The Queen's Fool

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The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory is a 2004 historical fiction novel. Set between 1553 and 1558, it is a sequel to The Other Boleyn Girl. The series also includes The Boleyn Inheritance.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The novel chronicles the changing fortunes of Mary I of England and her half-sister Elizabeth through the perspective of the fictional Hannah Green. Hannah is discovered by Robert Dudley and John Dee and subsequently begged as a fool to Edward VI. She witnesses and becomes caught up the intrigues of the young king's court, and later those of his sisters. Since Mary, Elizabeth, and Robert Dudley all use Hannah to gather information on their rivals and otherwise further their own aims, the novel can plausibly present each side in the complex story. The Queen's Fool follows the Hannah from ages fourteen to nineteen, and her coming-of-age is interspersed among the historical narrative.

The rise to power of the future queen Elizabeth I is a key sub-plot in The Queen's Fool.
The rise to power of the future queen Elizabeth I is a key sub-plot in The Queen's Fool.

The story starts when Hannah, while delivering books (her father being a bookkeeper), accidentally sees Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth together. When asked why she seemed surprised, she claimed to have seen a scaffold behind him. As it turns out, Seymour is killed on a scaffold within a year. Hannah is later discovered by John Dee to have the Sight when she sees Uriel behind Dee and Robert Dudley, but her father denies it, saying that Hannah says silly things often. Then one day, while delivering books, Hannah meets the young king, accompanied by Dudley, who, after hearing of her power, asks her what she sees of him. Hannah, noticing how weak and pale he is, replied that she saw the heaven gates opening. Amused by her answer and glad that someone was not lying to him, the king decided Hannah should be his fool. Though unwilling, Hannah had no choice but to accept, and thus began her life in court.

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