Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey: Edward IV's Chief Mistress and the 'Pink Queen'

This biography examines the life of Elizabeth Widville, an influential former queen of England and central figure during the War of the Roses. Wife to Edward IV and mother to the Princes in the Tower, she later became mother-in-law to Henry VII through her daughter Elizabeth of York. Much of her life is surrounded by speculation and myth, including debate over the correct spelling of her name. Born in the fifteenth century, Elizabeth was known for her beauty and her controversial second marriage to Edward IV, whom she wed three years after he displaced the Lancastrian Henry VI. Her rise from commoner to queen consort elevated her family's position but provoked hostility from Richard Neville, the "Kingmaker," leading to discord and rebellion. After Edward IV's death, Elizabeth remained politically active, briefly proclaiming her son Edward V king before he was deposed by Richard III. She later helped secure Henry Tudor's succession in 1485 and his marriage to her daughter Elizabeth of York, ending the War of the Roses. Ashdown-Hill separates fact from fiction in this account, addressing the dramatizations and misconceptions that have obscured Elizabeth Widville's historical record.