Author: Gareth - Editor
Gareth Russell is emerging as one of the strongest narrative historians of a generation. He has penned books on Catherine Howard, the history of English Kings and the sinking of the Titanic.
In this interview, Royal History Geeks asked Gareth about his research on Catherine Howard, his thoughts on the Crown season four and his obsession with Anne Boleyn. Buy Gareth’s excellent books at Amazon
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Royal History Geeks caught up with Hever historian, Dr Owen Emmerson, for his analysis on the identity of the mysterious sitter in Elizabeth I’s “Chequer’s ring” portrait
Elizabeth I famously declared that she had no desire to create windows into men’s souls. So perhaps it’s only fair that those of us so fascinated by the iconic ruler, rarely catch a glimpse into hers.
Despite the amount of ink spilt on the legendary Tudor Queen, her inner thoughts remain clouded in mystery. And it’s unlikely that we’ll ever know more than we do now.
But there’s one fragment of evidence that may give us a rare insight into the Queen’s affections. After her death, a ring was prised from her finger. Usually referred to as the “Chequer’s ring” in reference to where it would later be displayed, the artefact contains two portraits. One is Elizabeth herself. The identity of the other remains an issue of debate.
Royal History Geeks caught up with Dr Owen Emmerson, historian and castle supervisor at Hever Castle, family home of Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn.
Disputed identity
“There’s usually three theories given as to who the French-hooded figure in the portrait could be,” Dr Emmerson begins.
“To be honest, I don’t think the first two carry much weight. We’re fairly confident that the ring was gifted to Elizabeth in the mid-1570s. So the real question is, whose memory was it that Elizabeth wanted to keep close at this stage in her life, as she entered her forties?”
A portrait of Parr?
“The first theory is Katherine Parr,” Owen explains. Given the marital history of her father, Henry VIII, Elizabeth enjoyed or endured a parade of stepmothers. But Parr, the King’s final wife, was a maternal figure in Elizabeth’s life from the age of 9 until Katherine’s death when Elizabeth was 15.
But for Dr Emmerson, the evidence simply isn’t there.
“We just don’t see Elizabeth involving herself with Katherine’s memory in any meaningful way at this stage of her life. In an age when art and portraiture were flourishing, Elizabeth had every opportunity to celebrate the memory of her stepmother. But she never took it.”
A younger Elizabeth
“The other suggestion is that it’s a portrait of a youthful Elizabeth”, Owen continues. “But I find that equally problematic.
“Elizabeth closely guarded her image. She eradicated several earlier portraits of herself. I don’t think she would have appreciated being reminded of her old age. Particularly at a time when the question of the succession was so acutely unresolved.”
A mother’s love
“In this instance, the most obvious explanation is probably the right one. It was her mother, Anne Boleyn, that Elizabeth wanted to keep close.
“As I said earlier, we know that the ring was created for and gifted to Elizabeth around the mid-1570s. The famous portrait of Anne Boleyn, which is today housed at the National Portrait Gallery was created at about the same time. I defy anyone to examine both portraits and fail to spot a similarity.
“One of the most cited arguments against it being Anne is the hair colour. The sitter seems to have a golden colouring. The best evidence we have suggests Anne was brunette.
“But the gold colour really comes from the material the image itself is made of. If you inspect it closely there are remnants of darker enamel. This enamel probably once covered this area of the portrait.
“Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth often evoked the memory of her mother during her reign. She adopted Anne’s iconography and her courtiers filled their Long Galleries with posthumously created portraits of Anne. She wanted to emphasise and rehabilitate her legitimacy. Elizabeth even had an effigy of Anne at her coronation. This duel portrait very much sits within this pattern of acknowledgement. Subtle and inherently personal.”
Check out the programme of activities at Hever Castle as it prepares to reopen once social distancing regulations ease.
Also, check out “Inside Hever Castle” – a new online subscription that will let you explore this historic property from the comfort of home.
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It’s been almost 500 years, and we’re still fascinated by Henry VIII and his six wives. It’s no great surprise. The tales of the women who enjoyed or endured marriage to the legendary Tudor King are saturated in romance, politics and drama. You couldn’t make up more compelling stories. Though many have tried.
Equally unsurprisingly, given the nature of human imagination, many myths about these royal matriarchs have entered the public consciousness. Some are plain wrong. Others are oversimplifications and half-truths.
Let’s take a look at just six of them.
1.When Prince Arthur died, Katherine of Aragon swore the marriage was unconsummated to avoid being sent back to Spain.
The myth
Katherine of Aragon committed to one clear destiny. To become Queen of England. Upon the death of Prince Arthur she feared this dream was about to shatter. To avoid being sent back to Spain, she swore that the marriage was unconsummated. It was only on this basis that the likes of Henry VII agreed to betroth her to Prince Henry, the future Henry VIII.
In reality…
There is no record of Katherine declaring that her first marriage was unconsummated until 1529. She stated it publicly during Henry VIII’s attempts to divorce her and it threw a curveball into proceedings.
She might have mentioned it privately beforehand. But during negotiations for a marriage between her and Prince Henry, it was assumed that the marriage had been consummated and papal dispensation was granted accordingly. It could be that no one asked her. Maybe she didn’t fully understand herself. After she eventually experienced the full consummation of a marriage in 1509, the truth may have dawned on her.
None of this means that Katherine was lying. If anything, her declaration in 1529 makes it more likely that she was telling the truth. Under a strict interpretation of church law, her admission could have gone against her. The dispensation assumed that consummation had taken place. Had it not, she really needed a different kind of dispensation, which covered the “public honesty” of her betrothal to Henry VIII’s brother. So, she risked invalidating the marriage on a technicality.
2. Anne Boleyn lured Henry VIII away from his marriage to Katherine and convinced him of the need to divorce
The myth
Anne Boleyn, perhaps with the help of her ambitious family, set out to capture the King’s heart. By holding out from becoming his mistress, she convinced the King to put Katherine aside and seek a divorce so that she, Anne, could be enthroned as Queen of England.
In reality…
We don’t know. It’s hard to date the beginnings of Henry’s interest in Anne, let alone be clear on the details. The courtship was partly conducted in writing but Anne’s letters don’t survive.
Anne did refuse to become his mistress. Ultimately, Henry overcame this barrier by asking Anne to be his wife. But there’s no evidence that this was part of a Boleyn master plan.
The great historian Eric Ives believes Henry had already decided to divorce Katherine ahead of falling for Anne. He was just expecting to put his first wife aside in favour of another foreign princess.
3.Jane Seymour’s family planted her in Henry’s path to bring about Anne Boleyn’s downfall
The myth
Learning lessons from Anne’s “capture of the King” the Seymour family groomed Jane to seduce him. She presented herself as the opposite of Anne in every way to mastermind the Queen’s downfall. The Seymours did this out of ambition and to further the cause of their family.
In reality…
Henry may have been easily led. But he wasn’t a puppet. Once his interest in Jane was clear, the conservative faction at court, led by the powerful Marquess and Marchioness of Exeter started to hatch a plan that would lead to Anne’s divorce and banishment in Jane’s favour.
Yes, her family saw the advantages and supported it. But they were not ideological soul mates with the conspirators. Jane’s brother Edward would become a champion of religious reform. Quite the opposite agenda to that being persuaded by the Exeters.
4.It was really Anne of Cleves that rejected Henry and she was only too happy to be free from him
The myth
Anne of Cleves was a young woman who was clearly horrified when she came face to face with the old, obese and increasingly decrepit Henry VIII. Her repulsion to him was so obvious, it prevented the marriage from being consummated. To save face, Henry vocalised his dislike of Anne and arranged for an annulment. Anne then lived out the rest of her days as a wealthy, independent woman. She revelled in her freedom.
In reality…
Anne probably wasn’t enamoured with the prospect of sleeping with Henry. And he was slighted by her initial, negative reaction to him when he came to her disguised as a servant. But Anne’s feelings toward Henry were not the determining factor.
Anne had been sent to England to marry its King and advocate for the cause of Cleves. Following Henry’s public rejection of her, she would have felt like a failure.
When Henry eventually married his final wife Katherine Parr, Anne felt slighted, declaring that she was much prettier than the King’s new bride. She always seemed hopeful that he would take her back.
5.Katheryn Howard was a child bride
The myth
Katheryn Howard was a girl of 15 when she married the King. She had no real choice in the matter and was used as a pawn by her powerful uncle, the Duke of Norfolk.
In reality…
Not really. In some accounts of the era, Katheryn’s age at marriage is confidently given as 15. This is based on her absence from her step-grandfather’s will which was written in 1522, suggesting she had not yet been born.
