job of his book, you notice that everything has been well researched. To avoid confusion for the reader, the book is started with the characters who appear frequently in this story. A short biography is given of each person. Very handy, that saves the reader who is not familiar with these names a lot of searching.
After reading the book you as a reader have a good idea about how and what happened between Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou. It is a good and special book because little was known about this relationship, until now. It looks well cared for, fairly easy to read and it is completed by photos of the main characters in the book. Do you want to know more about the “heart affairs” of Queen Elizabeth I? Then this book is definitely recommended!
July 23, 2023
Book: The Queen’s Frog Prince: The Courtship of Elizabeth I and the Duke of Anjou
Author: David Lee
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Chronos Books, for providing me with an ARC. It’s been a minute since I’ve featured a nonfiction book. Books about the Tudors never get old for me and this one is no different. I have always felt like this courtship went under the radar because of Robert Dudley, but that’s just me.
This one is about Elizabeth I’s courtship of the Duke of Anjou. During this time, the duke is in his twenties, while the queen is pushing forty. Elizabeth’s advisors are still holding out for an heir. These two write letters back and forth. The tones of these letters hint at something more-romance, interest. The queen is swift away by the duke, but, yet, they don’t marry. The author looks into this. If the queen was so in love, why didn’t she marry him? David takes a look into Elizabeth’s past and gives us his thoughts about it.
This is the real Elizabeth, not the queen. We have all seen the portraits of Elizabeth I. She is in full glory, married to her country, and has it all. This is not the case. She is a woman, human, and lonely. She suffers from depression and anxiety. She can’t sleep. This is not the Elizabeth that we are often presented with. By giving us the human side of such an impressive queen and woman, it only draws us closer to her. plus, getting to read her letters makes her human. It makes us see that she was not all that different from us. She wanted companionship and love. She did not want to be as isolated as she was. Yet, her past prevents her from marrying or that is one theory. Can you plan though? She was possibly molested by her stepfather and her father had her mother executed. This has to leave an impact.
David has done such a good job with his research. He uses a mix of primary and secondary sources, which I love. He presents his argument in a way that makes sense. He gathers the facts and uses the facts to back up what he is saying. I love this. The use of primary sources only makes what he is saying that much stronger. It’s just golden. Not only does he focus on the relationship, but gives us a picture of what was going on in the world at the time. This may seem filler, but it’s not. It gives the reader more insight as to why things unfolded as they did.
If you are looking for a short and easy read on Tudor England, then I encourage you to give this one a go. It’s one of those books that makes you wonder “What if…” Just think if Elizabeth I had married the Duke of Anjou, how would history have been changed?
This book is out now.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/62ETrh8oYc8
Author: David Lee
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Chronos Books, for providing me with an ARC. It’s been a minute since I’ve featured a nonfiction book. Books about the Tudors never get old for me and this one is no different. I have always felt like this courtship went under the radar because of Robert Dudley, but that’s just me.
This one is about Elizabeth I’s courtship of the Duke of Anjou. During this time, the duke is in his twenties, while the queen is pushing forty. Elizabeth’s advisors are still holding out for an heir. These two write letters back and forth. The tones of these letters hint at something more-romance, interest. The queen is swift away by the duke, but, yet, they don’t marry. The author looks into this. If the queen was so in love, why didn’t she marry him? David takes a look into Elizabeth’s past and gives us his thoughts about it.
This is the real Elizabeth, not the queen. We have all seen the portraits of Elizabeth I. She is in full glory, married to her country, and has it all. This is not the case. She is a woman, human, and lonely. She suffers from depression and anxiety. She can’t sleep. This is not the Elizabeth that we are often presented with. By giving us the human side of such an impressive queen and woman, it only draws us closer to her. plus, getting to read her letters makes her human. It makes us see that she was not all that different from us. She wanted companionship and love. She did not want to be as isolated as she was. Yet, her past prevents her from marrying or that is one theory. Can you plan though? She was possibly molested by her stepfather and her father had her mother executed. This has to leave an impact.
David has done such a good job with his research. He uses a mix of primary and secondary sources, which I love. He presents his argument in a way that makes sense. He gathers the facts and uses the facts to back up what he is saying. I love this. The use of primary sources only makes what he is saying that much stronger. It’s just golden. Not only does he focus on the relationship, but gives us a picture of what was going on in the world at the time. This may seem filler, but it’s not. It gives the reader more insight as to why things unfolded as they did.
If you are looking for a short and easy read on Tudor England, then I encourage you to give this one a go. It’s one of those books that makes you wonder “What if…” Just think if Elizabeth I had married the Duke of Anjou, how would history have been changed?
This book is out now.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/62ETrh8oYc8
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews