A north London writer is in the running for a top history prize with a book contrasting the reigns of two kings.
Helen Castor, who lives in Islington, has been shortlisted for the 2025 Wolfson History Prize for The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV.
The book explores the turbulent relationship between the two medieval cousins and the impact of their rivalry on the fate of England.
The Wolfson History Prize judges said: "An authoritative account of two monarchs whose power struggles, personalities, and contrasting fortunes shaped the fate of medieval England, told with clarity, pace, and tremendous verve."
The Wolfson History Prize is the UK’s most prestigious award for historical writing, offering £50,000 to the winner and £5,000 to each of the five shortlisted authors.
The shortlist for 2025 features six titles that bring to light lesser-known chapters of history, from the untold stories of everyday Vikings to the lives of the last captives of the Atlantic slave trade.
Also shortlisted are Eleanor Barraclough’s Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age, Kieran Connell’s Multicultural Britain: A People’s History, Hannah Durkin’s Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade, Andrew Fleming’s The Gravity of Feathers: Fame, Fortune and the Story of St Kilda, and Sara Lodge’s The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective.
David Cannadine, chair of the judging panel, said: "The 2025 shortlist highlights the exceptional historians writing today, across a vast range of subject areas.
"Original, intimate and fascinating, each of the books on this year’s shortlist enrich our understanding of humanity and the past – and in so doing also provide deep insights into the world in which we live."
Now in its 53rd year, the prize celebrates history writing that combines scholarly rigour with broad public appeal.
Previous winners include Antonia Fraser, Simon Schama, Antony Beevor, and last year’s recipient, Joya Chatterji.
The winner of the 2025 Wolfson History Prize will be announced on December 2.