But most recent biographers of Katheryn think it more likely that she was 18/19 when she became Queen. This is based on comments by the French ambassador who knew her. By Tudor standards this was not young. Marriage, including quite possibly to a much older man, would have been expected of her. There is also no good evidence that Norfolk had anything to do with initiating the King’s interest in his niece.
6.Katherine Parr was more of a nursemaid than a wife to Henry VIII
The myth
Following the disaster of his marriage to the young Katheryn Howard, Henry sought out a woman to be more of a companion than a wife. Katherine Parr, as Lady Latimer, had experience of nursing her husband through his old age. She was the perfect choice to hold the King’s hand and mop his brow as life eeked out of him.
In reality…
This charming, but patronising image of Katherine emerged in the Victorian era. But it’s stuck. It’s certainly what I was taught at school in the 1990s.
Katherine took an interest in the health of her ailing husband. But as a woman of rank she would have been quite far from the nitty-gritty of nursing. Instead, she spent her time championing religious reform. She even ruled England while Henry was waging war was against France in 1544.
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These are just six of the myths that circulate about Henry VIII and his infamous six wives. What other inaccuracies can you think of which have gained common currency?
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Roses, thorns and friendships
1452
I knew I had to stop. Those tingling sensations of vanity were not becoming of a Christian girl. But by Saint George, they felt good.
I looked down again at my flowing scarlet gown. With my open sleeves and gold trimmings I felt as radiant as the sun. I had always known I was from a very great dynasty. For the first time, I felt as majestic as the mythical Yale in our family crest.
“Stop it!” I told myself quietly. Like Our Lady, good little girls were to be pious and penitent. But I didn’t want to “stop it”, whatever I told myself. Pride might be a sin, but it was better than that other feeling. That dark, creeping feeling which I couldn’t put into words. It had grown like a weed since we first stepped foot in Westminster, causing lumps to form in my throat and a knot to twist in my belly. If vanity were the only anecdote to that feeling, perhaps the Virgin might understand.
“Now remember Margaret,” mother said, “I will not be with you when you meet the King.” As she spoke she gently lifted my hair, and sprinkled it neatly around my shoulders. Mother revelled in setting my hair. She could never display her own. Wearing your hair loose is the preserve of Queens and virgins.
“Your uncle Somerset will present you. When he does, you will sink into a deep curtsey. The king will come before you and lift you up. Stand there as he talks to you and answer all his questions with the utmost reverence.”
For a minute, mother looked concerned.
“Actually Margaret, there’s a chance the king won’t lift you out of your curtsey. If he doesn’t, just stay there for as long as you can and then gently fall to your knees. In this dress, no one will notice.”
I looked up at mother. No doubt this gentle woman could see the nerves etched on my face.
“Look, you don’t need to worry. The customs at court are not that different to what we do at home when we have important visitors. I like to think you are a well brought up little girl.” She held my face in her hands and gave me a warm, loving smile. “I am confident you will do us proud.”
I trusted mother with my life. And she was right; though I was not quite 10 years old, the customs of court were within my grasp. I was good with grownups and I had already met dukes, bishops, mayors and all kinds of important men. That wasn’t what I was worried about. I wasn’t worried at all.
I was petrified.
No one knew for sure why the King wanted to see me. I was pledged in marriage to his half-brother, Edmund Tudor, a man I had never met. For mother, this was explanation enough. “He’s just curious to set eyes on his new sister-in-law” she had said, almost a little too cheerily. But I knew otherwise.
The King was angry with me.
Before my betrothal to Edmund, I was troth-plight to a boy named John de La Pole. We had met only once but I was under the power of his father, the Duke of Suffolk, who had been my guardian since I was a baby. Father had died when I was an infant and the King, his cousin, had entrusted my welfare to Suffolk. But the Duke was an evil man.
According to Parliament, Suffolk had done something terrible. Criminal! Evil! Mother had no idea that I knew. She probably thought I didn’t even know what ‘Parliament’ was but I’d heard the servants talking. Their words had lingered in my memory ever since.
“Take this linen up to Lady Margaret’s chamber.”
I knew I wasn’t allowed in the laundry room. Or the kitchens. Or the cellar. But I loved seeing how the servants worked, hearing their earthy language and I was small enough to hide in every nook and cranny of our home, Bletsoe Castle. Mother had always said my destiny was be a great lady, running my own house one day. Surely I needed to see how one actually worked?
