Do you see the court as more of an escape or an entrapment for Anne?Ĥ. But the court is also the setting where George and Anne first fall in love. What does living at court represent for Anne? Arguably, the courtly life was both an escape and an entrapment-without the court Anne would not have been caught up in her affair with Will. How would you characterize Edward, Elizabeth, and Hal? Can you name any similarities between Edward and Elizabeth? Between Anne and her siblings?ģ.

It made even more sense to keep a close watch on your friends.” In what ways did it “pay” for the characters to know what was happening at court? It what ways did it not? Did Edward take his own advice to keep a watch on his friends, as well as his enemies?Ģ. it paid to know what your enemies were thinking. It isn’t until Edward is brought under the scrutiny of the king that Anne realizes the importance and strength of family bonds.ġ. In the beginning Edward Stafford, the Duke of Buckingham, thinks, “In England. While Anne eventually returns to court with her husband, she never fully forgives her brother for his false accusation.

Accused by her brother Edward, the Duke of Buckingham, of cheating on her husband, Anne is sent to a convent to pay for sins she did not commit. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.īased on the historical life of Lady Anne Stafford-remembered as the woman who had an affair with both King Henry VIII and his companion, Sir William Compton- At the King’s Pleasure takes readers on the incredible journey of her life at King Henry VIII’s court. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for Secrets of the Tudor Court: At the King's Pleasure includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Kate Emerson.

At the King's Pleasure by Kate Emerson