From the moment Mary, Queen of Scots set foot on English soil in May 1568, she was the prisoner of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England. Her tumultuous years in Scotland, where she had returned after the death of her husband, Francis II of France, had ended in failure and abdication.

Exile tells the story of Mary's English years almost half her life with reference to the latest research and the many locations where she was held captive. Unlike her years on the Scottish throne, the dramatic events during these years mainly took place beyond her sight. But while trouble was perpetually simmering beyond her prisons, within their walls Mary was anything but docile or resigned, and only towards the end did she lose hope of one day returning to her homeland as rightful ruler. No wonder she was viewed as a deadly threat by Elizabeth. Given her attitude and actions and those of her estranged son James was her tragic death all but inevitable? If more willing to compromise, might she have negotiated her release? Acclaimed author Rosemary Goring addresses these, and other, questions in this remarkably penetrating psychological portrait of one of history's great queens.