The White Queen (TV)

The White Queen is a British historical period drama television miniseries developed for BBC One. It is based on Philippa Gregory's historical novel series The Cousins' War (The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker's Daughter). The first episode premiered on BBC One on 16 June 2013 in the United Kingdom. It was first broadcast in the United States on Starz on August 9, 2013.

The miniseries is set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses and presents the story of the women involved in the long conflict for the throne of England. It starts in 1464; the nation has been at war for nine years fighting over who is the rightful king as two sides of the same family, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, contest the throne. The story follows three women, Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville, who manipulate events behind the scenes of history to gain power. Elizabeth Woodville is the protagonist in the novel The White Queen, and Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville are the focus of the novels The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter; the three characters appear in the three novels that make up the television miniseries.

The final episode of The White Queen aired on 18 August 2013 and the miniseries was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc the following day. Two days later, it was confirmed that The White Queen would not be returning for a second series. In a statement to Broadcast, the BBC stated that the show was always planned as a one-season miniseries. In October 2013, The Telegraph reported that Starz planned to develop a sequel miniseries called The White Princess, based on Gregory's 2013 novel of the same name. Gregory confirmed that the project was underway in August 2015. On 7 February 2016, Gregory announced on Facebook that the sequel was officially confirmed to be in production, with the scripts being written. On 15 March 2018, Starz announced that it would create a continuation of The White Queen and The White Princess to be titled The Spanish Princess, which would be based on Gregory's novels The Constant Princess and The King's Curse and center on Catherine of Aragon.

The White Queen was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards and a People's Choice Award.

Cast[]

Main[]

Juliet Aubrey as Lady Anne Beauchamp, Countess of Warwick, wife of Warwick and mother to Lady Isabel and Lady Anne
Veerle Baetens as Margaret of Anjou, queen consort to Henry VI, King of England
Emily Berrington as Jane Shore, Edward IV's mistress
Leo Bill as Ser Reginald Bray
Ashley Charles as Thomas Grey, the eldest son of Elizabeth Woodville and Sir John Grey of Groby
Arthur Darvill as Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham
Shaun Dooley as Sir Robert Brackenbury
Rebecca Ferguson as Elizabeth Woodville, the "White Queen" and consort to Edward IV
Aneurin Barnard as Richard III, King of England
James Frain as Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, "the Kingmaker"
Caroline Goodall as Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, mother of Edward, George, and Richard
Andrew Gower as Lord Strange, son of Lord Stanley
Rupert Graves as Lord Stanley, the fourth husband of Lady Margaret Beaufort
Amanda Hale as Lady Margaret Beaufort, "the Red Queen", mother of Henry Tudor, a great-granddaughter of John, Duke of Lancaster
Max Irons as Edward IV, King of England
Michael Jenn as Dr. Lewis
Ben Lamb as Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers
Michael Maloney as Sir Henry Stafford, third husband of Lady Margaret Beaufort
Michael Marcus as Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, King of England; son and heir of Lady Margaret Beaufort by Sir Edmund Tudor
Faye Marsay as Lady Anne Neville, "the Kingmaker's Daughter" and queen consort to Richard III
Freya Mavor as Elizabeth of York, eldest daughter and child to Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville
Lizzy McInnerny as Lady Sutcliffe
Tom McKay as Jasper Tudor, half-brother of Henry VI, brother-in-law to Lady Margaret Beaufort and uncle to Henry Tudor
Janet McTeer as Jacquetta, Lady Rivers, Elizabeth Woodville's mother
David Oakes as George, Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV
Eve Ponsonby as Mary Woodville
Robert Pugh as Baron Rivers (later Earl Rivers), father of Elizabeth Woodville
Frances Tomelty as Lady Beauchamp, mother of Lady Margaret Beaufort
Eleanor Tomlinson as Lady Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence, wife of George, Duke of Clarence and elder sister of Lady Anne Neville
Rupert Young as Sir William Herbert, Lord Pembroke

Supporting[]