“Don’t you mean, Queen Margaret,” said the maid who was now in possession of my linen sheets. She fell into a mock curtsey with a girly sneer. Katherine, the older woman who had instructed her, scowled.
“Don’t look at me like that,” the maid defended. “I’m only saying what they’re saying in Parliament. That Duke of Suffolk was going to kill the king and say Lady Margaret was the next in line. She would be Queen. And his son, the King.”
Blessed saints! The Queen. What did she mean, I was next in line? Why would my guardian want to kill the king?
“Now you listen to me,” Katherine was quiet, but her tone as fierce as a beast. “For as long as you want to work in this castle, you mind your tongue. If I catch you talking about anyone in the family like that again, I’ll have a good mind to cut it off for safe keeping.”
The maid blustered a bit. She looked on the verge of mounting a defence.
“I’m serious!” The older lady continued. “You want the Lady Margaret arrested? Beheaded for treason? You go around repeating stories and the next thing we know, people will think they started at this castle and they’ll see truth where there’s none. Is that what you want? Our precious little girl on the receiving end of the King’s anger. The little Lady Somerset dead? And it all on your conscience!”
The younger maid was sobbing. But emotion would grant her no reprieve.
“Linen! Chamber! Now!”
I scurried away as soon as the coast was clear and told no one what I’d heard. But when mother told me that the King had summoned us to court, I knew what it meant. It was time for me to get my comeuppance.
“Your grace,” my uncle said with a bow after I entered the King’s chamber. Mother was outside. Apart from my uncle and two ushers, I was alone with the king. I had imagined the king’s court to be swarming like a beehive. There were countless guards on the outside of the chamber. I have a wild imagination, Mother often upbraids me for it, but I couldn’t let go of the ridiculous notion that the King was like a prisoner.
“May I present my niece, Lady Margaret of Somerset.”
I moved as mother had instructed. I took a few steps so I was lined up to the King’s throne and dropped into a deep curtsey.
For a minute or two nothing happened. With my small legs, I couldn’t hold my curtsey much longer. As mother suggested, I fell to a kneel. My poor, rich garment was unblemished no more.
I looked up. Was I meant to look up? I had to see what was going on. Now that I was closer I could see the king clearer. He looked dazed, in some kind of stupor. I had imagined he would wear a crown but on his head was a velvet cap.
“My Lady Margaret of Somerset,” my uncle repeated. He raised his voice and lurched slightly in the king’s direction.
The king looked up slowly. He glanced my way, thought for a minute and smiled. There was a gentleness to his face and kindness in his eyes. Steadily he lifted himself from the throne. He came softly toward me as if he were floating. And then –
Blessed mother! He kneeled. The king kneeled and was crouched down just in front of me. His eyes were wide like a puppy. Now that they were closer, I could see the features on his long oval face. I knew he was a full-grown man, but his face was like a little boy’s.
“Lady Somerset,” he said as he took my hand. His eyes were calm and his touch was gentle. I was used to men like my uncle pulling me and pushing me but the king made me feel like he had all the time in the world.
“We are to be friends. You do want to be my friend don’t you?”
“Oh yes. Yes my lord. Very much.” I panicked. Should I have called him ‘your grace’? Why was he asking this? Were my fears confirmed? Was I here to prove my loyalty and answer for my inadvertent betrayal?
“Oh good,” said the king as he sighed with relief. “I need friends my lady.” He looked sad. For a few moments he said nothing.
“You are my friend so you will marry my brother… I love my brother… then we can all be friends together. We can protect each other and…“ He stopped suddenly. He turned over my hand in his as if to inspect my palm. He reached for my other hand and did the same.
“Lady Somerset, you have brought me no parchment.”
Fear stuck me like a lightning bolt. Here I was, kneeling before the King of England and I had come unprepared. Parchment? I had never thought to bring parchment. Why would I need it? But then what did I know of the court? How could mother have sent me in like this? Why was I not fully prepared?
“I’m sorry y-y-your grace,” I quivered. If he had shouted at me I could have born it. I am used to loud, shouty brothers but gentle disappointment was different. If I had failed him, my heart would break. I was using all my strength to fight back tears. Within seconds, I lost the battle.
