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The Tudor Crown

The Tudor Crown

A BBC Radio 4 Drama Collection

Summary

Nine gripping dramas that delve into the turbulent, thrilling history of the Tudor era

Affairs and assassinations. Conflict and chaos. Power and plots. The tumultuous Tudor period is one of the most iconic and fascinating chapters in British history. In these ten atmospheric dramas, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of Tudor England – and rediscover the key characters we have grown to love and hate. Featuring world-renowned actors, these gripping, historically accurate tales are packed with excitement.

A Pattern of Tudors - the story of Cardinal Wolsey who built Hampton Court, and Henry VIII who took it from him.

True and Lawful Queen - Katherine of Aragon’s refusal to divorce Henry VIII sparks a chain of events that leads to the Reformation.

Black Queen to King’s Castle - the ghost of Anne Boleyn tells her own story of the events that led to her execution.

The Babington Plot - Told from the perspective of the conspirators, this is an enthralling account of the 1586 plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and return England to Catholic rule under Mary, Queen of Scots.

La Princesse de Clèves - a playful adaptation of Madame de Lafayette's classic novel of intrigue and love set in the 16th Century and following the dangerous liaisons of a beautiful young lady newly presented to Court.

Gold’s Fool - the true story of how Queen Elizabeth I was misled by alchemists into believing that the Arctic black rocks of Baffin Island were rich in precious ore.

Mary Stuart - we learn of the extraordinary relationship between Elizabeth I and her rival cousin, the imprisoned Scottish queen.

Edward, Edward - seen entirely through the eyes of children, this shows how Edward VI, crowned king at the age of nine, finds himself powerless in a world ruled by adults.

The Nine Days Queen - the tragic story of the trial of Lady Jane Grey. Crowned Queen of England in 1553 aged 16, she was imprisoned in the Tower nine days later, and was dead within a year.

Among the stellar cast of these remarkable dramas are Phyllida Nash, Michael Hordern, David Troughton, Izzy Meikle-Small, Stephen Greif, Burn Gorman, Roger Lloyd Pack, Kathleen Helme and Melody Grove.

© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

About the authors

Alison Plowden

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Abigail Docherty

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John Mortimer

Sir John Mortimer was a novelist, playwright and barrister. The first book featuring his most famous character, Horace Rumpole, was published by Penguin in 1980, and Mortimer went on to publish a dozen collections of Rumpole stories as well as a handful of novels, culminating in 2007 in RUMPOLE MISBEHAVES. He was knighted in 1998 for his services to the arts and died in January 2009.
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Madame de Lafayette

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Peter Wolf

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Michael Butt

Michael Butt has written numerous dramas for BBC radio, including Peter Lorre Vs Peter Lorre, The Last Project (El Ultimo Proyecto), Unauthorised History, Filthy Rich and Ambiguous Loss (winner of a BBC Radio Drama Award for Best Series or Serial.)
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Amanda Whittington

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Paul B. Davies

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Friedrich Schiller

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