Lady Clementine

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict was published in 2020. A fictionalized account of the life of Lady Clementine Churchill, wife to Winston Churchill, Lady Clementine employs historical fact to depict how marriage and the role of women shape the political and martial fortunes of Great Britain in the first half of the 20th century. Focusing on the relationship between domestic affairs and public and political ones, this novel of historical fiction joins Benedict’s other novels, which touch on similar subjects and themes. Benedict, whose real name is Heather Benedict Terrell, is a lawyer whose other novels depict historical women behind the scenes, from Hedy Lamarr—The Only Woman in the Room (2019)—to Belle da Costa Greene—The Personal Librarian (2021).

This guide uses the 2020 Sourcebooks Landmark edition.

Content Warning: Lady Clementine depicts suicide and descriptions of miscarriages.

Plot Summary

Lady Clementine narrates the story of Clementine Churchill and her husband Winston Churchill, exploring the domestic tensions and dynamic between the two as Winston moves up through the English government, from MP to Prime Minister. The novel opens with Clementine shuttling from the house of Lady St. Helier, her patroness, to her mother Lady Hozier’s house.