THE KING’S ASSASSIN: THE FATAL AFFAIR OF GEORGE VILLIERS AND JAMES I by Benjamin Woolley

It is well documented that James I, Britain’s first Stuart king, revelled in the company of handsome young men and probably also took his sexual pleasures with them.

However, the arrival of 22-year-old George Villiers to court in 1614 heralded an entirely new era. Villiers quickly enraptured James, eclipsing all previous favourites and went on to dominate court life for two decades accruing titles such as Admiral Of The Fleet, privy councillor, Knight Of The Garter and eventually Duke Of Buckingham. Not bad for the impoverished son of minor gentry.

For a decade, Villiers was at the king’s side up until his death in March 1625. Almost immediately, Villiers’ many enemies accused him of poisoning the king and a parliamentary investigation was launched, but the charges came to nothing.

Now author and academic Benjamin Woolley (who has previously written biographies of Dr John Dee and Nicholas Culpepper) examines this intriguing story. Was the death accidental – the application of a quack remedy while the king was weakened by a malarial attack? Or did the ambitious Villiers, who was also very close to James’ son Charles, collude with him and poison James?

Given the success of television shows The Tudors and Versailles, it is no surprise that the TV rights to this book were quickly snapped up within a month of publication. Stay tuned for the adaptation…