A Favorite of the Queen chronicles the rise and fall of various members of two noble families: those of the Tudors and the Dudleys. While the relationship between Elizabeth and Robert marks the age, it's one that is full of tension. Will she cave and marry him? Will his ambitions ever be quenched, both for himself and his descendants? Plaidy presents this emotional and dramatic pair to readers as the quintessential 'will-they-won't-they' that makes readers sympathize for both parties, even when they're in the wrong.

At first, this book seems like it will only focus on the Dudleys, as it opens on Robert's nine year old father having witnessed his own father's execution. The family is at its lowest point, but the members steadily rise only to end in obscurity as member after member drops dead. Robert manages to avoid this fate for a long time, first by marrying the wholesome country girl, Amy Robsart. As a result of this, his younger brother Guildford is married to the ill-fated Jane Grey. When Mary Tudor takes the throne, she eventually has Guildford and Jane executed, along with Robert's father and older brother. He alone, manages to survive in the Tower.

However, it is in the Tower when he begins to foster a liaison with Elizabeth Tudor, who has also recently been imprisoned. A legendary romance is born. When both are free and Elizabeth becomes queen, Robert is one of the first to give her the news, and she bestows on him the title of her Master of Horse. After this, the two become inseparable, so much so, that most people at court suspect that they are sleeping together. Robert is certainly convinced that Elizabeth is on the verge of marrying him, and he desires nothing more than to be king, if only he can get rid of that country wife of his.

I thought more of the book would focus on Amy's death, but it really doesn't. Plaidy spends some time in Amy's head, but the girl is so simple that her thoughts aren't varied. Most of the time, Plaidy focuses on Amy's maidservant who, weirdly, both desires and is disgusted by Robert. She alone realizes how dangerous Amy's position is, and eventually Amy realizes it too, but too late. The book definitely portrays this 'accident' as a murder, and while the even itself only takes place at the midpoint, it constantly crops up again and again, making it clear that, if Elizabeth had married Robert, the scandal would have followed them to the end of their days.

Even when Plaidy switches away from Robert to focus on Amy, Elizabeth, or the various servants, Robert is always at the center. In general, I find that Plaidy's 3rd person novels aren't as strong as her 1st person ones, but this one is stellar. As a reader, you really feel the love Elizabeth and Robert feel for each other, but they each have conflicting desires that prevent them from actually marrying. Elizabeth is too ambitious, and she is determined to keep the throne for herself. Meanwhile, as much as Robert loves Elizabeth, he wants children of his own and to be recognized for his own talents, perfectly understandable for a man in such an era.

Throughout their lives, Robert pushes the envelope and gambles with Elizabeth's affection. He has numerous affairs with her ladies-in-waiting, none more notorious than secretly marrying Lettice Knolleys, Elizabeth's cousin who just so happens to have a similar shade of red hair. He corresponds with important members of the Scottish court in an attempt to make a marriage alliance between the Stuarts and his own children. He recklessly accepts the Dutch governorship, despite not having any formal military experience. He goes into outrageous debt to entertain Elizabeth at Kenilworth. Yet, time and again, Elizabeth forgives him, though sometimes it takes longer to obtain than other times. Robert deftly prioritizes his relationship with her over any ambition, in order to get himself out of these scrapes.

Historians say that these two had a special relationship even 'after all romance had ended'. I beg to differ. I don't think the two ever stopped loving each other. If they had been anyone else, I think they would've been very happy together. As it were, their love is eternal in a way that isn't completed. The book is full of unfulfilled yearning, while brimming with complex characters of competing motivations against a fascinating historical backdrop. It's such a worthwhile read, and there's really nothing I can say against it. It has everything. A Favorite of the Queen is a favorite with me! ( )

I enjoyed the book but I will admit I am not a huge fan of Queen Elizabeth I in regards to her love life. As all Jean Plaidy books it is well written and keeps you engrossed from start to finish. ( )

“A Favourite of the Queen” proved rather a tedious experience, and perhaps the worst novel I’ve read about Elizabeth I.

Too much “telling”, not “showing”, is the biggest problem. Don’t explain what characters are like; show it via action and dialogue.

The narrative is slow moving, partly because of the lack of action, and partly because of the consistent use of the passive voice. It’s dry information that we get, rather than a lively story.

Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised about 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft. If she'd redrafted it more there wouldn't be such notable repetition of certain themes. ( )

I'll write a more detailed review later, but for now I'll just say that I was a bit disappointed in this. The style was more suited to juvenile literature than I am used to from the author's other writings as Philippa Carr or Victoria Holt - or maybe I've just become more discriminating (or jaded?). Plus it compares unfavorably to a novel that I read years ago titled "The Young Elizabeth"; I don't remember the names of the authors other than that they were husband and wife, and had written the novelization of the stage play of the same name that they had scripted (from the late 1952's or early 1960's IIRC). At any rate, that novel was published in a Reader's Digest Condensed Book that my mother had (and may have still). I borrowed it to read, and it stuck with me. May have to ask around if anyone else remembers that novel/play ( )

published (at least in the US0 at almost the last moment "gay" could be used in its traditional sense; romantic version of Elizabeth and Leicester