How to be a good monarch

Ahead of the coronation of King Charles III on 6 May, we speak to royal historian, best-selling author and broadcaster Tracy Borman about her upcoming theatre tour, How To Be A Good Monarch: 1000 Years of Kings & Queens

This month, royal historian, best-selling author and broadcaster Tracy Borman is set to embark on her first ever theatre tour titled, How To Be A Good Monarch: 1000 Years of Kings & Queens. From William the Conqueror to Charles III, the tour will see Tracy sharing some tumultuous tales of the good, the bad, the great and the mad, taking audiences on an entertaining and gripping 1,000-year journey from the crown’s earliest history to the institution that it is today.

Tracy has written several highly acclaimed books, including Elizabeth’s Women and the Sunday Times bestseller Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant. Her most recent title Crown & Sceptre, which was published in 2021, has provided the backdrop for How To Be A Good Monarch. Tracy’s new book Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History will be published on 18 May and details an extraordinary and revealing account of one of the most fascinating mother and daughter stories of all time –Anne Boleyn, the most famous of Henry VIII’s wives and her daughter Elizabeth, the ‘Virgin Queen’.

As a broadcaster, Tracy has been a regular on our TV screens, presenting The Private Lives of the Monarchs and Inside The Tower of London. She also appeared in an episode of the series Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Eastenders’ star Danny Dyer. With her vast knowledge of royal history and acute investigative skills, it was Tracy who revealed the headline-breaking discovery that Dyer was in fact a direct descendant of Thomas Cromwell.

As Tracy prepares to take to the stage at the Redgrave Theatre on 24 April –ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on 6 May –we sit down with the author to dive deep into the crown’s history...

Tell us about your background as a historian...

I’ve loved history for as long as I can remember. One of my first summer jobs was dressing up as a Victorian jailer and showing visitors around Lincoln Castle prison. My passion for the subject was really ignited by my A Level history teacher. She brought it to life for me – the Tudors in particular. She also made me realise that history is about human beings, not just dates and events. That has stayed with me ever since and whenever I tackle a subject, I try to look behind their public image to the real person underneath. It has made me realise that, despite the enormous change we have witnessed over the past 500 or so years, human nature doesn’t change that much.

What inspired you to create How To Be A Good Monarch: 1000 Years of Kings & Queens?

The original inspiration was the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I thought it would be a fascinating moment to look back over the past 1,000 years and set her remarkable reign into context. But then, of course, 2022 became a significant royal year for an altogether different reason.

Tell us about your writing process and how you set about researching your books...

I research and write as I go along, which means that from day one the book starts to take shape. Because of the sheer scale of the subject, Crown & Sceptre was by far the most daunting book I had tackled and I did a fair amount of procrastinating before finally knuckling down. But I soon became utterly gripped by the stories of the 40+ kings and queens who have occupied the throne since 1066. I started writing the book towards the end of 2019 and I have to admit that if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, I might still be writing it.

Of the various monarchs you’ve written about, which one has been the most interesting to explore in How To Be A Good Monarch?

There have been so many surprises for me in preparing for this theatre show, and in writing the book. Some of the monarchs I expected to like turned out to be real villains (I’m thinking of the likes of Edward VIII), whereas others, like James II, have been unjustifiably maligned.

Bringing their stories to light and – hopefully – giving audiences the real picture is going to be so exciting.

In your research, did you come across any customs, rituals or traditions that were particularly surprising or peculiar?

Many! The belief that kings and queens possessed God-given, magical powers is as old as the monarchy itself. It was reinforced by a series of royal ceremonies which developed over time, notably touching for the ‘King’s Evil’ (scrofula), a special ceremony devised by Edward the Confessor. The monarch would sit enthroned while a procession of their afflicted subjects knelt to receive the royal touch on the diseased area. This tradition endured for hundreds of years. Queen Anne was the last monarch to touch for scrofula – among those she ‘cured’ was the celebrated writer and lexicographer Dr Samuel Johnson. Even as late as the twentieth century, the tactile approach of Princess Diana when visiting the sick and injured had a similarly powerful effect, inspiring other royals to follow suit.

As King Charles III prepares for his coronation in May, what do you see for the future of the British monarchy?

Although monarchs no longer ‘rule’, they ‘reign’, the new King still has a pivotal role to play in the constitution. The long experience that he brings will benefit current and future governments. Then there is his extensive charitable work and his advocacy of causes such as the environment. Whether or not you’re a royalist, people do listen to the monarch so there’s huge power in that. One thing that has blighted previous monarchs certainly won’t be an issue for King Charles, and that’s the lack of heirs. The Windsors have plenty of those for decades to come.

What do you hope audiences will take away from the theatre show?

I hope they will come away saying ‘I never knew that’ and wanting to find out more. I also hope they’ll get a sense of what a historic moment we’re living in right now in terms of the monarchy, and how our new king compares to some of his illustrious (and rather less illustrious!) predecessors.

As Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust, can you tell us more about the independent charity?

The Heritage Education Trust encourages historic sites to provide inspiring and memorable experiences for school children and other educational groups. One of the main ways it does so is through the Sandford Award, which recognises the education work of around 50 historic sites across the British Isles – from stately homes and museums to country parks and even zoos. It’s a wonderful charity and almost entirely run by volunteers. I’m very proud to be part of it.

What’s next in the pipeline for you?

I’ve just started the first of three new novels. I can’t say too much about it, except that it’s set in the Tudor period, which is my bread and butter. I probably won’t be getting an awful lot of it written during the theatre tour but will look forward to taking up my pen (or keyboard) again afterwards. I also have some filming in the pipeline –the results of which should be on our screens this autumn, so watch this space. n

• For more information about How To Be A Good Monarch: 1000 Years of Kings & Queens and to book tickets, visit: redgravetheatre.com.

Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History will be published on 18 May (Hodder & Stoughton)