Sara Cockerill studied Law at the University of Oxford. Between 1990 and 2017 she was a barrister and later a QC specialising in commercial law. She has had a lifelong interest in English history, which led her to write Eleanor of Castile: The Shadow Queen, the first full-length biography of Edward I's beloved queen. She is married with one cat, and divides her time between London and the seaside.
'Impeccably researched and beautifully written, this book offers a fresh perspective on one of the most controversial queens in history. Not to be missed.' -- Tracey Borman 'Sara Cockerill's new biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine is a welcome addition to the literature on this fascinating medieval queen. There have been many books on Eleanor, but too many repeat myths and misconceptions about her. Cockerill's careful historical detective-work digs behind the mythology to reveal what we know about the real Eleanor of Aquitaine.' -- Michael Evans, author of Inventing Eleanor This scholarly, well-written book provides a welcome reassessment of the extraordinary life of a woman who was successively queen of France and of England. Sara Cockerill deploys forensic skills in a thoroughly readable study solidly based on the sources. Eleanor of Aquitaine is revealed not as a romantic heroine, but as a woman faced with extraordinary problems, from her unsatisfactory marriage to Louis VII of France, to her turbulent relationship with Henry II of England and her rebellious sons. -- Michael Prestwich, Emeritus Professor of History, Durham University 'Blows the other biographies out of the water!' -- Elizabeth Chadwick, author of The Summer Queen