Lauren Johnson's Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker longlisted for the HWA Non-fiction Crown Award

We are thrilled to announce that Lauren Johnson's Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker has been longlisted for the HWA Non-fiction Crown Award!

The Historical Writers' Association (HWA) celebrates the best in historical writing. The judges said, "This biography fully illuminates the woman deemed the ‘Tudor Matriarch’: mother of Henry VII, Margaret Beaufort.  Among other aspects, the author tackles head on the myths, some propagated by Margaret herself, that she had always fully dedicated herself to her only son and had not desired more children. Evidence-based and sympathetically told, this biography challenges the hitherto commonly accepted assessment of the character and private motivations of one of the most famous mothers in history."

Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker was published by Head of Zeus on 6th November 2025. It will be released in paperback on 12th November 2026.

The shortlist will be announced on 14th October. You can read more about the longlist here.