Tracy Borman is about to embark on her first-ever tour in support of her debut book, Crown & Sceptre, which provides an insight into the history of the British monarchy, from William The Conqueror through to the soon-to-be-crowned King Charles III. What’s On caught up with the historian, author and broadcaster to find out more... 

What inspired you to hit the road with your first-ever national touring show, How To Be A Good Monarch - 1000 Years Of Kings & Queens?

What a moment we’re at! The tour was inspired by the forthcoming coronation. My book - Crown And Sceptre: A New History Of The British Monarchy From William The Conqueror To Elizabeth II - originally came out for the Platinum Jubilee. Then, of course, other royal events last year rather overshadowed that. And so I set to work on an updated edition that went all the way to Charles III. There are so many fascinating lessons to be learned from the past that inform a new monarch and their reign. 

What’s the basis of the show?

The premise is to show how to be a good monarch, drawing on historical examples. It’s a manual for monarchy, really. I'm going to be covering the key do’s and don'ts drawn from the past 1,000 years. It’s lighthearted, but there's some darker history in there, too. 

How are you going to structure the show?

The first half is going to be me talking through some of the do’s for how to be a good monarch, with lots of film footage of royal events, and music both traditional and modern, to illustrate the examples. During the interval, the audience can feed through questions to me, and I'll take those at the beginning of the second half. And then we're into the pitfalls, the things to avoid as monarch. Throughout the show, there will be set dressing and perhaps some historical costumes. I’ve even been promised a throne! I like the idea of delivering some of the show seated on it, so if the throne doesn't appear, heads will roll!   

This is your first theatre show. Are you nervous about it?

Yes, I’m nervous - I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But I think nerves are a good thing - the adrenaline certainly helps when I’m giving talks. I give about 60 or 70 of them a year across the country and sometimes abroad. But a theatre show is obviously very different. This is a show with lots of elements, from amazing audio visuals to audience participation. I'm very closely involved in the development of the show, and it's really very exciting. It's going to be wonderful - I hope. I'm also really looking forward to seeing places in England that I’ve never visited. I’ll need a cardboard cut-out of myself at home because I'm not going to be there very much!

Why do you think we’re so fascinated by the monarchy?

You can't make it up when it comes to the monarchy. Over the years, there have been all sorts of stories in the press about how the monarchy is in crisis. But it's been through worse before. It’s the sheer drama of the monarchy that’s so riveting. You get a king who marries six times, the Virgin Queen…then much darker chapters, like the Princes in the Tower. 

A lot of people dispute Shakespeare's version of the Princes in the Tower story, don't they?

Yes. The Richard III Society is very much alive and well, and its members absolutely contest that he did away with his nephews. There were certainly other contenders in the frame for murdering the boys - if indeed, they were murdered. There are also theories that they were actually spirited away from the Tower and lived a long and full life after that. I'll be exploring this, too.   

Are you optimistic about the future of the monarchy? 

Yes. It still has a very valuable role to play. What we saw in the 18th century was the rise of royal philanthropy and charity, and that's certainly a key part of the monarchy today. The late Queen was patron of 600 charities, and the new King has been very active in charity too, through the Prince’s Trusts that he established. Advocacy is also an important role. The monarch might have limited political power, but people still listen to what they have to say. And so getting behind causes such as the environment, which Charles has always done, is a way in which the monarchy can make a huge contribution.

The British Monarchy has suffered so much tumult down the years. How has it managed to survive?

There are certain key moments, but the most important moment for the survival of the monarchy was in 1689. It's not the most famous date in our history. But it was in that year that the joint monarchs, William and Mary, made a major compromise by signing away their political power to Parliament. From that time onwards, the monarchy no longer ruled; it reigned. It was the beginning of a constitutional monarchy that is still in place today.  

Do you think they made the correct decision?

Yes. I think William and Mary rightly judged the situation. We'd only just come out of the Civil War and the execution of a monarch who tried to overstep the mark in terms of political power. So it was a compromise, and we were laughed at by the other monarchies in Europe - the absolute monarchy of France, for example. They thought it was deeply humiliating that the British monarchy had given away its political power. But it's what saved it. 

What happened next?

The monarchy then evolved and took on new roles to make up for that loss of political power. It adopted charitable roles and became the moral head of the nation - we saw that a lot in the Georgian period - as well as advocates for the nation. It does still play a political role. It has the right to encourage and to warn; we are still a constitution. But I think the fact it made that compromise saved it. By contrast, those monarchies which didn't compromise started to fall in very bloody fashion, particularly France. 

What do you hope people will take away from the show?

I hope they will have a real sense of the past, and of what it can teach us, as well as a bit of reassurance about the future. Things do come around in cycles. The monarchy has weathered a lot of crises in the past. But I also hope people get this sense of a moment in history, because it's such an important time right now. Most people can't remember when there was last a coronation. Now we're seeing one and experiencing an entirely new reign. It feels like history in the making. 

Is it hard to engage young people with history?

It can be, although what I really like to do is tap into the relevance of history. There's always something relevant in the news. For example, I recently filmed my first-ever TikTok video, about Valentine's Day, and chose some very, very unlikely love stories from the past. As much as possible, my job is just making people realise that history is not about dry dates and events. They're real human beings we're talking about. I don't think human nature has changed that much over the years, really. So I pick on those examples that people can most relate to. 

When and how did you fall in love with history?

I’ve loved history for as long as I can remember. One of my first summer jobs was dressing up as a Victorian jailer and showing terrified tourists around Lincoln Castle prison. My passion for the subject was really ignited by my A-Level history teacher. She brought it to life for me - the Tudors in particular. I remember she had portraits of all the monarchs and their courtiers around the walls of the classroom. She also made me realise that history is about human beings, not just dates and events.  

You’ve also had great success as a novelist. Do you enjoy that other string to your bow? 

Yes. It’s lovely doing both. Straight history is obviously my bread & butter, but with a novel, you can make things up! If there are gaps in the sources, it can be frustrating when researching non-fiction books. But in a novel, you can fill those gaps with your imagination. It's been an absolute joy writing fiction. My next three books are going to be novels, and I've just started one of those. I'm not sure how much of it will get written until after the tour, but I’ll look forward to picking it up again when I’m back. For me, a day’s writing is like going to a health spa. It’s a real escape. 

How To Be A Good Monarch - 1000 Years Of Kings & Queens stops at the following West Midlands venues: Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Mon 17 April; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 19 April; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Thurs 20 April; Lichfield Garrick, Fri 12 May; The Swan Theatre Worcester, Wed 17 May