History usually does Catherine of Aragon dirty. We remember her as the dumpy, pious, and discarded first wife of Henry VIII who just couldn't produce a male heir. It's a tragedy. But if you actually sit down to watch The Spanish Princess, you’re treated to a version of history that feels a lot more alive—and honestly, a lot more accurate to who she was before the divorce proceedings ruined her life. She wasn't just a placeholder. She was a warrior, a diplomat, and a woman who crossed an ocean for a crown she believed was hers by divine right.
The Starz original series, based on the novels The Constant Princess and The King’s Curse by Philippa Gregory, takes us back to the early 1500s. Forget the grey, old Catherine you saw in The Other Boleyn Girl. This is about a young, vibrant Infanta of Spain arriving in a damp, cold England.
Finding where to stream it is actually pretty straightforward, but the real value is in understanding what you’re looking at. The show is the third installment in a loose trilogy that started with The White Queen and The White Princess. You don't technically need to see those first to enjoy this one, but it helps.
How to Watch The Spanish Princess Right Now
If you want to dive in today, your best bet is the Starz app or the Starz channel add-on via Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or YouTube TV. It’s also available for purchase on Apple TV and Vudu.
Since the show is a few years old now, you can often find "deals" or "free trials" through these platforms if you’re a new subscriber. It’s worth a weekend binge. Trust me.
Is it on Netflix?
Short answer: No. In the US, Starz keeps its prestige period dramas close to the vest. You won't find it scrolling through Netflix on a Tuesday night. If you’re in the UK, it has historically floated around Lionsgate+ or Channel 4's streaming service, but digital rights shift like sand. Always check your local listings because what’s there today might be gone by the time you finish this paragraph.
The Actual History vs. The Drama
Let’s get real. Philippa Gregory—and by extension the showrunners Emma Frost and Matthew Graham—take liberties. They have to. History is often silent on what people said behind closed doors.
The show makes a huge deal about Catherine’s first marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales. Did they or didn’t they? That’s the multi-million dollar question that eventually caused the English Reformation. The show leans heavily into a specific interpretation: that Catherine lied about her virginity to marry Henry.
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In reality, Catherine swore on her soul until the day she died that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated. Henry, of course, claimed the opposite to get his annulment. The show portrays this ambiguity with a lot of tension. It’s spicy. It’s dramatic. It’s also probably the most contentious part of her entire biography.
The Lina and Oviedo Storyline
One of the best things about deciding to watch The Spanish Princess is the inclusion of Lina de Cardonnes and Oviedo. This isn't just "woke" storytelling; it’s historically grounded. Catherine’s court actually included people of Moorish descent and diverse backgrounds. Seeing a Black Tudor England isn’t anachronistic—it’s a correction of the "all-white" Victorian lens we usually view this era through.
Lina (based on the real Catalina de Cardones) was a lady-in-waiting who stayed with Catherine for decades. Her relationship with the crossbowman Oviedo adds a layer of "commoner" life that most royal dramas ignore. It makes the world feel inhabited.
Why Charlotte Hope Was the Perfect Catherine
Some people complain that Charlotte Hope is too "intense." I disagree.
Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of Isabella I of Castile—the woman who literally funded Columbus and finished the Reconquista. You don't come from that lineage and act like a shrinking violet. Hope captures that stubborn, almost annoying conviction. When she puts on armor to address the troops at the Battle of Flodden while she’s heavily pregnant? That’s not just TV fiction.
Catherine actually did that. While Henry was off playing soldier in France, Catherine was the Regent of England. she oversaw the defense of the realm against the Scots. She sent Henry the bloodied coat of King James IV as a trophy. She was a total powerhouse. The show captures this beautifully in Season 2, showing the slow, agonizing rot of a marriage that started with genuine passion but collapsed under the weight of grief and stillbirths.
The Problem with Henry VIII
Most shows portray Henry as a fat guy with a turkey leg or a total psychopath from day one.
