A biography of Nell Gwyn—the commoner who went from the dingy back alleys of London to a career on the stage—and into the arms of a king. Nell Gwyn's life was a true rags-to-riches story: A young girl rises from selling oranges to capturing the heart of a king. After the troubled years of the English Civil War, it was time for pleasure, debauchery, and entertainment with the "Merry Monarch" Charles II restored to the throne. Nell was one of the first actresses to appear on the London stage; a lovable comedienne who wowed audiences with her wit and charm. She fell in love with Charles Hart (one of the leading actors of the time), had a torrid affair with Lord Buckhurst, and ultimately ended up in the king's bed. She stayed on the stage for six years, but in the king's heart for seventeen—the only one of his mistresses who was faithful to him. She also gave him two sons. Set against the backdrop of Restoration London, this book charts Nell's life and that of her family and friends, from her drunken mother and troublesome sister to the most notorious wits of the age—John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, and George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. Nell had a generous heart and a mischievous spirit and was friends with people from all walks of life. The only woman she really detested was another of the king's mistresses, Louise de Kerouaille, known as the French Spy. This highly entertaining book tells the story of Nell's life—the good and the bad—and shows why she truly embodied the spirit of the Restoration.
