Historians say King Verica persuaded Rome to invade Britain. But could Verica actually have been a queen?

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1. Thu, 5 November 2026

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   • The Guardian World05:00first to report
     Historians say King Verica persuaded Rome to invade Britain. But could Verica actually have been a queen?

     Controversial theory that Verica, who incited Emperor Claudius’s AD43 landing, was a woman could put a new spin on British history if true It was a moment that changed the course of British history: in AD43, Roman troops under the emperor Claudius landed in Kent. Now, an archaeologist has claimed the British ruler who persuaded Claudius to invade was not a king but a queen. The controversial conclusion, made by Dr Miles Russell, the director of archaeological fieldwork at Bournemouth...