Plaidy has the abilty of making history accessible and a joy to read. Caroline's long wait is up. George I is dead, and her husband is King. They immediately make the unfortunate discovery that most of the jewels and inheritance have been leaked away to mistresses of the old King. Catherine, with the assistance of Prime Minister Walpole, slowly begins to repair the damage done to England by previous sovereigns. She does her duty to the best of her ability, monitoring decisions made by her arrogant and insecure husband and stepping in where she feels it necessary. The book emphasises the importance of English Queens throughout history, as Caroline patiently dominates her husband and most of the court from behind the scenes. It is thanks to her that the House of Hanover survived, despite the unpopularity of its Kings