Sonny Ashbourne Serkis as the Prince of Wales (later King Edward V), eldest son and heir to Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville; later one of the Princes in the Tower
Joey Batey as Edward of Lancaster, son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, married to Lady Anne Neville
Elinor Crawley as Cecily of York, daughter to Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville
Oscar Kennedy as young Henry Tudor
Hugh Mitchell as Richard Welles, half-brother of Lady Margaret Beaufort
Andreas Perschewski as Louis XI of France
David Shelley as Henry VI of England

The large majority of the cast is British, but since the miniseries is shot in Belgium, several local actors are featured: Veerle Baetens, Jurgen Delnaet, Joren Seldeslachts, Elsa Houben, Ben Forceville and Ben Van den Heuvel all appear in the miniseries. Rebecca Ferguson who portrays Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen, is from Sweden (her mother is originally from England).

Episode List[]

The Starz episode title is shown below the original BBC title if different. Final UK episode ratings from Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.

Season 1[]

Ep.1 - "In Love With the King" - June 16, 2013
- 1464:. Having been widowed and lost access to her Lancastrian husband's property in the War of the Roses, Elizabeth Woodville is encouraged by her mother Jacquetta to put herself in the way of the new Yorkist King, Edward IV, and appeal to him directly. Edward, already with a reputation as a womanizer, is instantly drawn to Elizabeth's beauty, and makes arrangements to see her again. When Elizabeth rejects his sexual advances, he agrees to marry her and make her Queen of England. However, the secret marriage does not go down well with England's court, especially with Edward's mother, Duchess Cecily, and his most trusted adviser, the Earl of Warwick.
Ep.2 - "The Price of Power" - June 23, 2013
- May, 1464: An extravagant coronation is planned in an attempt to silence critics of the marriage between Elizabeth and the king. Warwick's discontent with Edward's choice quickly makes itself known, as he refuses to allow his daughters to become her ladies-in-waiting. Margaret Beaufort, whose son Henry Tudor has a claim to the throne, sides with Warwick and Edward's brother George, Duke of Clarence, in the hope that her child will be returned to her. Meanwhile, Warwick makes use of his elder daughter Isabel in an attempt to unify the Nevilles and the Yorks by marrying her to the Duke of Clarence, heir presumptive to King Edward.
Ep.3 - "The Storm" - June 30, 2013
- 1469 - 17 April, 1470: After a rebellion by the Earl of Warwick results in the deaths of Elizabeth's father and brother but fails to put George, Duke of Clarence, on the throne in Edward's place, an uneasy peace is concluded between Warwick and Edward. It lasts only a short time before they rebel again and are forced to flee to France. Their supporters in England, including committed Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort, are left to face the consequences. Seeking vengeance for her father and brother's deaths, Elizabeth and her mother Jacquetta turn to the occult, with devastating consequences for Isabel Neville, who loses her baby while en route to France with her husband.
Ep.4 - "The Bad Queen" - July 7, 2013
- 1470: Warwick's campaign with George has failed, so the desperate Kingmaker turns to Margaret of Anjou, the Lancastrian Queen, as his only option to stop his family from losing everything. His youngest daughter Anne is married off to the heir to the Lancastrian throne, the cruel and spoilt Edward, Prince of Wales. Back in London, Edward and Elizabeth are troubled by news of this new alliance, and are taken by surprise when Warwick leads an assault on London. Warwick, now in control of the country, has Jacquetta tried for witchcraft, but his plans are thwarted when she appeals to her friend Margaret of Anjou for a testimonial. Seeking sanctuary at Westminster Abbey with her children, Elizabeth is joined by her mother and finally gives birth to a baby boy.
Ep.5 - "War at First Hand" - July 14, 2013
- October, 1470 - May, 1471: Lancaster is restored to the throne in the form of the demented Henry VI, and Margaret Beaufort brings her son to receive his blessing. Margaret of Anjou sails for England with her new daughter-in-law Anne Neville by her side, to take her place beside her husband. However, news that Edward is returning with an army unsettles the court. As Warwick and the Lancastrians raise an army to confront Edward, in a desperate attempt to protect her husband on the battlefield, Elizabeth again turns to supernatural forces. Margaret Beaufort is horrified when her husband decides to fight for York; he is seriously wounded in the battle. Edward's rule is assured by his victories at Barnet and Tewkesbury (during which Warwick and Prince Edward are killed) and the capture of Margaret of Anjou. Anne, grieving for her father, is nearly assaulted by Yorkist troops, but is rescued and brought to court by Richard. Elizabeth rejoices at her husband's return, but is dismayed when he and his brothers murder Henry VI in order to remove all Lancastrian opposition.
Ep.6 - "Love and Death" - July 21, 2013
- 1471 - 1472: Although Warwick, Henry VI and Edward of Lancaster are all dead, the court is unsettled. Elizabeth is concerned by Edward's growing attraction to his new mistress, Jane Shore. She is devastated by the death of a baby son shortly after birth, coinciding with the death of her mother Jacquetta; her distress causes Edward to reaffirm his love for her. Meanwhile, George attempts to control the widowed Anne Neville and obtain sole access to the Neville inheritance by locking her away and threatening her with a convent. Anne's upset is further increased as Isabel sides with George; her only friend is the King's youngest brother, Richard, who eventually snatches Anne from Clarence's grasp and marries her. The fanatical Margaret Beaufort tries to increase her power by re-marrying to one of King Edward's closest advisers, Thomas Stanley.
