Philippa Gregory Books in Order: Complete Guide

By Anna Marie CarrollHistorical Fiction

Philippa Gregory is one of the most recognizable names in historical fiction and romance. Her longest series recounts the drama, loyalty, and betrayal to hold the English throne from the women’s perspective. But in this list of Philippa Gregory books in order, there are many more historical reads to pique your interest.

While the amalgamated Plantagenet and Tudor series is her most well-known, Gregory has written dozens of books that take place between the fifteenth and twentieth centuries, including fifteenth century Italy.

In all of the Philippa Gregory books in order she creates a vivid imagining of these worlds which transports readers through time and place.

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Plantagenet and Tudor Series in Order of Publication

The first list of Philippa Gregory books in order contains some of her most popular titles. Previously the Plantagenet and Tudor books were two separate series. But in 2016 those two series were integrated to form one in anticipation of the publication of the 2017 book: The Last Tudor.

This is the original publication order of the two series. It is one way to read these books which take place from 1430 to 1568, concerning various members of the royal family. However, there are multiple ways to read these books.

  1. The Other Boleyn Girl (2001)
  2. The Queen’s Fool (2003)
  3. The Virgin’s Lover (2004)
  4. The Constant Princess (2005)
  5. The Boleyn Inheritance (2006)
  6. The Other Queen (2008)
  7. The White Queen (2009)
  8. The Red Queen (2010)
  9. The Lady of the Rivers (2011)
  10. The Kingmaker’s Daughter (2012)
  11. The White Princess (2013)
  12. The King’s Curse (2014)
  13. The Taming of the Queen (2015)
  14. Three Sisters, Three Queens (2016)
  15. The Last Tudor (2017)
  16. Boleyn Traitor (2025)

Plantagenet and Tudor Series in Chronological Order

The second way to read these Philippa Gregory books in order is chronologically. This is the order in which Philippa Gregory recommends readers approach this series.

If you are more interested in the historical element to Gregory’s books, then this might be the best reading order for you. This will take you through the years 1430 to 1568 chronologically and let you track the ebb and flow of court politics during this time. Nearly each book concerns a different character, so there will not be very many spoilers with this reading order.

  1. The Lady of the Rivers
  2. The White Queen
  3. The Red Queen
  4. The Kingmaker’s Daughter
  5. The White Princess
  6. The Constant Princess
  7. The King’s Curse
  8. Three Sisters, Three Queens
  9. The Other Boleyn Girl
  10. The Boleyn Inheritance
  11. The Taming of the Queen
  12. The Queen’s Fool
  13. The Virgin’s Lover
  14. The Last Tudor
  15. The Other Queen

Other Philippa Gregory Series

Original Cousins’ War Series

However, you may want to know the order of books prior to the amalgamation of the two series. This is the original publication order of the Cousins’ War series.

  1. The White Queen
  2. The Red Queen
  3. The Lady of the Rivers
  4. The Kingmaker’s Daughter
  5. The White Princess
  6. The King’s Curse

Original Tudor Court Series

Similarly, this is the original publication order of the Tudor Court series. As The Last Tudor was published after the amalgamation of the two series, it is not included in the below list.

  1. The Other Boleyn Girl
  2. The Queen’s Fool
  3. The Virgin’s Lover
  4. The Constant Princess
  5. The Boleyn Inheritance
  6. The Other Queen
  7. The Taming of the Queen
  8. Three Sisters, Three Queens

Wideacre Series

The next series on our list of the Philippa Gregory books in order includes her debut: Wideacre. These books take place between 1772 and 1805 following the Lacey family. It begins with Beatrice, who will do whatever it takes to protect her ancestral name and home: Wideacre.

  1. Wideacre (1987)
  2. The Favored Child (1989)
  3. Meridon (1990)

Tradescant Series

Philippa Gregory’s next series takes place during 1603 to 1638 during the courts of King James I and King Charles I. It is told through the eyes of John Tradescant, the renowned gardener of the seventeenth century. In this duology Gregory packs a punch as loyalty and desires are tested.

  1. Earthly Joys (1998)
  2. The Virgin Earth (1999)

Order of Darkness Series

Departing the English royal courts in this series, Philippa Gregory transports readers to fifteenth-century Italy. It tells the story of Luca and Isolde. Cast out of his religious order for using new science, Luca is recruited into The Order of the Dragon and subsequently sent to investigate seventeen-year-old Isolde, locked up in a nunnery.

