A MEDIEVAL Welsh princess features in a new book about royal mistresses.

Julia A Hickey has released her new book Medieval Royal Mistresses which looks at the stories of some of the women who caught the eye of the royal family during the medieval times.

One of the stories included in the book is that of beloved Welsh princess, Princess Nest. Nest was born in 1085 as the daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr. Known for her beauty, she was nicknamed Helen of Wales.

The book tells of her relationship with Prince Henry, who would later become King Henry I. She gave birth to one of his alleged 20 illegitimate children before being married off and moved to Pembroke Castle where she lived with her new husband Gerald de Windsor in a happy marriage which saw five children born. However, it was not a smooth marriage, as Nest was kidnapped by her cousin Owain, having a relationship and giving birth to his children as well.

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The story of Nest is just one of the mistresses included in the book, which describes the life of mistresses in medieval periods as “It was a world that included kidnap, poison, murder, violation, public shaming, and accusations of witchcraft.”

Medieval Royal Mistresses by Julia A Hickey is available for £25 and published via Pen & Sword History.