Tracy Borman Autumn Lecture: King's Mistress, Queen's Servant The Life and Times of Henrietta Howard

Marble Hill's Autumn lecture series Marble Hill: Local to Global, continues with writer, historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman as she talks about Henrietta Howard as the Kings Mistress and Queen's servant. Henrietta Howard was the long-term (and long-suffering) mistress of King George II. Described by Alexander Pope as ‘a woman, witty and wise’, she was one of the greatest intellects of the Georgian age. She fought hard for independence in a world dominated by men, ridding herself of her abusive husband and – in the end – her overbearing royal lover. In this illustrated talk, historian, author and broadcaster Tracy Borman will tell the remarkable story of Henrietta’s life and times, including the glamorous, backbiting and often farcical world of Britain’s first German royal court. Tracy is President of the Friends of Marble Hill and author of Henrietta Howard: King’s Mistress, Queen’s Servant. Tracy Borman is a historian and author originating from Scothern, Lincolnshire. She studied and taught history at the University of Hull and was awarded a PHD in 1997. She has since gone on to a successful career in heritage, having worked for a range of historic properties and national heritage organisations, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, The National Archives and English Heritage. She is Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust (a charity that encourages children to visit and learn from historic properties through the Sandford Award scheme). Along with this Tracey is also the joint Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, the Banqueting House, Whitehall and Hillsborough Castle. Notably she often appears on both television and radio, as well as contributing to history magazines, notably BBC History. She is most widely known as the author of Elizabeth's Women, a portrait-gallery of the powerful women who influenced Queen Elizabeth I. Tracey is a trustee of The Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust and The National Archives Foundation, as well as a Patron of the Chalke Valley History Festival and Lavenham Library. In 2017 she was awarded an honorary degree (DLit) from the University of Hull. She is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.