Isabel Machado was born in Lisbon, completed 12th grade in the USA and has a degree in Modern Languages and Literatures from the Faculdade de Letras of the University of Lisbon.  

She was a journalist, taught Portuguese and French in primary and secondary schools, Portuguese as a Foreign Language, and worked as a translator and simultaneous interpreter.  

For eleven years she was an anchor and journalist for Teledifusão de Macau and, between 2003 and 2011, she was an anchor for the Parliament Channel in the Portuguese Parliament.  

In 2012, she published her first historical novel, Isabel I of England and Her Portuguese Doctor, which was re-released in 2022 by Manuscrito under the title Isabel I of England and Her Portuguese Spy. In 2014, she released Victoria of England, The Queen Who Loved and Threatened Portugal, re-released in 2024 by Manuscrito. This was followed by Constança – A princess betrayed by Pedro e Inês, also re-released by Manuscrito in 2022 under the title Constança – Betrayed by Pedro and Inês. In 2016, she published A Rainha Santa (The Holy Queen) and, in 2021, Infante D. Pedro – The visionary regent whom the power wanted to silence. In 2023, Luísa de Gusmão, the Spanish queen who fought for Portugal’s independence was published.