A very interesting history about one of the less written about England queens though much has been written about the many mistresses of her husband. Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese noblewoman/princess, had to deal a country that spoke another language, was much colder and rainier than her own, hostile to her religion, a husband who had many publicized mistresses, and the pressure of producing a male heir which she never did that many would have considered her many point in life. In this well researched work, Susan Abernethy portrays her sympathetically and reveals the strength this woman had, the influence she asserted as queen, as well as places Portugal in the context of its seafaring empire and the connection it had to Britain. Perhaps Catherine's greatest legacy was the dowry she brought which included the port of Bombay which allowed Britain to become a global power that lasted centuries and the influence of everyday things that she favored which are now considered quintessentially English, namely tea.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was mostly a political account which was disappointing.I had hoped it would be more balanced but it did have more information than any other book that I have read that mentions her.She is often a very small side story to Charles II's reign so I was really interested to see what this would provide.Not much as it turned out.Personal details were sparse but there were a few surprises to me which is always nice in a biography or memoir.The research seemed sound,the writing textbook like but overall if you know absolutely nothing about Catherine of Braganza could be worth a read to you.

Throughout English history, a colorful cast of queens has left their marks in their distinct ways. While the Plantagenet and Tudor queens are more well-known, the Stuart queens and the mistresses of the Stuart kings were dynamic in their unique ways. One of the lesser-known queens was the wife of King Charles II. Though Charles II is known for his numerous mistresses, his wife Catherine of Braganza is not discussed much in England, but in her native Portugal, she is famous. So who was Catherine of Braganza, and what is her legacy in England and Portugal? Susan Abernethy tells the story of this almost forgotten queen in her book, “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am someone who is dipping her toes into the Stuart dynasty, so I wanted to explore a story about someone new to me. When I saw the title and subject of this book, it piqued my curiosity because I have heard of Catherine of Braganza, but I know nothing about her.

Before we dive into the actual life of Catherine of Braganza, Abernethy takes the time to explore the relationship between Portugal and England, which culminated in the union of King Charles II and Catherine. I didn’t know much about the history of Portugal except for the aspect that is included during the life of John of Gaunt, so I was excited to learn more about how Portugal became a trading and exploration powerhouse. It was the rise of the House of Braganza that propelled Catherine into a position to marry the King of England.

As the daughter of King John IV of Portugal and Queen Luisa de Guzman, Catherine was destined to marry a member of royalty, but the issue was a matter of faith. Catherine was a devout Roman Catholic, whereas Charles II was a Protestant who was trying to restore his kingdom after the reign of the Protector Oliver Cromwell. Catherine also had to deal with the numerous mistresses of Charles II, like Barbara Villiers, Lucy Walter, Louise de Keroualle, and Nell Gwyn, who were able to give Charles children while Catherine remained barren. Throw in a few anti-Catholic plots, and you can start to understand the strain Catherine was under while living in England. Eventually, after the death of Charles II, Catherine decided to return to her native Portugal, where her life took an unexpected twist with the War of the Spanish Succession until she died in 1705.

I found Catherine of Braganza such a fascinating figure. She did so much in her lifetime, and it is a shame that Catherine does not get more attention. Abernethy does an excellent job of telling the story of this queen who is often in the shadow of more boisterous figures of the age and integrating the history of Portugal into this book. If you want to learn more about a Stuart queen who is often forgotten and her impact on two nations, I highly recommend you read “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza” by Susan Abernethy.

Charles II's wife is often overshadowed by her husband's many, many, many mistresses and his many illegitimate children. She is often a footnote in history, rather than a woman placed into the spotlight and in this brilliant novel, Susan Abernethy places her into the spotlight for the first time and takes a deeper look into her life and the pains she must have suffered during her life and marriage.

A very interesting, well-researched and overall entertaining book!

I went into Charles II’s Portuguese Queen by Susan Abernethy knowing almost nothing about Catherine of Braganza, and I came away completely fascinated. Abernethy brings Catherine to life as so much more than just a footnote in Charles II’s story — she was smart, resilient, and politically savvy. The book is detailed but very readable, and I loved learning about her Portuguese background too. If you enjoy discovering overlooked figures in royal history, this is definitely one to pick up!

Catarina Henriqueta de Brança was born on 25 November 1638. She would go on to become Catherine of Braganza; England, Ireland and Scotland's only Portuguese queen consort.

Despite being unprepared for the role she was to fulfil as the "Merry Monarch" Charles II's wife, Catherine learned to endear herself to her people, displaying a kindness and forgiving personality that her subjects adored their queen for.

By establishing strong political ties between Portugal and Britain, Catherine's marriage to the Stuart king enabled a powerful trading empire, leading to the reign of notorious corporations such as the English East India Company and the acquisition of popular products including tea and lacquer furniture.

In a rare instance where history has allowed the queen to become overshadowed by the many mistresses the king enjoyed, Susan Abernathy held her promise to pull Catherine to the forefront and allow her story to be heard clearly.

Establishing Catherine within the context of the Braganzan empire and Portuguese history allows for a vital understanding of why Charles II championed the marriage between himself and his wife so strongly, as it brought many political benefits to himself and the newly restored Stuart monarchy.

