Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen | Alice Loxton

“I loved this beautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling book – a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queens. This is history as it should be done, connecting the real people of the past with the people we are now. Storytelling at its finest” ―Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones

“Eleanor is dazzling, alive with wit, elegance and insight. A book that makes history feel urgent, intimate and unforgettable” ―Rob Rinder MBE, bestselling author of The Trial

“Alice Loxton takes us on a highly engaging 200-mile trek that resonates with history and shows why a rather amazing 13th-century queen was remembered so poignantly by her heartbroken husband. Written with energetic zest and originality by a natural storyteller” ―Charles Spencer, bestselling author of The White Ship

“The perfect walk through history – great queens and small inconveniences, magnificent architecture and crippling blisters. A joyous read!” ―Sir Tony Robinson, actor, author of The House of Wolf and presenter of Time Team

“A delightful book. A brilliant fusion of history and geography, or perhaps history and geography fused by love” ―Sir Simon Jenkins, columnist and author of A Short History of England

“Captivating . . . Eleanor is a reminder of the beauty and intrigue all around us on this storied island” ―Luke Sherlock, bestselling author of Forgotten Churches

“Brilliantly entertaining and informative, Alice Loxton’s Eleanor will no doubt inspire a new generation of readers to lace up their walking boots and set out to discover Britain’s history for themselves” ―Flora Carr, author of The Tower

“Loxton has the novelist's skill of seeing the world through her characters' eyes, and the historian's accuracy of vision” ―Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women

“Alice Loxton is the star of her generation . . . the next big thing in history” ―Dan Snow, historian and author of On This Day in History

“Loxton is the leading historian of her generation” ―Dan Jones, bestselling author of The Templars

“Powerful, vivid, fascinating and truly life giving, Alice Loxton’s brilliance, empathy and superb research here wonderfully showcased. A magical journey into history and the rich tapestry of the past lying under our feet. Marvellous” ―Kate Williams, historian and author of England's Mistress

“In Loxton’s hands, a story about following in the footsteps of Eleanor of Castile’s funerary procession feels like nothing short of an epic quest, and Loxton is the perfect companion ― interested, erudite and entertaining. I laughed out loud and learnt so much” ―Luke Pepera, author of Motherland

“Alice Loxton brings Eleanor of Castile’s story to life via an atmospheric winter pilgrimage through medieval and modern England. Eleanor is history at its most human; a story that resurrects a queen and her kingdom with wit, warmth and wonder” ―Andrew Ziminski, stonemason and author of The Stonemason

“Eleanor is a beautifully written, effortless read. Alice Loxton illuminates the story of a fascinating and forgotten queen, whose memorials are no less than Britain's answer to the Taj Mahal. With a gift for making history come alive, Alice has written a book both irresistible and surprising” ―Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands

“Alice always manages to tame the wild pages of history, and serves it on a plate for the modern mind. Eleanor is a forgotten Queen no more!” ―Charlie Eve, British historian and presenter

“Loxton’s approachable written style has the feel of an open-minded, playful pilgrim, seeing the world as it is now, whilst simultaneously existing in the parallel dimension of Eleanor’s time and soul. Loxton made a very good move by fastidiously scheduling her pilgrimage to the exact timings of the actual procession of Eleanor’s body all those centuries ago, an act of writerly magic that creates a compellingly multi-dimensional story with chance encounters and happenings at every turn. Her youthful passion for history and life shines through as she dives into the royal love story in this fully embodied way. I hope that many more historians take Loxton’s lead, and start walking their talk through the land, to access the deeper truths of their stories” ―Dr Guy Hayward, Co-Founder and Director, British Pilgrimage Trust

“Eleanor is a wonderfully refreshing take on history – Alice Loxton is changing how we read the past” ―Katie Kennedy (@thehistorygossip), author of The History Gossip

“A muddy, eventful romp that shines a light on love, loss, and those journeys that unite us” ―Cosima Carnegie, presenter, writer and historian

“A thrilling journey through England’s past . . . Loxton makes history come to life with charm and pizazz” ―Georgiana Davies (@hrhgeorgiana)

“A gripping and entertaining account of the greatest love story in English history” ―Luke Tomes, historian

“A wonderful tale we didn’t realize we needed to know, carried by Loxton’s sharp-eyed narrative” ―Matthew Rice, author of Rice’s Architectural Primer

“An uplifting celebration of the past, reminding us how much history there is to discover in the world just beyond our doorstep” ―Violet Manners, founder of Heritage Explore

“Eleanor is a sparkling, joyful read. Alice Loxton's account of her journey retracing Edward I's journey in honour of his wife, interspersed with reflections on medieval conceptions of grief, the splendour of the humble iced bun, and the sheer amount of mud in England, brings Eleanor of Castile’s life story vividly to life. Engaging, funny, personal and insightful, this book deserves a place on every history lover’s bookshelf. It might just inspire you to dust off (or break in) those hiking boots” ―Katherine Pangonis, author of Twilight Cities

“Eleanor is a whimsical love letter to England, as charming and cosy as a Jerome K. Jerome novel. Will make you want to take a long walk, look at some churchyards, and drink a lovely cup of tea” ―Alice Winn, bestselling author of In Memoriam

“A thrilling adventure through the life and legacy of one of the most overlooked queens in British history. This is a journey which makes the past come vividly to life and inspires you to get outside and discover the history waiting to be discovered on your doorstep” ―Ruby Gray, historian and creator of @too.long.didnt.readd

“[Alice Loxton's] enthusiasm for encounters with the past is infectious, and it is hard to disagree with her argument that we should all get outside and explore the history around us” ―The Times

Alice Loxton  is a British historian, bestselling author and presenter known for bringing history to new audiences through engaging storytelling and social media. She has more than three million followers across her platforms under @history_alice and has presented history programmes and documentaries for outlets including the BBC, Channel 4 and History Hit. 

Her first book, UPROAR!: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London (2023), explores the vibrant world of Georgian political satire and printmakers including James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank. Her second book, Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives (2024), became an instant Sunday Times bestseller, won Blackwell's Book of the Year 2024, and was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year. 

Her third book, Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen, was published in 2025 and follows Loxton's journey exploring the life and legacy of medieval queen Eleanor of Castile. In 2026, Eleanor won a Society of Authors Somerset Maugham Award. 

Loxton has worked with cultural and heritage organisations including the National Trust, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy, and has participated in projects with institutions and broadcasters ranging from the BBC to 10 Downing Street. She is also an ambassador for the National Trust, a patron of the British Pilgrimage Trust and a mentor for the King's Foundation's 35 Under 35 Network. 

Her fourth book, A History of Britain in 21 Paintings, is scheduled for publication by Penguin in November 2026. 

Sources: Alice Loxton — Official Website · Pan Macmillan — Alice Loxton · Penguin — Alice Loxton

One correction worth making on your current Eighteen listing: it says she has “over two million followers.” Her current official bio says over three million, so I would update that figure.