The Spanish Princess: 5 Historical Accuracies (& 5 Historical Inaccuracies)

STARZ’s hit mini-series, The Spanish Princess, is a saucy, drama-filled adaptation of Philippa Greggory’s novel about the first wife of King Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragorn, and her ascension to the English throne.

While the show is based on a real historical figure, there are some factual inaccuracies at play. Here is a look at five things the show got right and 5 things the show didn’t.

10 Historically Accurate: The Young Death Of Prince Arthur Tudor

Like it is told in the show, Prince Arthur Tudor died prematurely. While the cause of death is somewhat disputed, the common idea is that the sweating fever is what infected him.

The monarch met his end at the young age of fifteen, only two years after Catherine landed in England to marry him. To this end, the show remains historically accurate.

9 Historically Inaccurate: The Love Letters Between Henry And Catherine

There is no account of the two characters ever exchanging love letters before Catherine landed in England to marry Henry’s older brother, Arthur. This is also highly unlikely, because Henry was only ten years old when Catherine arrived on English soil, and she was only fifteen.

Age discrepancy aside, it is also unrealistic to assume that such letters would make it out of the kingdom’s court because those letters would jeopardize Catherine and Arthur’s political union.

8 Historically Accurate: The Torture Of Joanna Castile

When Joanna opens up to her younger sister Catherine, she tells a horrific tale of “la cuerde” where the princess was hung with weights on her feet due to her parents’ intolerances of her atheism. This was also historically documented in letters.

She is known as one of Spain’s infamous monarchs (even given the name “Joanna the Mad” due to her mental illnesses), but knowing that this horrific backstory was indeed a realistic account, audiences cannot help but sympathize with Joanna Castile’s struggle.

7 Historically Inaccurate: Queen Isabella Physically Fights In The Inquisition

Queen Isabella is seen fighting in her own war alongside her soldiers. However, that is not practical for a queen. It is clear that the production staff decided this would be a great way to show off Isabella’s reputation as a strong leader.

For the sake of television, it definitely does. In fact, it hearkens to The Witcher‘s Queen Calanthe, known also as the “Lioness of Cintra.”

6 Historically Accurate: The Oppression Of Spain’s Inquisition

Spain’s Inquisition is a well-documented religious war founded by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Many, many people died in this civil war that was created to convert Spain to a wholly Catholic nation; thus, eliminated any that resisted this religion.

It’s also a good touch on the show’s production staff to discuss the Inquisition while the story takes place in England because that war was heard of by many nations at the time.

5 Historically Inaccurate: The Age Difference Between Henry and Catherine

In the show, the two characters are portrayed to be of a similar age. It is important to note that Arthur was Henry’s older brother, and he died prematurely at fifteen.

This clearly does not make Henry older than that. Actually, he was twelve when his brother died, and Catherine was seventeen.

4 Historically Accurate: Catherine’s Steadfast Proclamation Of Chastity

After Arthur died, Catherine pursued Henry. Throughout the show, she claims that she and Arthur never consummated the marriage, in an effort to deceive the court. Whether the princess actually slept with her first husband or not is not historically definitive; however, her constant conviction that she was indeed chaste is well documented.

Even after 500 years, historians still have not come to a definite conclusion.

3 Historically Inaccurate: The Character of Rosa

Even though many of the characters in the show are inspired by historical figures, there is no record of Catherine’s lady-in-waiting, Rosa.

This young, naive character could have been a fabrication of the show in order to add some drama and classist tension, due to her affair with a married man.

2 Historically Accurate: Catalina de Cardones Traveled With Catherine To England

The character commonly known as Lina is thought to be inspired by a real lady in waiting. While not much is historically known about Catalina de Cardones, there are records of her being Catherine of Aragorn’s lady in waiting and a loyal one at that.

Not only did she travel with the Spanish princess to England, but she also remained her lady for many years, some of those years were when Catherine was impoverished.

1 Historically Inaccurate: The Prophecy Elizabeth Of York Gave Her Husband

While the grim prophecy Elizabeth of York foretold was a serious plot motivator for many characters, it was actually a fictionalized event to help steer the storyline.

While Elizabeth of York did die shortly after childbirth, there are no records of the monarch whispering to her husband such a prophecy.

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