Droughtlander suggestions: Read The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Make The Constant Princess your next read during Droughtlander

If you’re looking for the next book to read during Droughtlander, you’ll want to turn your attention to The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. It’s one of the books adapted for STARZ’s The Spanish Princess.

The 2005 novel is a fictionalized telling of Catherine of Aragon’s life. It’s a popular option for Outlander fans to get through Droughtlander, and it’s our suggestion of the week.

What is The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory?

You’ve likely heard of Catherine of Aragon. She was the first wife of Henry VIII, divorced after 20 years of marriage. While she would give birth to many children, only one would survive into adulthood, Mary I of England.

But The Constant Princess doesn’t get that far into Catherine’s life. It starts early on, when she’s actually come to England to marry Henry VIII’s brother, Arthur Tudor. You see, Arthur was the one to become King of England. He was the elder son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, but he would die young.

There have been many theories about whether Catherine of Aragon consummated her marriage to Arthur. If she did, it would have invalidated her marriage to Henry VIII—it would have certainly given Henry more ammo in his divorce proceedings from her.

Catherine, in real life, denied consummating her marriage to Arthur. However, in The Constant Princess, she and Arthur did fall in love. The novel sees Arthur convince Catherine to deny their marriage was consummated. He knows that Catherine should become Queen of England, and the only way for that to happen is for her to marry Henry VIII of England.

And that’s just the start of the book. We watch her time as Henry VII continues to rule England and struggles with what to do next. We read about the difficult life she had as Arthur’s widow, as she is caught in the middle of an argument between Henry VII and her parents. It’s certainly a novel to read to get more of an insight into Catherine of Aragon’s life, even if it is heavily fictionalized.

Why The Constant Princess is good for Outlander fans

Being set in the past is certainly a reason to check out the book. While Gregory is known for fictionalizing a lot, she does her research. She adds in her opinion since it is historical fiction, but there are plenty of facts sprinkled in. It opens the door to a new time period to research, something that many Outlander fans have found while reading their favorite books.

There’s also a love story between Catherine and Arthur. There’s the struggle for power, as Catherine is stuck with other people making decisions for her. Yet, she wants to rule. It’s difficult as a woman in her time, which means she needs to prove herself. There are some elements that will remind you of Claire routinely proving her position in the 18th and 20th centuries.

Gregory creates a suspenseful tale, even when you know the story of Catherine in real life. She brings romance and fills in the gaps in a way that you’ll come to adore. And there are so many more Philippa Gregory books to continue this enjoyment.

What are you reading to get through Droughtlander? What do you think of The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Constant Princess is available with two-day free shipping with Amazon Prime.