“No, no, no my lady,” the king said gently. He lifted a finger to my cheeks and wiped away my tears. Then he cupped my hands in his, “I do not want the parchment but people usually bring it to me. They say if I sign it, it will make them happy. I want to make people happy.”
He paused again. This time for a minute or two.
“However, when I do, my friends get cross with me. William was my friend. He used to get angry with me for signing all the parchment. He said that when I signed it, people would be able to take my money and my land. That they would get jobs which were other people’s jobs. When he was with me, people wouldn’t bring me the parchment. Except sometimes…sometimes William brought me parchment too.
“William said that my real friends wouldn’t bring me parchment.” He grasped my cupped hands tightly, but not roughly. “You must be my real friend.”
I felt relief flood through my body. It was like someone had lit a candle in my chest. For the first time in days, the knot in my belly started to loosen. The king wasn’t trying to punish me. He wanted to be my friend.
“William was my friend for a long time,” the king continued. Tears started to well in his kind eyes. “He used to look after me. But then he had to go away and someone killed him. I did forgive him – the man that killed him. It was very hard but I prayed and the virgin helped me forgive him.”
My heart was breaking as I saw the sadness in this gentle man’s eyes. William must be Suffolk, my old father-in-law. Could he have been so wicked to betray a man that loved him thus?
“Now Edmund is my friend…Edmund is your uncle. He looks after me now….and the Queen. The Queen is my wife. She is beautiful and she helps me.
“And you will be my friend too. I can call you Margaret. Will you call me Henry?”
“Oh yes your gra – Henry.” I was almost laughing with joy. The King was not a strict, brutal ruler. He was a kind, pious, gentle man. And he wanted to be my friend.
“Those of us who are friends have to stick together. Edmund says some people don’t want to be my friend. The Queen says Edmund is right.”
I knew my uncle would be right, he always was. But what a strange notion. The king was clearly a kind man. Why wouldn’t anyone want to be his friend?
“I have a cousin called Richard,” he lowered his voice slightly. “He is the Duke of York. I like him but Edmund says he doesn’t like me.” He cupped his hand over her ear and whispered. “He wants me to die. He wants to be king.”
I let out an audible gasp. I felt the heat of anger like I’d never felt it before. How could anyone try and kill the King? He was God’s own anointed ruler! A lovely, kind man.
“Edmund says we must work together. He says you will help. He says that you and my brother – he’s called Edmund too – will go and live in Wales and help keep it safe for me. Will you Margaret? Will you be my friend and help me?”
I had never felt more sure of anything.
“Oh yes Henry,” I said at once. “I will always be your friend. I will always help you.” I meant every word. This Duke of York must be a brutal man. A villain. A beast. And if I had anything to do with it, he would never prosper.
Uncle Somerset walked toward us and placed his hand on the king’s shoulder. They must be great friends to enjoy such intimacy.
“Alas my liege, it is time for Margaret to return to her mother. The Duchess awaits her.”
The king looked dazed again. For a moment he looked up at my Uncle before turning his gaze back to me.
“Margaret, before you go, I need to tell you a secret.”
“Of course Henry.” I was a good secret keeper.
“I am scared. When I die, I might go to hell.”
This couldn’t be true. Henry was the most pious man I had ever met, much more than my brothers or my uncle. But fear flowed from his eyes, so I listened with fervour.
“I think God wanted me to be a monk. But I am a king instead. He might be angry with me. I try to be pious. – to hear mass as often as I can. I try and help the church, and in truth,” he again cupped my ear and whispered to me, “I still live like a monk.”
I didn’t know why the last part was a secret. Or what it meant. How could he live like a monk? Monks spent all day in prayer or in study. Henry had to rule. Never the less, my heart went out to him. I had so recently feared punishment for something I had no control over. This great and kind man was tormented by the same fear.
“I will pray for you every day,” I said with fervour. “I believe you to be a good and holy man. You will be upright in God’s eyes.”
The King paused for a moment. He seemed to be pondering something.
“Margaret most of my friends are older than me. When I die, you might be the only one left.”
I didn’t understand.
“I need you to pray for me then. Hold masses. Make sure my soul is protected. Will you do that for me Margaret? You might be the only one.”
“Oh yes Henry. I will pray for your soul with all the devotion of my own. I will lead a blameless life so that God, the virgin and all the saints will hear my prayers. Me and my husband will say mass and pay for more to be held. We will do everything for you. I promise Henry. I promise.”
