Every Tudor Queen had ladies-in-waiting. They were her confidantes and her chaperones. Only the Queen’s ladies had the right to enter her most private chambers, spending hours helping her to get dressed and undressed, caring for her clothes and jewels, listening to her secrets. But they also held a unique power. A quiet word behind the scenes, an appropriately timed gift, a well-negotiated marriage alliance were all forms of political agency wielded expertly by women.

The Waiting Game explores the daily lives of ladies-in-waiting, revealing the secrets of recruitment, costume, what they ate, where (and with whom) they slept. We meet Maria de Salinas, who travelled to England with Catherine of Aragon when just a teenager and spied for her during the divorce from Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn’s lady-in-waiting Jane Parker was instrumental in the execution of not one, but two queens. And maid-of-honour Anne Basset kept her place through the last four consorts, negotiating the conflicting loyalties of her birth family, her mistress the Queen, and even the desires of the King himself. As Henry changed wives, and changed the very fabric of the country’s structure besides, these women had to make choices about loyalty that simply didn’t exist before. The Waiting Game is the first time their vital story has been told.

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Nicola Clark’s The Waiting Game: Ladies-in-Waiting at the Tudor Court delves into the fascinating world of the women who served the queens of Tudor England, offering readers a unique perspective on the courtly life that is often overlooked. While much has been written about the kings and queens who shaped this era, Clark shines a spotlight on the ladies-in-waiting who played a critical, though largely behind-the-scenes, role in the political and personal dramas of the Tudor court.

Clark begins by exploring the multifaceted roles these women played in the lives of the Tudor queens. Far more than mere attendants, ladies-in-waiting were companions, friends, and even political operatives. They were the only individuals granted access to the queen’s most private chambers, assisting with everything from dressing and bathing, to listening to her innermost thoughts. In this intimate setting, these women wielded a subtle but significant power, capable of influencing royal decisions through a private conversation, a thoughtful bribe, or a strategically arranged marriage.

One of the strengths of The Waiting Game is how Clark brings to life the daily existence of these women, revealing the intricate details of their backgrounds, selections and how they lived at court day-to-day. The book offers a vivid portrayal of what it was like to live at the Tudor court in both public and private.  Clark’s research is thorough, drawing on a wide range of sources to provide an authentic and immersive experience for the reader.

The Waiting Game stands out as the first comprehensive account of the vital role these women played in the Tudor court. Clark’s writing is both engaging and insightful, making this book accessible to both scholars and general readers interested in Tudor history. By focusing on the ladies-in-waiting, Clark provides a fresh perspective on the era, one that underscores the importance of women’s roles in shaping the course of history, even if they did so from the shadows.