Original subtitles

Previously on The Spanish Princess...

The time to strike is now.

The queen carries my son,

as I shall carry the banner of England into France.

Invade ? You can't possibly. We have a treaty with England.

Scotland has an even older one with France.

And you declare war on my family ?

England is a land of women and children in our army's absence.

Someone must defend them.

Advance !

The baby comes.

You have taken from me the father of my two sons.

Your sister Meg is grieving.

My sister Meg reigns over Scotland. She should be glad.

She and her sons will keep their peace with us.

If you need to talk to somebody, I'm here.

He is a healthy baby boy, and he has a twin brother.

Nothing is more important than the king's heir.

Catherine ! Fetch a nurse !

THE SPANISH PRINCESS

It's a boy.

Catherine.

I know.

Even the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

cannot compare to one English orchard in summer.

I concede the point, Brandon.

The only view I remember in France

was the great sea of horses' asses as the French army retreated.

- At the first flash of English metal ! - His Grace led a brilliant attack.

I'll raise a toast to it.

The queen, too ? She had a victory ?

No, the queen had a loss.

Indeed. But now we must look to the future.

We must remember that peace is much less costly

to the royal purse than war.

The king has silenced France, Wolsey.

- He has won the war. - Yes, he has.

But now we must consider who our European allies are.

We are very clear who our allies are, chaplain.

Despite our grievances with Ferdinand, Spain remains our ally.

Your Grace, your father, Ferdinand, cannot be rewarded for his treachery.

That would make the king look weak.

As would making making terms with France.

Our people have been taxed to the hilt to fund the war with them.

We cannot make light of their sacrifice.

Nor maintain hostility for sentimental reasons.

We should dissolve Princess Mary's engagement to your nephew Charles

and instead match her with King Louis

to make our peace with France.

Did you catch syphilis from some French whore ?

Is this the fever talking ?

Wolsey...

I have worked tirelessly to maintain my nephew's betrothal to Princess Mary.

She's not a piece of meat to be thrown to French dogs.

Wolsey's doing this because...

I have failed to give the king an heir.

You will in time. The king has always been impatient.

He will not even look at me.

Am I being punished...

for the claim I made about my maidenhood ?

- You must never talk about that... - Is this why my boys are being taken ?

Catherine, you must stop this thinking. It will make you mad.

God finds me unworthy.

Meanwhile, Wolsey is placing himself in every part of our lives.

Not in every part, Your Grace.

Your influence over the king in certain areas is still solely your domain.

You are right.

I will make him look at me tonight.

Come, Henry.

I am impatient.

I am impressed at your discretion.

'Tis a great king who does not rise to provocation.

Who do you think was provoking me ?

The chaplain.

Wolsey is right.

Spain betrayed me.

Charles did not.

I'm exhausted now.

You will sleep better after we make love.

See how my hands are trembling ?

It has been so long, it feels like the first time.

You only get one first time, Catherine.

In some rare cases two, but you pay for it dearly.

It's a joke.

Come.

Catherine, you are unnatural.

What is more natural

than a man and woman married in the eyes of God making love ?

I can't be forced.

Then let me help you.

Go sit on the bed over there, turn your back to me.

Can you lift up your hair ?

Show me the nape of your neck.

- Am I disgusting to you ? - Don't look at me !

- It has nothing to do with you. - It has everything to do with me !

I am the only person in the world who can give you what you want.

So you do whatever you have to do so you can make love to me.

You put me off now.

Tomorrow, then.

Be ready tomorrow.

You know, Meg wrote to me.

Her two princes thrive.

EDINBURGH CASTLE, SCOTLAND

Our king is dead, and our son Jamie is not yet of age to succeed him.

God rest the king.

I will be regent until he is old enough.

The King of England backs me in this.

Your blodig brother ?

I have his word that as long as I'm queen, there will be peace.

Well, he says that now.