Within seconds my uncle was leading me out. I had not even been in the king’s presence for half an hour, yet my life had changed forever. My world and my heart had doubled in size.
Only minutes before I was a little girl. My concerns had been for a simple gown and my fears, just of earthly punishment. Now I was a woman with a cause. I was a friend of the King. I must protect him from his enemies and when he finally departed the mortal coil, I would do everything in my power for his soul. This kind, gentle man was a saint, a hero, a champion, and the world needed to know it.
On that day, I found my purpose. I was prepared to devote my life to it.
© Gareth Streeter, 2020
I’m not gonna lie. The Crown is one of the best things to hit screens in a generation.
I was hooked within minutes of it “dropping” in 2016. Season one was almost flawless. Its successor gave a Royal history geek almost everything they could wish for. And, following a shaky third series, season four saw the show rebound with a right-royal gusto.
But there are big problems.
With historical fiction, the clue is in the name. It does not need to follow all the facts. Those that know a great deal about the period must turn a blind eye to poetic license and dramatic liberties.
But there must be some boundaries. When scriptwriters entirely distort the character or reputation of a real human being, they have gone beyond what is acceptable. This applies to dramatizations of the medieval era. But it has a special importance when the people in question are still alive.
Here are just four of the occasions where the Crown season four crossed the line.
In the second episode, the newly elected Margaret Thatcher and her husband Dennis travel to Balmoral to spend time as the guests of the Queen. Here they are subjected to the “Balmoral tests”. This series of secret challenges allows the Royal family to judge whether a newcomer fits in with their way of life.
In the episode, the Thatchers fail spectacularly. Being from more humble stock, Margaret is ignorant of upper-class country life. She turns up in the wrong kit, over-dresses for pre-dinner drinks and is unfamiliar with the parlour games the Royals revel in. Rather than help Margaret address her “shortcomings” the Royal family delight at her ignorance. The deer hunt, it would seem, is not the only blood sport they excel at.
What rot.
There’s no doubt that the two women were from radically different backgrounds. The show’s creators had every right to draw attention to that. And that’s hard to do visually. Both spoke with a posh voice and wore expensive clothes. Stressing the difference in custom and etiquette was, in some ways, a clever device for emphasising the difference in upbringing.
But it was exaggerated almost to the point of caricature. Thatcher did not just step out of her father’s humble shop in Grantham and walk into Downing Street. She had studied at Oxford, sat as an MP for twenty years and served as a cabinet minister. She was not totally ignorant of the upper classes.
Yes, Thatcher probably didn’t look forward to her trips to Balmoral. Her authorised biographer, Charles Moore, wrote that she ‘endured’ rather than ‘enjoyed’ the visits. And she may, on one occasion, have brought the wrong shoes. But to suggest that her entire first trip was an act of sabotage by the Royal family flies in the face of the widespread testimony that they go to some length to ensure people are comfortable in their presence.
After leaving office, Margaret Thatcher spoke lavishly about the Queen’s humanity. And what, specifically, did the former Prime Minister praise in interview after interview? The Queen’s ability to “put people at their ease.”
2. The callous Queen Mother and her hidden nieces
I haven’t enjoyed the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in any of the Crown’s four seasons. The former Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon is well attested to have been warm, bubbly and fun loving. That’s yet to come across.
But in episode seven, her portrayal goes from cold to outright cruel. Princess Margaret discovers that her maternal cousins, long thought dead, were secretly living in a mental institution. Margaret later confronts her mother. Under duress, the dowager Queen reveals that her nieces were hidden from view upon George VI and Elizabeth ascending the throne. It could never be known that there was mental instability within her family. Such knowledge would have threatened the security of the monarchy.
Seriously?
Fortunately, historian Gareth Russell has stepped up to the plate. In a compelling facebook post he points out that the dates simply don’t add up. The Queen Mother became Queen in 1936. Her nieces were not placed into an institution until 1941.
Russell also points out that Elizabeth was from a large family. Her brother was much older. She probably believed that her nieces had died and had no idea they were still alive until she was in her 80s. Once it was brought to her attention, she sent money to the home where they lived.
Changing facts can be acceptable in fiction. Sometimes it’s necessary to make the narrative flow. But maligning a real person in the process can never be acceptable.
