History is usually written by the winners, but let’s be real: it’s mostly written by the guys. That’s probably why The White Princess TV series felt like such a breath of fresh air when it first hit Starz. It doesn't care much about the mud-caked battlefields or the dry political treaties of 1485. Instead, it locks you in the drafty, candlelit rooms where the women—the mothers, daughters, and sisters—were actually pulling the strings.
If you’re expecting a 1:1 historical documentary, you’re gonna be disappointed. This show is basically a high-stakes family soap opera with better costumes. It’s messy. It’s dramatic. Honestly, it’s kinda addictive.
The story picks up right after the Battle of Bosworth. Richard III is dead, and Henry Tudor has grabbed the crown. To keep it, he has to marry Elizabeth of York (Jodie Comer), the woman who was supposedly in love with the uncle he just killed. Talk about an awkward first date.
The White Princess TV Series: What Most People Get Wrong
There is a massive divide between what happened in 15th-century England and what happens in this show. For starters, the whole "Lizzie was in love with her uncle Richard III" thing? Historians mostly roll their eyes at that. While there were rumors at the time—mostly spread by people who hated Richard—there’s no real evidence they were secret lovers.
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The show also leans hard into the idea that Elizabeth Woodville and her daughter were basically practicing witchcraft. In the series, they’re out there blowing on water and cursing the Tudor line. In reality, the "witchcraft" accusations were mostly political smear campaigns used to delegitimize the York family. It makes for great TV, though. Seeing Essie Davis whisper curses into the wind is peak entertainment, even if it’s more Game of Thrones than history book.
Then there’s the "rape" scene in the first episode. It’s controversial for a reason. Philippa Gregory, who wrote the book the series is based on, used it as a plot device to show Henry VII’s insecurity. However, most contemporary records suggest Henry and Elizabeth actually had a surprisingly stable and even affectionate marriage. He was one of the few kings who didn't keep a string of mistresses. The show chooses violence and distrust over the historical reality of a slow-burn partnership.
Why the Cast Actually Carries the Show
You can't talk about this series without talking about Jodie Comer. Before she was Villanelle in Killing Eve, she was Elizabeth of York. She plays the transition from a grieving girl to a hardened queen with so much nuance. You can see her internal struggle in every frame: she wants to protect her Yorkist family, but she also wants to protect her own children, who are half Tudor.
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- Michelle Fairley as Margaret Beaufort is terrifying. She’s the ultimate "boy mom," but with more beheadings.
- Jacob Collins-Levy gives Henry VII a twitchy, paranoid energy that feels right for a guy who knows half the country wants him dead.
- Essie Davis brings a certain frantic, fading elegance to the Dowager Queen that makes you actually feel for her, even when she's being a disaster.
The costumes deserve a shoutout too. Are they perfectly accurate? Not really. You'll spot some zippers if you look close enough, and the necklines are a bit more "21st-century red carpet" than "15th-century piety." But they look expensive. They feel heavy. They help sell the idea that these people were trapped in their roles.
Why the Ending Still Sparks Arguments
The series ends on a pretty dark note with the execution of Teddy Plantagenet and Perkin Warbeck. This is where the show stops being a fun romp and gets seriously heavy. It forces Elizabeth to make a choice that essentially kills her own soul to ensure her son (the future Henry VIII) stays on the throne.
A lot of fans felt the shift in Lizzie’s character was too abrupt. She starts as the "White Princess" and ends as something much colder. But that’s sort of the point. Power in the Tudor court wasn't a gift; it was something you bought with blood. The show doesn't let anyone keep their hands clean.
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Actionable Insights for Your Next Watch
If you're planning to dive into the series or rewatch it, here’s the best way to do it:
- Watch The White Queen first. It’s the prequel series. Even though the cast is entirely different, it gives you the backstory on why everyone hates each other so much.
- Don't Google the history yet. If you don't know who "The Boy" (Perkin Warbeck) actually was, don't look it up until the end. The show plays with the mystery of his identity in a way that’s much more fun if you’re kept in the dark.
- Pay attention to the colors. The show uses white and red (York vs. Lancaster) in almost every scene's lighting and wardrobe. It’s a nice visual cue for where everyone’s loyalty lies at any given moment.
- Skip the "The Spanish Princess" if you want a happy ending. That’s the follow-up series about Catherine of Aragon. It’s... a lot. And it makes the tragedy of the Tudors feel even more inevitable.
The The White Princess TV series isn't a history lesson. It’s a study of what happens to people when they are forced to choose between their bloodline and their survival. It’s a world where a mother’s love is the most dangerous weapon in the room. If you can handle the historical "creative liberties," it’s one of the most compelling period dramas of the last decade.
Your next move: Set aside a weekend to binge all eight episodes back-to-back. The pacing is designed for a marathon, and the political tension builds much better when you don't take long breaks between the schemes.