All the Inaccuracies in The Spanish Princess
How the show twists, redefines, and undermines history.
(You’ve probably bought my books by now if you’re going to, but the digital ones are half off through Draft 2 Digital’s JULY SALE!)
I don’t know about you, but historical dramas playing fast and loose with actual events kinda… ticks me off. Mostly because these were real people and they deserve better than to have some modern writer put beliefs into their mouths they would not have agreed with, or has them act in ways they would consider atrocious, or slanders them. True, they’re dead and no longer care, but I still do.
And I will defend Margaret Pole, Catherine of Aragon, and Margaret Beaufort to the bitter end!
I have done it. Suffered through all 16 episodes of The Spanish Princess, painstakingly writing down every historical inaccuracy, no matter how big or small (okay, I let a few minor things slide). Because I care. Because I’m a history dork. Because it’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. Sometimes I just nitpick, and other times, I go into why this sticks out like a sore thumb, how it is wrong, or what they actually believed at the time. (Stuff like… Catherine would not need to be told that her daughter could be queen; what it meant to lie to your confessor; and I can’t believe I have to explain why a Spanish girl wouldn’t be seeking an abortion in 1510.)
Some of these were posted last week when the new site went live, but here’s the entirety of the second season! I may tackle something unique next, like how the movie Mary Shelley turns Percy into a drunkard and a jerk (he was neither). If you have any requests (“Charity, please rip apart this historical drama and tell me what it gets wrong!”) let me know, otherwise I will do my own thing…
Here is the full tag, and if you want individual links…
The Spanish Princess Season 2, Episode 1: Public Meltdowns & Political Myths
Season 2 opens with political betrayal, emotional upheaval, and royal tragedy, but how much...
The Spanish Princess Season 2, Episode 2: Armor, Ambition, and Absurdity
Episode 2 dramatizes Catherine of Aragon’s role at the Battle of Flodden, but how...
The Spanish Princess, Season 2, Episode 3: A Deep Dive into Tudor Pain and Politics
In Episode 3 of The Spanish Princess, grief takes center stage as Catherine of...
The Spanish Princess Season 2, Episode 4: Mistresses, Missteps, and Margaret
In Episode 4 of The Spanish Princess Season 2, titled “The Other Woman,” Henry...
The Spanish Princess, Season 2, Episode 5: Plague, Lies, and Historical Mistruths
In Episode 5 of The Spanish Princess, the court battles a deadly outbreak while...
The Spanish Princess, Season 2, Episode 6: Catherine of Aragon’s Forgotten Feminism
In Episode 6 of The Spanish Princess, Henry and Catherine dazzle in a summit...
The Spanish Princess Season 2, Episode 7: Torture, Treason, and Twisted Timelines
As Catherine’s fertility struggles continue, her faith becomes both a refuge and a battleground....
The Spanish Princess, Season 2, Episode 8: Fiction, Betrayal, and the Butchering of Catherine’s Legacy
The Spanish Princess Season 2 finale rewrites Tudor history in its portrayal of Catherine...
Until next time, dear history loving readers! ❤ Charity
Going to start on you The Spanish Princess series. I'd love to read your thoughts on that "Mary Shelley" movie. Totally get what you mean. It's like the writers and historians don't even try. I have the same issue with historical novels about real life historical figures. Just infuriates me!