3. Thatcher asking the Queen to dissolve Parliament in 1990
Before the season aired, I was worried about the portrayal of Thatcher’s relationship with the Queen. But, barring the Balmoral tests, it was much better presented than I expected.
The two women were the same age, but from different walks of life. They didn’t particularly understand one another. But there was mutual respect.
But I was taken aback when, during her conflict with her own MPs, Margaret Thatcher asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament. In the UK, dissolving Parliament (which prior to 2010 was something that happened under the Royal prerogative but at the request of the Prime Minister) means calling a general election. In a general election, all MPs, and therefore the Prime Minister, is up for re-election.
However, I think the series writers were confusing this with “proroguing Parliament.” This is when Parliament ceases to sit until the beginning of its new session but the government remains in place. It is implied in the series, that without trouble from her pesky MPs, Thatcher could survive.
It is not credible that Thatcher would try and drag the Queen into an internal party dispute. Besides, Thatcher was facing an election for leadership of the Conservative Party. Getting rid of Parliament would have been no help to her. It was not a Parliamentary process.
In the context of fiction this is probably acceptable. It shouldn’t really be on my list. But it irked me. So it’s staying put.
4. The relationship between Charles and Diana
As someone that grew up in the 80s and 90s, I have heard every rumour about the relationship of the Prince and Princess of Wales that there is to tell. In reality, only a handful of people ever knew the truth of it.
The Crown made the creative decision to base the series on the often-rumoured premise that Charles never really ended his relationship with Camilla. This may be true. Or it might be, as others have claimed, that he did not reignite the affair until Diana had already started committing adultery. We just don’t know.
Fiction does not have footnotes. I understand that they had to go one way or another. And some of the portrayal is clearly based on the legendary tapes that Diana indirectly supplied to Andrew Morton.
But at the very least, it’s still only one side of the story. Much more effort should have been made to show balance. Diana’s own family have been uneasy with the portrayal of her in the series.
Throughout season four Charles comes across as petulant and unlikeable. Yet, no one is a two-dimensional character. The writers of the Crown cannot know the truth. Greater care, balance and generosity should have been shown.
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“Oh come on,” I hear you cry. “The Crown is fiction. It’s not their fault if people believe it.”
Yes. And no. The Crown includes encyclopaedic-style facts at the end of episodes. This suggests it is grounded in fact. They refuse to include a disclaimer (which, by the way, are common when shows depict the lives of real people).
And regardless of whether people should believe it, it is clear that people do believe it. Many (including those who are well educated) simply believe that “if it wasn’t true, they wouldn’t be allowed to put it on TV”). Producers know this. The fact it’s “based on truth” is something that adds to the appeal and bolsters viewing figures.
The Crown is brilliant TV. The attention to detail is outstanding. It deserves every award it receives and more besides. But adding a tiny disclaimer would do nothing to diminish its success. And it might do everything to protect real people from a distorted reputation.
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No one expects historical fiction to be completely accurate. Or at least, they shouldn’t.
But the ‘Spanish Princess’, now in its second season, has crossed a line.
Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIII, is one of England’s most fascinating figures. In her own time she was revered and respected. Those that have really studied her are fascinated by her courage, conviction and compassion. But historical fiction continues to muddy her name.
In both ‘the White Queen’ and the ‘White Princess’ – the predecessors to the ‘Spanish Princess’ – she is presented unfavourably. I don’t agree with either presentation. But I recognise that script writers must be allowed to make creative choices.
But in the ‘Spanish Princess’ it has reached new levels. Margaret is depicted as the pantomime baddie, the orchestrator of every horrible event. This is not just a case of rearranging events to fit the narrative. They have placed her at the heart of crimes that we can prove she had nothing to do with.
Here are just five of the most noteworthy distortions.
In the series, Henry falls into a deep mourning when his wife Elizabeth of York unexpectedly dies after childbirth. This is true enough. But in the series, Margaret assumes the role of regent and takes control of the government.
Margaret never served as regent during her son’s reign. While the King was struck by grief, the reaction of this already-secretive man was to draw further into himself. He took an even more obsessive grip on government. To let anyone else, including his mother, rule for him, would have been anathema to his style of kingship.
When her son died, Margaret did serve as an unofficial regent for her grandson, Henry VIII. But this really was just a bit of ‘transitional support’. He was, after all, only a few weeks shy of his 18th birthday.
