Eyes are on a Starz series that is heading to BritBox in August. The White Princess tells the story of Elizabeth of York and Henry Tudor, also known as Henry VII of England.
Of course, before you get into a series, you want to know more about it. One of those things is whether it’s based on a type of source material. A lot of shows are now based on books, and that is the case with this historical fiction series.
The White Princess by Philippa Gregory
The series is based on the novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory. The novel follows on from the books The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker’s Daughter. Gregory focuses on the women during the time of the Wars of the Roses, including their plights and how they helped to shape England into what it became.
After all, it was Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort who ended up working together to unite England. They worked together to arrange the marriage between Elizabeth’s daughter and Margaret’s son. All the son had to do was win the Battle of Bosworth, and that’s exactly what he did—with his stepfather’s help.
Phillipa Gregory’s books are works of fiction
It’s important to note that while the books follow real people from history, Gregory’s novels are all works of fiction. The White Princess dramatizes a lot of what happened in the past. She gives the rumors a voice, including the rumor that Elizabeth was in love with her uncle, Richard III, and the two considered marriage to help make Richard’s claim to the throne stronger.
There are some events that follow real history, though. The book does bring up Perkin Warbeck, who was one of the pretenders to the throne. We get to see some of the lives of Elizabeth’s sisters, and there is a look at the constant attempt to create an alliance with the Spanish monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand.
Just take the novel with a pinch of salt when it comes to the history. The White Princess is a work of fiction.