Queen to History’s blog post:

A beautifully produced account of the creation, impact and legacy of one of the most important documents of the Tudor period – the last will and testament of Henry VIII.

The King is Dead: The Last Will and Testament of Henry VIII

Good Reads:

A beautifully produced account of the creation, impact and legacy of one of the most important documents of the Tudor period – the last will and testament of Henry VIII.

On 28 January 1547, the sickly and obese King Henry VIII died at Whitehall. Just hours before his passing, his last will and testament had been read, stamped and sealed. The will confirmed the line of succession as Edward, Mary and Elizabeth; and, following them, the Grey and Suffolk families. It also listed bequests to the king’s most trusted councillors and servants.

Henry’s will is one of the most intriguing and contested documents in British history. Historians have disagreed over its intended meaning, its authenticity and validity, and the circumstances of its creation. As well as examining the background to the drafting of the will and describing Henry’s last days, Suzannah Lipscomb offers her own, illuminating interpretation of one of the most significant constitutional documents of the Tudor period.

Illustrated with portraits of key figures at Henry’s court, including the executors named by Henry in his will, THE KING IS DEAD is a Tudor gift book to cherish, as authoritative as it is beautiful.

And another from Good Reads: James’ review.

Bookbag’s: Christmas Recommendation

History of Royal Women:

The lovely people over at Head of Zeus provided me with a copy of ‘The King is Dead’, by Suzannah Lipscomb, which is admittedly not about a royal woman, but some were most definitely affected by it. ‘The King is Dead’ is about the last will and testament of King Henry VIII of England, who despite six marriages had fathered a single sickly legitimate son and two illegitimate daughters.

Tudor Book Reviews:

Before I begin my review of the content, let me start by saying that Suzannah Lipscomb’s latest book The King is Dead: The Last Will and Testament of Henry VIII is stunning. It’s a square-shaped hardback book with a beautifully illustrated cover. The cover image has embossing and the K and the D of the title are illuminated. It’s just the kind of book that you want decorating your coffee table – gorgeous. It also features colour illustrations inside – very well produced.

But now to the content …