This biography investigates the life and political influence of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, to determine how she navigated the power structures of the British court during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Frances Harris, a respected historian, utilizes previously untapped manuscript sources to construct a comprehensive account of the Duchess's life. By situating Sarah within the complex political landscape spanning from the Restoration to the Walpole era, the author argues that her personal ambition was inextricably linked to the governance of the nation.

Historians and scholars recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the political agency of women in the early modern period. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous nature of the archival research presented throughout the volume.