But what's to stop him riding up here, try to take Edinburgh ?

We should throw a wappinshaw to gather axes, staves, two-handed swords.

We do not need more weapons. The battle is over.

We at least need cannons to protect the castle.

- If the English take that, then... - Too late. Look who's on the throne.

James, James, come here, please.

My brother Albany must return from France.

He's next in line to the regency.

I am regent. I am queen.

Is it not enough that we could not protect our king ?

Is it not shame enough

that we were defeated by those shitey men ?

Well, now we must look to a woman.

An English woman.

The King of England has written to me that as long as I do not marry,

I will be regent until Jamie comes of age.

James, come here now.

Shh. Hush, now.

Thank you.

Hey, look at you, kissing English arsepiece...

Just like your father.

Get off me !

Leave him alone !

Get off him !

I appointed you to my council to work out how to bring peace,

and look at you, fighting like children.

Get out.

Get out !

Those children should be silent, as should their mother.

My children are not safe as long as these men will not be loyal to me.

Hey. Lady Pole.

Look at those boys.

Thomas and Barnaby.

Come in !

You are so kind to visit us.

Lady Pole.

That is for us ?

You are kind.

May I ?

How is the queen ?

She's recovered ?

I think so.

Are you well, Lina ?

I am not making enough milk for both of my sons.

And now what little there is is drying up.

Well, you should have a wet nurse, as I had.

We cannot pay this on a soldier's wages.

I wish I had the funds to help you, but I have no money of my own.

I am at the mercy of the Tudors.

Lina's boys have grown so much.

- Barnaby has learned... - Barnaby.

Such an English name.

Lina would love to see you.

Catherine, is it true ?

Am I to marry the King of France now ?

- This is a scheme of Wolsey's. - What has it to do with him ?

- France is our enemy. - The king will see no merit in it.

Listen to me.

Charles is heir to Spain and to the Holy Roman Empire.

Your marriage will make you the most powerful ally for England.

Trust your brother.

He is an excellent politician.

Thank you, Catherine.

Wolsey is a good politician, too.

I am better.

Your Grace, the priest is a poisonous weed

that twists about our throats.

The council feels that his influence upon the king has grown too great.

Rest assured, Lord Stafford, we will make no alliance with the French

based on the advice of an ambitious chaplain.

Chaplain Wolsey.

Your Grace.

Will you delight us today with more schemes

to ally England to her enemies ?

Wolsey is right.

I have decided to dissolve my sister's betrothal to Charles

and give her hand to Louis XII of France.

What ?

Your Grace, may I venture to ask how such an alliance benefits England ?

No, you may not ! You see, that's the problem with all of you.

You do not understand what benefits the working people of England.

This is my decision...

and it is God's will.

Of course, Your Grace.

An excellent...

Henry, make no mistake.

Wolsey's counsel is against me, and you are allowing it.

You are letting him humiliate me and...

- It is not personal to you ! - Yes, it's personal !

I went to war for this.

I lost a child to stop the Scots laying waste to England.

We have been in this fight together, Henry.

Do not throw it in my face and make my sacrifice for nothing.

So you admit it ?

You lost the child because you tried to be a man.

I was a woman...

fighting to protect our people.

Father, the alliance between Spain and England is now dead.

Charles and Princess Mary will not marry.

And it is all your doing.

King Louis has agreed to the match with Mary.

We must find a French proxy

so the betrothal service can be held at once.

We still have our prisoner from the Battle of the Spurs.

Excellent, Wolsey.

I'll have him made ready, Your Grace.

Thank you, Thomas.

I hope you are satisfied with your work...

because it doesn't just hurt Spain.

It hurts me, too,

and my place at the English court.

His mind is set, Mary.

We must make the best of it.

Mary has a Spanish prince or else a rich French king.

She's so lucky.

She is not lucky, Ursula, for she has no say in it.

The King of France is very old and French.

I would have him.

