The Sunne in Splendour

Penman became interested in the subject of Richard III while a student and wrote a manuscript that was stolen from her car.

As a student, Penman researched and wrote The Sunne in Splendour, which chronicled the life of Richard III.

[3] She chose to write Richard's character this way after becoming fascinated with his story and researching his life, both in the US and in the UK, which led her to believe that "his was a classic case of history being rewritten by the victor".

[4] Penman rejects the common belief that Richard killed the "Princes in the Tower," the sons of his brother King Edward IV, and attributes their deaths to the overly ambitious Duke of Buckingham.

Richard's mother Cecily Neville, Duchess of York sends him and his near-in-age brother George to the Duchy of Burgundy for safekeeping.

Richard contently rules his northern holdings with Anne by his side, with their peace interrupted by Isabel's death and George's descent into madness and paranoia.

Richard doesn't realize that George knew of Edward's secret first marriage that would make his union with Elizabeth invalid.

Elizabeth's brother, Anthony, Lord Rivers, plots to crown young Edward without Richard's knowledge.