The quality of Abernathy's narrative is superb and never diminishes, leading the reader on a gloriously entertaining and fascinating trip into one of history's forgotten queens.

I've been mulling over Abernathy's debut biography, 'Charles II's Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza,' for a little while now. It's a book that's hard to neatly categorize.

Prior to reading, my main image of Catherine of Braganza came from a certain miniseries – and let's be honest, Rufus Sewell as Charles II probably made more of an impression! Abernathy's deep research into Catherine and her family is evident, and her passion for the subject shines through in the writing.

While the initial sections on the Braganza lineage felt a touch academic and essay-like, the narrative smooths out as Catherine's story unfolds. However, I did find the focus often shifted away from Catherine herself towards her ancestors, Charles II and his mistresses, and later, her Portuguese relatives. In a way, the title does reflect the content: a queen often in the shadow of her husband.

An overdue spotlight on a queen who deserves more attention.

I really enjoyed this biography of Catherine of Braganza. She’s often reduced to a footnote in Charles II’s story, overshadowed by his mistresses and court drama—but this book pushes back on that and gives her center stage for once. Susan Abernethy makes a strong case that Catherine wasn’t just a passive figure at court but someone who actively worked to assert her influence, despite being in a pretty impossible situation.

The sections on her life in Portugal were especially compelling. Abernethy fills in a lot of context that’s usually missing from English-language biographies, and I appreciated how much depth that added to Catherine’s motivations and her loyalty to Portugal. Her role in strengthening political and commercial ties between England and Portugal, as well as her cultural patronage, really stood out here.

That said, the writing leans more scholarly at times, which might not be everyone’s thing, but it’s still accessible if you’re used to reading historical nonfiction. I wouldn’t call it a page-turner exactly, but it’s thoughtful, well-researched, and full of details I hadn’t come across before.

Catherine may be “forgotten” in the English historical imagination, but this book does a great job of restoring her significance—not just as a queen consort, but as a savvy political figure who left a lasting legacy. If you’re interested in royal history, Anglo-Portuguese relations, or lesser-told stories of powerful women, this is well worth your time.

An informative look at one of the most important figures in England’s Restoration court - but one who’s often sidelined or forgotten in favor of Charles II’s more flamboyant mistresses.

What an amazing story. As always, the role of a Queen is largely ignored in a male dominated world. In the case of Catherine, she had nothing going for her, being female and foreign. Charles’ life is well documented, but little mention is made if Catherine. His mistresses and indulgences receive more attention. Susan Abernathy has done a remarkable job in putting all of this to rights with this account of a truly remarkable lady.

I knew little about her, but recall a reference to her in Pepys diary where he commented that her hair was strangely arranged and her clothing was unusual. And that she brought tea, which he believed woukd never catch on. It’s difficult to imagine how she must have felt, arriving in a strange and often hostile country. As with most royal alliances, this was a marriage designed around political and strategic beliefs, Catherine, to her credit, always remained Portuguese and considered the marriage a duty, but after the death of her husband, longed to return to her home country.

The author explains in easy to understand detail the role of Portugal on the world stage. I knew it was a prominent seagoing nation, but hadn’t appreciated the extent of the trade influences in the far east. This biography sets Catherine’s life so well in that wider context and it’s clear that she was a shrewd individual who used her influence whenever she could. Frankly, the book is a revelation. I love to see history revisited from a different perspective and this really ticks that box. It’s an enjoyable read and the bibliography is extensive. Primary and secondary sources are recorded along with extensive notes that add considerably to the narrative. I’ve really enjoyed this title and it deserves a wide audience.
My thanks to Pen and Sword and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book was great! I loved reading about Catherine and her untold story. The detail of this book was wonderfully done.

I requested and received an eARC of Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza by Susan Abernethy via NetGalley. I thought I had left the Stuarts behind for a while after 2024, but when I saw this title about Charles II’s consort I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t tell you much about Catherine of Braganza specifically other than the fact that she and and Charles were unable to produce an heir and that she helped to popularize drinking tea. In the opening to her text, Abernethy reinforces the idea of Catherine as the “forgotten queen,” emphasizing that she largely been overlooked in history in favor of her husband, the Merry Monarch, and his long list of lovers. Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza pulls forgotten consort out of the shadows and sheds light on her own life and contributions to history and culture.

There isn’t much known about Catherine of of Braganza’s early life, but the first few chapters of the book familiarize the reader with Portuguese history and the rise of the Braganza dynasty, which I found to be very helpful. My knowledge of Portuguese history is quite limited and it really helped me to understand what was at stake in the marriage alliance between England and Portugal and where exactly Catherine fell in all of that. Abernethy provides a succinct overview of the most pertinent details that was both accessible and entertaining to read and this is a quality that never diminished as I made my way through Catherine’s adult life.

I haven't often considered what life at court must have been like for Catherine, but Abernethy's book has certainly forced me to reconsider her. She was ill prepared for her new life in England and it's impossible not to feel sympathy for her. Confronted with circumstances that weren't quite what she imagined, Catherine faltered but managed to to course correct and adapt. Abernethy does a wonderful job of detailing all of the difficulties Catherine would have been forced to navigate and creates a captivating portrait of a very fascinating woman. I left Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza with the sense that I had a better understanding of the consort and a greater appreciation for her role in history.