Ursula, marriage should be to someone you respect and find appealing.

I choose whomever the king suggests...

a man with power and high standing in the court.

A good match is not just about high standing.

It is, and that is what I want. I do not want to end up like you.

Sorry.

You are good, but we were starving

and in danger for so many years.

I want to know I will be safe.

Riches do not keep you safe.

They do. They will.

And when the king names a man for me to marry, I will take him.

- You are progressing very quickly. - What did you learn today, Reggie ?

We have been discussing Plato's theories of an egalitarian city-state.

He is making great progress, Lady Pole.

Thank you.

Come.

We promised we'd visit Lina and the babies.

On behalf of King Louis XII, monarch of the House of Valois,

will you take Princess Mary to be your wife ?

Yes.

Will you, Princess Mary, take King Louis...

No.

- Will you, Princess Mary... - No.

Gutsy, horse.

You tell my sister to oppose me,

and you don't think this the act of a traitor ?

- I did not tell her to do it... - Don't deny it.

This reeks of your interference.

I promise you. It was not my doing.

You are the only one in the court who would dare to defy me.

It is no secret I do not like this match for Mary,

but I bow to your will.

But you don't.

- You don't give me what I need. - I try, Henry !

We want...

- We need the same thing. - Then why is it so difficult ?

I am king !

And God is at my side !

How is it that I have no sons ?

I will bear you an heir.

I promise you.

Tell my sister that she's building a great pyre beneath her.

And I will not hesitate to throw a torch.

I have a letter for you from Lina.

She wants to show her boys to you.

I saw them.

They are ordinary children.

Your Grace, my daughter wishes to marry.

She would be wed for politics and status.

Then she is wise.

Perhaps you could entreat the king on my behalf

to suggest a viable match for her.

You should first ask the king to return your lands and money

so Ursula is an eligible proposition.

- I will do that. - But you should wait.

The king is in a foul temper with us all.

Especially me.

Thank you.

Dearest sister Catherine,

you are a queen who inspires loyalty in your people.

How can I make my own people accept me ?

Help me, Catherine.

From your sister Margaret, Queen of Scotland.

My queen.

Forgive me.

There is nothing to forgive.

I am so sorry for your loss.

Your father was kind.

My son was fascinated with his beard.

It was a fine beard.

It was.

Have you had any more dreams ?

I'm afraid to go to sleep in case I do.

I don't want to know who dies next.

In my dreams, I'm still on the battlefield.

I'd not killed a man before Flodden.

I came home with his blood on my face like some hero.

I keep waking up with the smell of it.

There is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war.

Is that Thomas More ?

You know his work ?

Of course.

He is in the English court and a favorite of my brother's.

Everything good comes out of England.

Love rules without rules.

That's my favorite line of his.

Love rules without rules.

I should leave you to your prayer.

My prayer is always the same.

Show me how to help my people.

I struggle to hear the answer.

If I may...

I have found comfort in giving bread to the poor.

To see their simple smiles and to give them respite from hunger

is enough to silence my own demons.

For a moment at least.

Lady Pole.

Catherine asked me to bring two wet nurses,

one for each child.

Catherine will not come ?

It is hard for her, Lina.

You have the things she wants most.

But this is her gift to you.

You have a great appetite this evening, Henry.

I was hawking with Stafford.

I could think of no more affairs of state.

- I had to get out. - I would like to come with you.

- Chaplain Wolsey. - Forgive my lateness.

I was christening the new child

of one of your loyal subjects.

You did not feel called to become a butcher like your father, Wolsey ?

My calling is to serve God.

Providing meat to hungry people also serves God, surely.

God wills me to His service.

And to offer His counsel to the king.

Tell me, Wolsey, what is God's will for me ?

Does He love me ?

God challenges His kings because He loves them

the way a father loves his son...

the way you would love your own son if you had one.

When.

It is not a question of if, chaplain.

