From the medieval House of Wessex to the media-savvy House of Windsor, Great Britain's 1500-year monarchy is surveyed here in an accessible, compulsively readable guide. Along with a broad overview of the historical developments that have shaped the U.K., all of the nation's leaders are represented—the Edwards, Richards, Henrys, and Williams— plus such outstanding personalities as Boudicca, Lady Jane Grey, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Oliver Cromwell, a king in all but name. A section of more than 50 decrees and other primary documents includes the Magna Carta, Henry VIII's letters to Anne Boleyn, and Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee speech. Full-color photographs of the personalities, the palaces, and period art appear on almost every page of the book, and a helpful timeline runs along the bottom of the pages.