Meet Ainsley: 10 Things You Might Not Know

Holly & Oak isn’t just Kate’s story. Ainsley’s journey is just as central to the heart—and heartbreak—of the series. She’s sharp, strategic, and far more emotionally complex than she lets on. So let’s dive deeper into who she is, with ten things you might not know about Ainsley:

1. She has a not-so-secret love affair with cooking.
   Ainsley’s favourite pastimes are cooking, watching cooking shows with near-religious devotion, and sailing. If politics hadn’t been her destiny, she might have opened a waterfront restaurant and lived a quieter life. Maybe.

2. She carries a secret she’s never shared—until now.
   When she learned Rowan had died, Ainsley felt a single, fleeting moment of relief. She—and Cornelius—knew Rowan, as kind as she was, wasn’t the leader their people needed. Rowan stood between Kate and the throne, and while the emotion was ruthless and mercenary, Ainsley was relieved that yet another unfit heir wouldn’t complicate the path forward.

3. Her favourite scent is cinnamon.
   Warm, familiar, comforting—cinnamon is what grounds her. Perhaps a nod to a part of herself she rarely shows.

4. Her most treasured memory is from Book 3.
   It involves wine. It involves blue lace. And it involves her and Kate finally being on the same page—even if only briefly. (Sorry, not sorry.)

5. She’s not one for masks.
   Unlike Kate, who hides behind hers, Ainsley is unapologetically herself. What you see is what you get—whether she’s in the war room or alone at 2 a.m. with a glass of wine and a stack of briefing papers.

6. She’s terrifyingly well-educated.
   Ainsley holds a Bachelor in Economics and Political Science, a Master’s in Political Science, and a PhD. Her research focuses on monetary and currency policy, the institutional design of central banks, and comparative political institutions. Basically, don’t challenge her to a debate unless you’ve brought footnotes.

7. She grew up in privilege—but not in pressure.
   Though raised in the royal court, her parents made sure she and her brother had a childhood filled with love and warmth—free from the suffocating duty of serving the crown. It shaped her view of leadership: it should be chosen, not endured.

8. Her greatest fear? Losing Kate.
   Ainsley has built her life around protecting Kate and ensuring her place on the throne. More than duty, it’s devotion. If she were to lose Kate, everything would fall apart—including her.

9. Her biggest regret is also her greatest act of love.
   She regrets her brother’s death more than anything. But she believes she made the right decision, because she did it to protect Kate and Rowan. That guilt will stay with her—but so will the conviction that she acted for the greater good.

10. Hope, for her, has one name: Kate.
    Through all the chaos, betrayal, and bloodshed, Kate remains the one thing that gives Ainsley hope for a better future.

So, what do you love most about Ainsley? And which character should I peel back the layers on next? Let me know in the comments or come cry with me in DMs. Either way, we’re doing this together.