God tests our faith at times, but, Your Grace,

He finds no fault with you.

And my sister Mary ?

- Does He find fault with her ? - I will pray for her.

That she finds the humility to follow God's will.

Thank you, Wolsey.

Your counsel gives me much comfort.

It will be rewarded.

I shall appoint you Archbishop of York.

Thank you, Your Grace.

And thank you, chaplain,

for the comfort you give my husband.

I will pray for you also,

for I know you would also do well to find the humility to follow God's will.

Your Grace.

He can't make me.

Everything you have is at his pleasure, Mary.

If he will not bend, then you must.

We must do his bidding.

My whole life I have been taught to despise the French.

I know their duplicity and cruelty.

Before I came to England, I was told that the English never washed.

It is a little true. I hate bathing.

I was also told the English had no fighting spirit.

That they were corpulent and crass and didn't educate their women.

But I have found my family here.

If there is another war, we will be enemies.

What if you were to have your own choice next time, Mary ?

What if the king agreed that if Louis were to die,

then you could choose your next husband for yourself ?

That still means I must wed him. Louis is old and fat.

Precisely.

He is old...

and fat.

You're slow today, Charlie.

My king.

I have good news.

- Well ? - Your sister Mary will do as you ask.

She is willing to renounce her betrothal to Duke Charles of Burgundy

and marry King Louis.

- She has only one small condition. - No conditions.

Should Louis die,

then she would have the liberty to choose her next husband for herself.

Otherwise you will have months of argument,

and perhaps Louis will grow tired of waiting and take a different wife.

And your French alliance would be lost.

Very well.

It is good news, isn't it, Henry ?

No, the only good news would be a son.

My sister Meg.

In London, Wolsey goes from strength to strength.

He is beatified in your brother's eyes

and has been made Archbishop of York.

He fails to hold the English court in thrall,

but he has the King's love.

Honor is heaped upon him while I fall from my husband's grace.

I have little to say in this moment of my life...

about how to win loyalty.

I am at war myself...

trying to stay in the world,

endlessly fighting this grief.

I lost the child whom I was carrying

when we last stood face-to-face.

Perhaps you have heard.

You sent for me ?

I want you to show me what it is like.

Take me to my people, Angus.

Let us do charity together.

I know one day I will return from this.

In the meantime, I must play at being a queen.

I must play at living an enviable life.

I must pretend at strength.

I must be someone who can be admired, when in truth I feel nothing but shame.

I must be seen to be pious...

...a good Christian

and a good wife,

but I do not feel good.

Allow your queen to pass.

There are times when I want to scream.

But I know that if I did, I would never stop.

I would rage against God,

against my own body...

and against my own helplessness.

Life does not feel worth living to me.

I know what love and pleasure look like...

...but I cannot remember how they feel.

If I let myself cry,

I am afraid it will tear me to pieces.

It would be such a joy to feel.

Then at least I would know I am still alive.

Oh bury me 'neath The bracken bush

That grows Near yonder breer

Let never A living mortal ken

That Douglas he lies here

They've lifted up That noble lord

A salt tear in their e'e

I hereby renounce my betrothal to Charles of Burgundy.

I choose instead to marry King Louis XII of France.

I do so of my own volition

and am in all things ever ready to obey the king's good pleasure.

Thomas.

Perhaps your daughters might attend my sister as her ladies,

as we journey to France for the wedding.

Mary, Anne, the king honors us all.

For once we may travel without fear of invasion.

Well, my own sister Meg rules the enemy on our doorstep.

But Stafford will mind England in my absence.

Just keep my throne warm for me, old friend.

Horse.

Are you coming to France to see me wed, Charlie ?

I have responsibilities I must attend to here.

What responsibilities ?

I am to be betrothed to my ward, Elizabeth.

- She is only eight years old ! - We will not wed until she's of age.

But she brings the title Viscount Lisle,

and the king would have me take it, so...

