The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort survived the tumultuous and uncertain decades that followed the English Civil War by creating a remarkable political partnership. Together, they worked to restore their family's estates and political power base as well as their home, Badminton House in Gloucestershire. They also sought to tame political and religious passions and to bring order and stability to Restoration society, a goal that was shared by many members of the landed classes. This close-up portrait of a 17th-century marriage illuminates the profound cultural changes that took place after 1660, bringing to life two complex and unique individuals: Henry Somerset (1629–1715) and Mary Capel Somerset (1630–1715).
"Historians have written plenty of biographies of great men of the 17th century, but none depict a married couple on equal terms in the vivid way [Molly] McClain does."—David Underdown