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Ruairi O'Connor plays Henry as a "golden boy" who is slowly poisoned by power and insecurity. It’s a tragedy for him, too. You see the transition from a young man who truly loves his wife to a king who is convinced God is punishing him. It’s uncomfortable to watch. It should be.
The chemistry between Hope and O'Connor is what makes the first season so watchable. You root for them even though you know—historically—it ends in a total disaster. You're basically watching a car crash in slow motion across two seasons.
Technical Details: Production and Costumes
Visually, the show is a feast. The costumes aren't strictly "1500s accurate" in the way a museum curator would want, but they tell a story.
- The Spanish Influence: Catherine starts in vibrant yellows and deep reds, contrasting with the muddy, muted greens and browns of the English court.
- The Transition: As she becomes more "English," her wardrobe shifts.
- The Armor: The detail on the breastplates used in the Flodden sequence is genuinely impressive.
The filming locations are also top-tier. They used Wells Cathedral and Berkeley Castle, which gives the whole production a sense of weight and cold stone that you just can't get on a green screen in Atlanta.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Era
People think the Tudors were "clean." They weren't.
But they also weren't as "dark" as we think. The Spanish Princess captures the transition from the Medieval world to the Renaissance. It’s a time of weird superstitions mixed with new humanist ideas.
One thing the show nails is the religious obsession. When Catherine prays, she isn't just doing it for show. She believes. In our modern, secular world, it's hard to grasp that these people truly believed their reproductive success was a direct barometer of God’s favor. The show treats that belief with respect rather than mocking it.
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Is Season 2 Better Than Season 1?
It's darker. Season 1 is a romance; Season 2 is a psychological horror of a marriage falling apart.
If you like political maneuvering, Season 2 is your jam. It covers the rise of Wolsey and the burgeoning influence of the Boleyn family (though Anne is mostly a background player here). It deals heavily with Catherine's multiple pregnancies and the toll that took on her body and mind. It's tough stuff. Honestly, it’s one of the few shows that actually depicts the trauma of infant loss with the gravity it deserves for that time period.
Expert Tips for the Best Viewing Experience
If you’re going to watch The Spanish Princess, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch the Prequels: If you have the time, start with The White Queen. It sets up the York/Lancaster dynamic that still haunts Henry VIII’s father, Henry VII.
- Read the Real Letters: After you finish an episode, Google the letters between Catherine and her father, Ferdinand. The real-life politics were even more cutthroat than the show suggests.
- Pay Attention to Margaret Pole: Played by Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith from Downton Abbey), she is the secret MVP of the series. Her character represents the "old" royalty that the Tudors were trying to suppress. Her story arc is arguably the most tragic in the entire show.
Where to Go After the Credits Roll
Once you finish the series, you're going to have a Tudor-shaped hole in your heart.
You could jump straight into The Tudors (the Showtime series), but it feels very "male gaze" after watching Catherine's story told from her perspective. Instead, I’d recommend checking out the documentary The Six Wives with Lucy Worsley. It uses dramatic reenactments but sticks strictly to the primary sources.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Streaming: Check if your Hulu or Amazon Prime account has a Starz promotional "add-on" for $1.99/month. They run these deals constantly.
- Reading: Pick up Catherine of Aragon: The Spanish Princess of Wales by Giles Tremlett. It’s the definitive biography and reads like a novel.
- Travel: If you're ever in the UK, visit Peterborough Cathedral. That’s where the real Catherine is buried. People still leave pomegranates (her symbol) on her grave to this day.
The show isn't perfect. It's "history-adjacent." But as a piece of storytelling that centers a woman who was much more than a "discarded wife," it's essential viewing. Go find a comfortable couch, grab some wine, and get ready to be mad at Henry VIII all over again.
Next Steps:
Go to your streaming search bar and type in The Spanish Princess. Start with Season 1, Episode 1, "The New World." Watch for the scene where she first meets the Tudors at Dogmersfield—it's a masterclass in cultural clashing. Once you're through the first three episodes, compare the show's depiction of Prince Arthur with the historical accounts of his health; you'll see some very clever writing choices regarding his "sweating sickness."