The White Queen

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If you’re just diving into a Philippa Gregory series, or you’re already a fan and not sure which one to pick up next, the best place might be the Plantagenets and Tudor series.

The White Queen was nominated for several awards including three Golden Globe Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards and a People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Movie/Miniseries. Gregory’s newest entry is all about Elizabeth Woodville, told in her voice and with a few twists and turns. The history of the women of the period has been very neglected because of this emphasis on battles and thus the male leaders. Aided and abetted by the raw ambition and witchcraft skills of her mother Jacquetta, Elizabeth seduces and marries, in secret, reigning king Edward IV, of the family of the white rose, the House of York. An application for support has also been submitted to the Media Fund of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF).

Katherine of Aragon and her two sisters-in-law, Margaret and Mary Tudor, are uniquely bonded in more ways than one.

This one picks up with Jacquetta’s daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, who secretly marries the newly crowned king and creates an uproar in the court. Sam Wollaston of The Guardian praised the characters, suggesting Janet McTeer (Jacquetta) stole the show. Wife number four only lasted 16 months, so when the king commands Kateryn Parr to marry him, she knows to expect danger. To make the actors age the make-up and hair is ‘dulled’ down to make their faces look almost tired on camera - rather than what is usually applied to ‘brighten’ faces for TV.When she is raised up to be his queen, the English court is outraged, but Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for her family’s dominance. Production Designer Martyn John’s highlight was designing and building the Palace of Westminster – when do you ever get to design a palace? Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. Her background as a descendant of a family who claim to be related to a goddess was enough to have me absolutely enchanted straightaway.

Elizabeth makes some questionable moral choices, such as standing silently by while her husband and his brothers murder Henry IV and knowingly putting a page boy in harm’s way by sending him to the Tower in place of her son. Isabel sides with George; her only friend is the King's youngest brother, Richard, who eventually snatches Anne from Clarence's grasp and marries her. Margaret Beaufort tries to increase her power by re-marrying to one of King Edward's closest advisers, Thomas Stanley.As long as there are other claimants to Edward’s throne, the profound rivalries between the two families will never be laid to rest.