Dr Nicola Tallis

An independent author and historian, Nicola is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and one of Britain’s leading voices on the queens of England. She specialises in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with a particular interest in the use of jewels in late medieval and Tudor England.

Nicola’s fascination with history began in childhood, first through stories of King Arthur and later Henry VIII and his six wives. She went on to gain a first-class degree in History from Bath Spa University and an MA in Public History from Royal Holloway, University of London, before completing her PhD at the University of Winchester in 2019 — examining the jewellery collections of the queens of England between 1445 and 1548, and the role jewels played in projecting power, status and identity.

Her varied career in the heritage sector has included work with Historic Royal Palaces, the National Trust and Sudeley Castle, where she began as a curator and guide. Nicola has appeared on numerous television and radio programmes, including BBC’s Countryfile and Who Do You Think You Are? and Channel 4’s Frankie Boyle’s Farewell to the Monarchy.

Nicola is the author of five books: Crown of Blood, Elizabeth’s Rival, Uncrowned Queen, the academic study All the Queen’s Jewels 1445–1548: Power, Majesty and Display, and Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen., which was selected as Book of the Week in The Times.

On Travel Editions tours, Nicola explores the queens, castles, abbeys and power struggles of medieval and Tudor England and France. She is passionate about making history enjoyable and accessible, sharing detailed research through engaging talks and thoughtful commentary that bring the people behind the places vividly to life.