Oh, Charlie,

the ladies of the court will all be devastated.

Thank you for your sympathy, horse.

So we are both to marry people of the wrong age.

Then I must say good-bye to you here.

Go well.

You too, Charlie.

My Queen, the crowds were growing outside.

We had to let them through.

- I will talk to them. - It's too late for talk.

They're about to riot.

You look after the children.

Where is our king ?

Where is our king ?

Where is our king ? Where is our king ?

Where is our king ?

Where is our king ?

Scotland is not a headless state !

I am head of state.

- I know you are angry. - Where's our king ?

I am angry, too.

You are grieving for your king.

So am I.

You are grieving for your sons...

and husbands.

We have all lost our own.

You, clan leaders who have come to Edinburgh,

go home to your communities. Lead your people.

Organize a great feast

in remembrance of those who did not return.

Gather together.

Do not walk alone. 'Tis...

It is too much grief for a single heart to bear.

Teach your sons and daughters to cry if they need to cry.

Not hidden behind closed doors...

with their heads held high.

We are not ashamed of our grief.

We loved our children,

our fathers, our sons, and our friends.

We loved our king,

and that is why now we grieve.

Oh, bury me 'neath The bracken bush

That lies by yonder breer

Let never A living mortal ken

That Douglas he lies here

They've lifted up That noble lord

With a salt tear In their e'e

They've buried him 'Neath the bracken bush

That his merry men Might not see

I hate the sea. I hate it.

Are you quite well, Archbishop ?

Princess Mary looks terrified.

She should be, when marriage is a political game.

What do you think marriage should be, Lady Pole ?

I believe marriage can be a true union.

You are romantic.

All creatures crave union. There's nothing fanciful about it.

It is more natural than the machinations of court.

I was lucky with my husband.

My marriage to Richard was arranged, but...

it was love.

Alice, who you met, she's my second wife.

She's a very good mother to mine and Jane's children,

and I am very grateful to her for that, but marriage is not to her taste.

She favors a cold bed.

Do you believe that true union is possible more than once in a lifetime ?

I do.

Yes, perhaps when one has given up all hope of love...

one meets a friend who seems to share one's own soul...

...and whose beauty and grace make a folly of all but the truest union.

He is 500 years of age.

You have steel, Mary. You are strong enough for this.

I present Princess Mary of England.

May your marriage yield a union that is peaceful and powerful

between our two great nations.

Princess, your portrait did you an injustice.

The shine of your hair is like the back of a raven.

Congratulations on your marriage.

Mary, you look beautiful.

Albany ! A Scot in France !

Well, you were ever in each other's beds.

Would you rather I was back in Edinburgh,

taking the regency from your sister ?

I have the right if I should choose it.

I am next in line.

When I dreamed of conquering France and winning peace for England,

the dreams were always full of blood.

I never imagined there'd be wine and music.

Your Grace, may I...

I wish to ask...

would you return my land and titles to me ?

Forgive me. It is not for my sake.

I'm sorry. The queen said it was not the best time to ask.

- I should have listened... - Why is it not the best time ?

Because you are not at your happiest, Your Grace.

Aunt Maggie, it would give me pleasure to return what my father took from you.

Your earldom, Countess of Salisbury.

And I'll afford you a modest income.

Thank you, Your Grace. I did not think...

But it is time that you remarry.

What ?

I am not ready.

Well, I'd be more inclined to give you back the earldom

if I knew you were safe from fortune hunters.

But I do not wish to remarry.

I only ask for my title to ensure a good match for my daughter.

She has asked for your suggestion.

Young Henry Stafford. He's set to inherit Buckinghamshire.

- He'll have her. - Perfect choice, Your Highness.

Thank you, Your Grace.

And might I suggest William Compton for you ?

Your Groom of the Stool ?

I do not have any feelings for Sir William.

Well, he feels very warmly towards you.

We spend a lot of time together.

