I recently gave a book talk on my two novels about the missing Princes in the Tower. It was great fun discussing both the research and the writing of these books, and I thought I’d share the most popular questions – and my answers. History is full of secrets. Will you uncover the truth about the Princes in the Tower? Start the journey with The Godmother’s Secret and continue the search in The King’s Intelligencer.
For centuries, the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower has remained one of England’s greatest historical mysteries. Were Edward V and his brother Richard murdered by their uncle, Richard III? Did they escape, only for their identities to be lost to time? In writing these two novels (originally meant to be just one – but you know how that goes!), I set out to explore both the moment of their vanishing and the shocking discovery of their supposed remains nearly two centuries later. The Godmother’s Secret plunges into the heart of their disappearance, while The King’s Intelligencer follows the intrigue surrounding the discovery of their bones in 1674. Could this truly be the answer to history’s most haunting question, or is the truth still waiting to be uncovered?
Q&A: Unraveling the Mystery of the Missing Princes in The Godmother’s Secret and The King’s Intelligencer
Who was responsible for the princes’ disappearance?
Richard III is often blamed, but some believe the Duke of Buckingham acted alone or on Henry VII’s orders. Margaret Beaufort has been raised as another culprit, although I think that highly unlikely. Others argue they were never murdered at all. They did, after all, simply disappear.
What are the leading theories about their fate?
Some say they were smothered in their sleep. Others believe they were secretly sent abroad or raised in obscurity. Pretenders later claimed to be them, keeping the mystery alive. But, in the end, there is no evidence, no bodies, no confession.
What evidence supports their murder?
Reports from Tudor historians suggest they were killed, but these accounts were politically motivated, and give conflicting perspectives. Yes, the princes disappeared on Richard III’s watch. But, no definitive proof of their deaths has ever surfaced.
Were the bones found in 1674 in the Tower really the princes?
Possibly, but they were never examined with modern DNA testing. The remains were buried in Westminster Abbey, and a beautiful monument erected by King Charles II states it is them, but their identity remains uncertain.
Has there been any recent research on the bones in the Abbey?
Requests to conduct forensic analysis on the bones have been denied. Without testing, their fate remains speculative.
How does The Godmother’s Secret explore these theories?
The novel follows Elysabeth St. John Scrope, godmother to Edward V, the oldest prince, who witnesses events firsthand in the summer of 1483. Her choices shape a version of the story based on contemporary accounts and hidden possibilities.
How does The King’s Intelligencer expand on the mystery?
When the bones are found in 1674, a descendent of Elysabeth, Franny Apsley, is drawn into a web of espionage and family secrets. The discovery threatens the monarchy, forcing her to uncover what really happened centuries before.
Could the princes have survived?
Some believe Edward V became a priest, while Richard may have lived under an assumed identity. Others argue they perished but not in the Tower. Ongoing research is turning up hints of evidence that they may have lived – but still no definitive proof.
What role do women play in these books?
Both novels highlight women who shaped history in secret—Elysabeth through loyalty and deception, Franny through intelligence and courage. In a time when women had little agency, it was both challenging and inspiring to create their stories.
Both The Godmother’s Secret and The King’s Intelligencer are available at major booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores. Multi-award-winning novels, The Godmother’s Secret is the 2022 Historical Fiction Company Book of the Year, and The King’s Intelligencer is the 2024 Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year.
Universal Buy Link
Kindle Unlimited
