Books & Looks Podcast — Alison Weir on The Boleyn Secret: Catherine Carey and Tudor Court Intrigue

Step inside the Tudor court with bestselling historian and novelist Alison Weir as she joins Blaine DeSantis to discuss her new historical novel, The Boleyn Secret. The story follows Catherine Carey, niece of Anne Boleyn, from the shadow of her aunt’s execution through years of service, marriage, motherhood, religious upheaval, exile, and her complicated bond with her cousin, Elizabeth I. Weir explains how Catherine’s life offers a fresh way to experience one of the most dramatic eras in English history.

The conversation explores the research behind the novel and the thin line between documented history and informed imagination. Weir discusses the legend that Catherine attended Anne Boleyn in the Tower, the Knollys family Latin dictionary that records the births of Catherine’s children, and the evidence behind a portrait believed to depict her. She also examines Elizabeth I’s demanding friendship with Catherine, the Knollys family’s Protestant exile under Mary I, and the court scandals surrounding Lettice Knollys and Robert Dudley.

Weir also reflects on Anne Boleyn’s enduring fascination, Henry VIII’s relationship with Jane Seymour, the cultural influence of the Renaissance in Tudor England, and the books she is working on next. Rich with history, personality, and behind-the-scenes insight into how historical fiction is built, this episode is a lively conversation for readers who want to understand the people behind the famous Tudor names.