The Politics of Passion

The final life of Queen Anne, who ruled England independently from 1702 to 1714, is presented from a sympathetic and revisionist perspective in Anne Somerset’s “The Politics of Passion.” Anne’s passionate temperament is portrayed in the book, which is aptly titled The Politics of Passion. It depicts her intense highs as well as her devastating lows.

Anne Somerset brilliantly captures the personality conflicts, party rivalries, and behind-the-scenes intrigues that sparked intense emotions and complicated politics throughout the time, drawing extensively on unpublished sources. This compelling history revolves around the intensely emotional and nuanced relationship between two very different women: Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the Queen’s great commander, and Queen Anne, who is shy, stolid, and smart.