Illustrated in a sweep of colourful episodes, this volume contains the stories of England's monarchs, spanning ten great dynasties, from the invading Normans of 1066 to the House of Windsor. Antonia Fraser introduces this pageant of royalty, and eight contributors examine the complex characters of both well-loved figures such as Victoria and little-known sovereigns such as Richard III. Accompanying the text are 150 contemporary illustrations and colour drawings of the royal coats of arms, whose origin and significance are explained by J.P. Brooke-Little, the Richmond Herald of Arms.