2. Margaret ruled England through her son
Even when not acting as regent in the Spanish Princess, Margaret always seems to take charge. She is constantly at court, issuing orders and inflicting trials and tribulations on the Kingdom.
How odd.
As I’ve hinted above, Henry VII had a famously controlling style of Kingship. He did not surrender power to others. While Margaret was at court a great deal in the early days of the reign, as her son and daughter-in-law became more established, she spent far less time in their presence. She established a great house in Collyweston, in Northamptonshire, where she resided over a great household with splendour. The King did trust Margaret, and she was given special authority to administer justice in the north.
But she was not constantly at his side. She did not rule England through him.
3. She had some kind of feud with Margaret Pole
We know little of the relationship between the two Margarets. In the very early days of Tudor reign, Margaret Beaufort had some responsibility for Edward, Earl of Warwick, brother of Margaret of Clarence.
At this stage, the boy represented a potential threat to Henry’s throne and it was important to keep a close eye on him. Having literally just set foot on English soil for the first time in 12 years, Henry had few people he could trust. He naturally turned to his mother. Soon after, new arrangements were found for the young Earl.
It is likely that Margaret Beaufort played a role in coordinating the marriage of the younger Margaret. Richard Pole was Margaret Beaufort’s nephew. Given the importance of Margaret of Clarence’s Plantagenet blood, Henry VII would have wanted her married to a man she could trust.
In the TV series, Margaret Pole is depicted as falling into penury because of taxes inflicted by the King’s mother. Pole did experience financial hardship after her husband’s death as her resources were limited. But she did not suffer the level of poverty depicted in the show. Nor was it anything to do with Margaret Beaufort.
4. Margaret was a champion of Empson and Dudley and a savage financial regime
In the series, Margaret (during her fictitious period as ‘regent’) brings a man into the council and introduces him as Edmund Dudley. She describes how he is going to help them fill the coffers. Together, they proceed to unleash a savage tax regime on the poor people of England.
It is true that Henry VII became very strict with fines and financial penalties in the last years of his reign (though these were effectively taxes on the super-rich so let’s not let our sympathies get too carried away). It is also true that Edmund Dudley, along with another advisor called Richard Empson, were widely blamed for the initiatives. But there’s no reason to link Margaret Beaufort to these reforms. And there’s every reason not to.
Like many of the wealthy, she found herself on the receiving end of Dudley’s judgements. And, it was when she did actually have some unofficial oversight of the government, in the very early weeks of her grandson’s reign, that the decision to punish these two men (who were soon executed) was taken.
5. Margaret casually dispatched her granddaughters into child marriages
This one really stung.
In one episode, Margaret speaks with her granddaughter, Princess Mary who has been pledged in marriage to Charles V, Katherine of Aragon’s nephew. In the scene, Mary is clearly a little girl. Margaret informs her that she was about the same age when she first married. There was, she says sinisterly, ‘nothing to fear.’
This is the exact opposite of what happened in real life. When her elder granddaughter, Princess Margaret, had been pledged to marry the King of Scots at just nine years of age, the original plan had been to send her north of the border straight away. But Margaret, no doubt drawing on her own experiences as a child bride, intervened. Along with her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth of York, she persuaded Henry VII that Margaret was too young to live as a wife. Her husband, Margaret warned, would not wait. He would consummate the marriage straight away. The young princess would be hurt.
This shows Margaret as a caring grandmother. It also casts light on her reflections of her own brutal child marriage. Yet, for reasons of their own, the writers of the ‘Spanish Princess’ decided to turn this story on its head. They present Margaret as a woman who raised her granddaughters like lambs for the slaughter. I’m not sure I can ever forgive that.
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I don’t mean to spoil anyone’s fun. There are probably some brilliant parts of the Spanish Princess that I’m too annoyed to see. But this continual character assassination of Margaret Beaufort cannot continue to go unchallenged.
I’m not asking you not to watch it. I’m actually going to do my level best to finish the series. But I would ask that you don’t base your opinion of Margaret on it. Or any fictional portrayal.
There are some really good factual accounts of Margaret’s life. Two in particular are both informative and accessible:
‘Uncrowned Queen’ – the most recent biography of Margaret Beaufort, by Nicola Tallis.
‘Margaret Beaufort: mother of the Tudor dynasty’, by Elizabeth Norton.
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