I’ve been doing talks recently about the Huguenots. Who they were, why they came in such numbers to England at the end of the 17th century and their legacy. I speak about their influence here in the arts, the sciences, the world of finance and in many other areas.  It is no exaggeration to say that this country would be very different had the Huguenots not settled here.

Many people in England have Huguenot ancestry (not that long ago, it was believed to be around 1 in 6) yet, because they integrated so seamlessly into the countries which gave them refuge, few of us know who they were and what they did.

My talks aim to put this right and have been really well received by the various groups who have invited me to speak to them. They always provoke discussion and time and again people come up to me to say ‘I never knew anything about that!’

And neither did I – until I started to research my own Huguenot ancestors and uncovered their rich, poignant and shocking history which, in turn, led me to write a fictional account of their persecution and flight to London in my book ‘The King’s Command.’