However, rather than investigating the witchcraft claims against her, Luca finds himself plotting her escape. Then, together, they travel and investigate threats against Christendom and the secrets of The Order of the Dragon.

  1. Changeling (2012)
  2. Stormbringers (2013)
  3. Fools’ Gold (2014)
  4. Dark Tracks (2018)

Fairmile Series

The Fairmile series is the last and latest historical romance series on this list of the Philippa Gregory books in order. The series begins in 1648 England and sweeps across London, Venice, and early America. It tells the story of Alinor, a widow, who is suspected of witchcraft before becoming embroiled in court favour and treachery.

  1. Tidelands (2019)
  2. Dark Tides (2020)
  3. Dawnlands (2022)

Philippa Gregory Standalone Books

While many of Philippa Gregory’s books can be read as standalones, her series are best appreciated when you read all the interconnected works. However, if you prefer reading proper standalones, she has written many that take place in various eras from 1535 to 2000.

  1. Mrs. Hartley and the Growth Centre / Alice Hartley’s Happiness (1992)
  2. A Respectable Trade (1992)
  3. The Wise Woman (1992)
  4. Fallen Skies (1993)
  5. Perfectly Correct (1996) (Out of Print)
  6. The Little House (1996)
  7. Midlife Mischief (1998) (Out of Print)
  8. Zelda’s Cut (2000)

Philippa Gregory Children’s Books

Philippa Gregory has also written a handful of children’s books. The below titles are older and now out of print; therefore, it may be more difficult to obtain a copy.

  1. Diggory and the Boa Conductor (1996) (Out of Print)
  2. The Little Pet Dragon (1997) (Out of Print)
  3. A Pirate Story (1999) (Out of Print)

The Princess Rules Books

This children’s book series also has older origins. The first book, The Princess Rules, was originally published as Princess Florizella, Princess Florizella and the Wolves, and Princess Florizella and the Giant. Philippa Gregory has republished those titles and also continued the series in more recent years.

  1. The Princess Rules (2020)
  2. It’s a Prince Thing (2021)
  3. The Mammoth Adventure (2021)

Philippa Gregory Stories & Non-Fiction

Short Story Collection

Philippa Gregory has also published one short story collection.

  1. Bread and Chocolate (2000)

Nonfiction Books

With so many historical fiction titles in her oeuvre, it is perhaps not surprising that Philippa Gregory has also written one nonfiction book.

This book concerns the three women at the center of her books The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Lady of the Rivers: Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort, and Jacquetta. The book was a collaborative effort with David Baldwin and Michael Jones. It is the true account of these women in the form of three biographical essays.

  1. The Women of the Cousins’ War (2011)
  2. Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of Making History (2024)
  3. Normal Women (Adapted for teens and young readers) (February 27, 2025)

Anthologies

Finally, Philippa Gregory has also contributed to two anthologies during her career as an author.

  1. The Anniversary (2016) (Out of Print)
  2. The Women Writers’ Handbook (2020)

Who is Philippa Gregory?

A recognized authority on women’s history, Philippa Gregory writes masterful prose that breathes life into bygone eras. In all of her books, she shines light onto the women who, for the most part, were shrouded by the men in their lives.

With thorough research and fictional flair, Gregory is able to attribute emotional drive to their actions, which makes her books so popular.

Her books span from the fifteenth to twentieth centuries, but her debut takes place in the eighteenth: Wideacre. She wrote it while completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature at the University of Edinburgh. Its success then paved the way for her career as an author; it was published in 1987.

While her works have received criticism by history purists for taking creative liberties, with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, Gregory is undeniably a successful author.

In addition to her PhD, Gregory graduated from the University of Sussex. She also holds honorary degrees from that university and Teesside University. She also has an Honorary Platinum Award from Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire bibliography.

In 2020, Gregory was also made a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to literature and charity. Her charity, Gardens for The Gambia, has installed nearly 200 wells in primary schools since its inception.

Some of her most well-known works include The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen, both of which have adaptations.

The Other Boleyn Girl actually has two adaptations: A 2003 TV movie starring Jodhi May and Natascha McElhone, and a 2008 theatrical release starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson. In total there are seven adaptations of her books.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Books in Order index.

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