Margaret Beaufort: From Widow to Kingmaker

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Lauren Johnson to the show for the very first time! Honestly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to have her on—but I’m so glad it finally happened, because we dive deep into the remarkable life of Margaret Beaufort.

Lauren’s new book, Margaret Beaufort: Widow, Rebel, Kingmaker, spans the entirety of Margaret’s extraordinary life—far too much to fit into a single episode! So in this conversation, we focus on her early years and end in the bedchamber with Elizabeth of York.

Don’t worry, though—I’ll be bringing Lauren back to explore the next chapter of Margaret’s story: her years as Queen Mother and her influence on her grandson, Henry VIII.

Her book is being published November 6th in UK, get a copy through Blackwells now! It won't be out in the US until March 2026!

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Join me over on Substack, where I’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes posts about my research process and much more!

✨ Exciting news: Paid subscribers ($5/month on Substack or Patreon) will receive exclusive access to my upcoming Thomas Seymour biography.

New book installments are released every Wednesday, and FREE posts every Monday, so don’t miss out on the journey!

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Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Lauren Johnson