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Issued by Jan Lloyd on September 8, 2026. Source: EIN Presswire.
About Arbel: Majesty and Sorrow
CARDIFF, WALES, UNITED KINGDOM. Author Jan Lloyd will publish Arbel: Majesty and Sorrow on September 2, 2026. The researched historical novel tells the story of Lady Arbella Stuart, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I and direct descendant of Henry VII whose royal ancestry placed her among the leading claimants to the English throne. Through an intimate narrative spanning two generations, the book examines how political ambition, family influence, and questions of succession restricted Arbella’s freedom.
A Lesser-Known Royal Life Reconsidered
Beginning in 1575, Arbel: Majesty and Sorrow enters an England facing uncertainty about its future. Elizabeth I is growing older without an heir, religious division continues to generate unrest, and powerful families are considering who might eventually inherit the crown.
Arbella’s bloodline gives her political importance from childhood. Her upbringing, relationships, and possible marriage are closely monitored by people who understand the influence she could hold. The novel explores the personal consequences of that attention and presents Arbella as an intelligent young woman seeking agency within a life largely directed by others. The story also includes familiar figures from Tudor and early Stuart history, including Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Francis Walsingham, the Cecils, the Lennox family, and James of Scotland.
“Arbella Stuart had a remarkable place in English history, yet her life is often overshadowed by the more familiar personalities of the Tudor court,” said Jan, Author of Arbel: Majesty and Sorrow. “I wanted to explore the woman behind the royal claim and give readers a closer understanding of the hopes, pressures, and relationships that shaped her life.”
A Two-Part Story Told Through a Loyal Companion
The novel is divided into two sections. Part One, “Lizzie,” follows Elizabeth Cavendish, Arbella’s mother, as a young woman in the household of Bess of Hardwick. Readers encounter the great houses of Chatsworth and Hardwick alongside the marriages, property arrangements, and royal connections that strengthen the family’s position.
Part Two, “Arbella,” turns to the daughter raised with royal expectations and limited personal freedom. Her position draws her into a closely watched world where private decisions may carry consequences for the monarchy. Both parts are narrated through Margaret “Meggie” Brise, a Suffolk girl who becomes Lizzie’s companion and later Arbella’s lifelong guardian. Meggie’s perspective gives the novel a personal view of court politics and the domestic spaces where alliances are formed.
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