Ep.7 - "Poison and Malmsey Wine" - July 28, 2013
- 17 August, 1473 - 18 February, 1478: The brief peace is broken when Edward decides to make war on France, but both George and Richard are horrified when he makes peace in return for financial gain. Both Elizabeth and Anne give birth to sons. George's frustrations lead him to make a deal with the French king. When his wife Isabel dies, after giving birth to the son he has longed for, he accuses Elizabeth of causing her death by poisoning and employs a sorcerer to work against her "witchcraft" and plot the king's death. Left with no choice, Edward recognizes his brother as a traitor to the crown, and condemns him to death. Duchess Cecily, who greatly favors George above her other sons, pleads with Edward and blames Elizabeth. George selects drowning in a butt of Malmsey wine as the method of execution. Elizabeth finally has her revenge against her father's and brother's killer, but it brings her no satisfaction.
Ep.8 - "Long Live the King" - August 4, 2013
- 1483: Edward IV is taken ill. Foreseeing his death, he asks Elizabeth to send for his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, whom he appoints Lord Protector. Elizabeth, mistrustful of Gloucester, asks her brother Anthony to arrange for her son, now King Edward V, to be brought to London by his half-brother Richard Grey; they are intercepted by Gloucester and the young king is taken to the Tower of London. Anthony pleads with Elizabeth to cooperate with Gloucester, and initially a truce is worked out, but Margaret Beaufort and her husband Thomas Stanley sow seeds of mistrust in both camps, recognizing the potential advantage for Margaret's son. Meanwhile, the Duke of Buckingham, himself a distant claimant to the throne, works for his own ends. Elizabeth takes her children into sanctuary and tells Anthony to ensure that the fleet is ready to rescue them; ordered to send her second son to join his brother in the Tower, she sends a boy of common birth as a substitute. Gloucester, at first protective of his nephews, executes Anthony for treason when he learns of the Woodvilles' intentions. Richard's wife Anne Neville (who fears Elizabeth will eventually work to have Richard, her, and their son executed as traitors) instead persuades him to have his nephews declared illegitimate, on the grounds of a previous promise of marriage made by Edward to another woman. He and Anne are then crowned instead of his nephew.
Ep.9 - "The Princes in the Tower" - August 11, 2013
- 1483: Stanley advises Margaret to ensure that the two young princes do not survive the attempt to free them from the Tower; having unsuccessfully sought a sign from God, she instructs her men to kill the boys, leaving Princess Elizabeth's marriage to her son as the only option. Anne Neville, now queen, simultaneously hints to Brackenbury that she would prefer them dead. The attempted "rescue" is thwarted. Buckingham is persuaded to give his allegiance to Henry Tudor and implies that he will carry out the murder of the princes. It soon becomes clear that the two boys in the tower (the Prince of Wales and the impostor planted by Elizabeth) are dead, and King Richard, horrified, returns to London to look for them; Anne feels remorse, wondering if her hint to Brackenbury caused him to take action. After Richard secretly visits Elizabeth in sanctuary and assures her he played no part in her sons' death, she realizes that Margaret has deceived her and puts a curse on the boys’ murderer. Buckingham, unable to join forces with Jasper Tudor, is captured and executed, and Margaret is placed under house arrest by Stanley (who is still keeping a foot in both camps) for her role in the failed rebellion.
Ep.10 - "The Final Battle" - August 18, 2013
- 1483 - 22 August, 1485: King Richard III, confident that his reign is unthreatened, begins to take an interest in his niece Elizabeth of York. His wife Anne is jealous, but Richard claims that he is only trying to prevent Elizabeth's marriage alliance with Henry Tudor. The former Queen Elizabeth warns her daughter of the curse they cast on Prince Edward's killer (that his children and grandchildren would be struck down prematurely); this could include the young Elizabeth's children should she marry Richard. Following the death of their only son and heir, an embittered and grief-stricken Anne dies. Remorseful, Richard dismisses Elizabeth. Lady Margaret Beaufort is still under house arrest, and there is friction between her and the young Elizabeth of York, who has been sent to stay with her; Elizabeth believes she will become Queen regardless of who wins the battle. As Henry Tudor prepares to cross the Channel, a solar eclipse takes place; Margaret sees this as a message from God that Henry will be king. She defies her confinement to ride to Bosworth, where she pleads with Stanley to fight against the king, but he refuses to commit himself because Richard (suspicious of Stanley's allegiance) has taken his son as a hostage. Margaret sees Jasper and is able to talk to Henry before battle commences. Things are not going well for the outnumbered Tudor until Stanley's men charge the king's forces. Richard is killed in the ensuing melee. As Stanley kneels to offer Henry the crown, Margaret declares herself "Margaret Regina", ordering her husband to remain kneeling before the mother of the king. Elizabeth is visited by her missing son Richard, masquerading as "Perkin", and warns him not to seek revenge. She tells her daughter that she will marry Tudor and become queen, just as she herself once was.

