It is an example of how each queen viewed diplomacy and the dance they had to do to keep their respective dynasties on the thrones of England and France. They had learned their trade the hard way, under the burning sun of North Africa, on the battlefields of El Alamein and Alam el Halfa.

Henry III was trying to debar the Protestant Henry of Navarre, the next heir to the throne, from the succession. Elizabeth usually comes up in the context of the Northern Renaissance, and Catherine in the context of the Wars of the Reformation).Through her gripping narrative, she brings two extraordinary women who experienced love, heartbreak, triumph and disaster masterfully to life. At a time when women were given no voice at all and were considered, in every aspect, as less than men, these two lead armies, squashed rebellions and shaped Kingdoms. The fact that Estelle Paranque is a native French speaker means that she seems to have analysed a lot of letters from the French side that have perhaps been over-looked by other, more British focussed, historians and means this work is full of insight rather than just a rehashing of the two women's lives.

She has been featured in several international historical television documentaries, including The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family and Secrets d’Histoire, as well as the history podcasts like HistoryHit, Not Just the Tudors, and Talking Tudors. I'm not someone whose drawn to the Tudors or Elizabeth I as this period often feels repetitive in UK historical discourse. From honouree mother-daughter to friends to equals to rivals and sometimes enemies, these two powerful and extraordinary women were the real rivals to each other and their influence, power and struggles dominated the later part of the 16th century. After the death of her husband, Catherine worked hard to be the regent for her sons until they came of age to rule and continue the Valois dynasty. Dr Estelle Paranque masterfully draws together the strands of narrative of two of the most powerful Queens of Europe, engaged in a relentless and delicate balancing act of rivalry and common cause.On the one hand, Mary, Queen of Scots had threatened the life of Elizabeth and had been implicated in numerous plots against her. The author has a lot of talent and I will keep an eye on her to see if she publishes any more novels. Many would think Elizabeth's equal would be Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, but from this book, Catherine de Medici is her true equal of a female put with royal power.