He never misses an opportunity to speak your name.

He's particularly taken

with how the color in your neck rises when you're embarrassed.

I will think on it.

Yes, think on it and agree.

Thomas More tells me that your son Reggie

displays a leaning for the priesthood.

I'll support his education. He'll be sent away to Oxford.

And enjoy the evening, Lady Aunt.

Henry Stafford. The king says Henry Stafford.

I'll take him.

See first if you feel well around him.

There are certain feelings required for a man and woman...

I know about the shaking of the sheets, Lady Mother.

Princess Mary talks about it all the time.

She is dreading it.

- But you do not need to dread it. - I don't.

It will not play a part in my decisions.

I will tell Henry Stafford that I want him.

May I be the first to offer my congratulations

to the Countess of Salisbury.

- I'm delighted for you. - Thank you, Sir William.

I'm most disarmed by the craftsmanship on the paneling in the great hall.

Countess...

would you do me the honor of looking at each panel with me ?

They really are endlessly distracting.

Of course.

Your Grace.

My king.

Do you think we can recover from this, Catherine ?

You and I ?

I want to.

I want it to be as it was before.

So do I.

But it can't be, Henry.

Why can't it ?

I stand here with a void in the middle of my body.

And you think God is punishing me, but I have done nothing wrong.

Come.

There is nothing wrong in what I ask for.

I need an heir so my throne is safe.

- I want this, too. - Without a son, I'm weak.

it's a sign that God does not bless me.

It makes my enemies brave.

I must live in fear of death more than any man

because that would leave the throne empty.

And my life is stopped while we try to make another child,

and it's choking me.

It chokes me, too, Henry.

I don't want to make love to you

because it's sad. It's just sad.

It used to be my greatest joy on Earth.

I know. I know.

Of all the battles,

everything I've seen, his little body bundled up like...

Don't you think I will give anything to have our son alive ?

I miss him.

His kicking.

And he had will Henry.

I could feel it in me.

I thought, "This boy will be just like his father."

- I wanted to see him in your arms. - Well, I wish you hadn't fought.

I wish that you had been a wife instead of a soldier.

But then I'd be someone else.

And you want me, Henry.

- I don't. Not now. - Don't lie.

You've always wanted me.

And, Henry, I want you so badly.

Oh, my sweet English girl

sitting there all alone.

My love.

Ma femme.

You are...

a little afraid maybe ?

You are blessed.

It is better to lie with an older man the first time.

I will try not to hurt you.

Everything has changed since you stood before us.

You healed everyone with your sweet voice, my queen.

I didn't think it was possible to make a whole country cry.

- It's because of you. - No.

You...

showed me the world outside.

You are the greatest queen Scotland's ever known.

I mean, that's what people are saying about you.

Are they ?

They're saying how brave you are

and how you don't favor one clan over another and...

Your eyes.

Sorry. I don't know what came over me.

I kissed you.

I do believe Charlie Brandon is what God intended Adam to be.

He's perfect in every way.

I have seen him without his shirt brandishing a sword.

Be quiet, Bessie.

If you love a man's body, it is not to share with everyone you speak to.

Your Grace, may I speak with you ?

Lina told me what you did at Flodden.

I know you are brave.

So I ask you humbly, Highness...

I will go and see her and the children.

Highness...

I have missed you!

I have been waiting for you here.

- Have done something wrong ? - No, I...

She's here now, Lina.

Her Grace is here now.

He's so fat.

Now he is.

Thank you.

Do you want to hold him ?

Come.

Hola, mi cielito.

I am sorry I could not come before.

I wanted to.

I am sorry for the loss of your son, Highness.

Everything died for a while.

Everything in me was so cold.

And between me and Henry...

Is it better now ?

Yes.

I think we have found each other again.

I betroth you to one another.

We are strong, Archbishop.

And none shall come between us.

SOME HISTORICAL EVENTS AND CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN ALTERED