TEDDINGTON AUTHOR FINDS PLOT INSPIRATION ON HER DOORSTEP
Teddington author Molly Gartland’s new historical novel, The Queen of Bushy House, was inspired by a story she discovered almost on her doorstep.
The Queen of Bushy House: A Royal Story Rooted in Teddington
BY MOLLY GARTLAND
Much of the novel unfolds at Bushy House, on the edge of Bushy Park and just a short walk from my Teddington home. It brings together the extraordinary real lives of two women who called the house home: Princess Adelaide – later Queen Adelaide – and the celebrated actress Dorothea Jordan.
The novel opens in 1818 as Adelaide arrives in England to marry William, Duke of Clarence, a debt-ridden royal with nine illegitimate children. Her duty is clear: restore order to his household and produce an heir to secure the future of the British throne. But Bushy House is already shaped by another woman’s legacy.
Dorothea Jordan, celebrated actress and long-time companion of the duke, had filled the house with laughter, children and theatrical friends for twenty years. In Gartland’s reimagining, she returns as a restless spirit, watching the young bride who has taken her place – and Adelaide soon begins to sense her presence.
“The duke was appointed Ranger of Bushy Park by his father, George III, and with that title came Bushy House,” Gartland explains. “The King hoped his son would live quietly in the countryside with his mistress and growing family – but Dorothea Jordan was not a quiet woman, regardless of where she lived.”
The idea for the novel began when Gartland visited Bushy House during one of its rare open days.
“There were a couple of information panels in the dining room about Dorothea Jordan and Queen Adelaide, and I was immediately intrigued. I started by reading Claire Tomalin’s brilliant biography Mrs Jordan’s Profession.”
But while Gartland found a wealth of material about the famous actress, there was far less written about the woman who came after her.
“I became determined to tell Adelaide’s story too. Adelaide was too nice. History never remembers the nice people.”
Gartland’s first novel, The Girl from the Hermitage, is set in Russia, so writing about a story on her doorstep was a departure.
“It was wonderful to write about local characters, to walk where they once walked and think about their lives. They were very much part of the local community – worshipping at St Mary’s in Hampton, attending parties at Strawberry Hill House and performing at Richmond Theatre. This is a story firmly rooted in our local area.”
Gartland has lived in Teddington for more than twenty years. “I love it here. We have Bushy Park on our doorstep, London within easy reach and a real sense of community. We have no intention of leaving anytime soon.”
The Queen of Bushy House is published in paperback and e-book on 23 September. Signed copies are available directly from the author at www.mollygartland.com It is also in stock at The Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington, The Open Book in Richmond and Parade’s End Books in Ham.