Historical accuracy[]

A number of anachronisms and historical inaccuracies within the miniseries received attention, especially in the costumes and locations used. Pat Stacey of the Irish Evening Herald newspaper, said that "the historical howlers are piling up like bodies on a battlefield, week after week", comparing it to the "flaws" spotted by "nitpickers" in Downton Abbey and Foyle's War. Deborah Ross, of the Daily Mail newspaper, criticized the cleanliness and "amazing teeth" of the actors involved, whilst also pointing out glimpses of a modern drainpipe and stair-rail. Bernadette McNulty, of The Daily Telegraph newspaper, commented that in the final episode of the series, the Battle of Bosworth Field appears to take place in a forest rather than a field. Mary McNamara, of the LA Times newspaper, states that in order to fit thirty years of history into ten episodes, "Years collapse into minutes, intricate policy is condensed into cardboard personalities, and the characters are swiftly categorized as good or evil." Others questioned the depiction of the major characters. Amy Licence, Cecily's biographer, states that Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, is portrayed in the first episode as "a Cecily straight from the pages of a novel rather than the actual proud aristocrat who asserted her own right to rule". Historian Michael Hicks commented, "They've fiddled with the chronology" but added, "I can see why they decided to restrict the cast of characters, and play up the rivalry between Elizabeth and the Earl of Warwick," and also said "As with Philippa Gregory's source novels, they've done their research".

In response to criticisms of the series being "ahistorical", Gregory stated that "What [BBC One and Starz] wanted was not a historical series based on the documents from the War of the Roses. They wanted my take on it, so that's what they got." Aneurin Barnard (who played Richard) stated, with regard to inaccuracies, "...the truth can be pretty boring. You have to up the stakes and make something up or twist it to make it a little bit more exciting."