THE SPANISH PRINCESS (S1E7) “All Is Lost”: Desperate Times

As we near the end of this season’s run of The Spanish Princess, you can bet that many questions will be left unanswered. While we are nearing the finish line, for all of our characters, the race is still on! Let’s not waste any time! And, we’re off!

Wheel of Fortune

Having felt the sting of Stafford’s rejection and subsequently miscarrying their baby, Rosa decides to return to Spain. She needs to see her family and doesn’t wish to shame Catherine any further. Catherine sends her off with her beloved compass, pondering whether it may lead Rosa back to them someday.

Maggie Pole’s life and luck keep getting worse. When her eldest son returns from a fruitless hunt, Maggie finds one egg in the chicken coop. Frustration leaves her mind momentarily, as she will be able to provide her family with at least one bit of food.  It returns once she drops the egg, breaking it.

Catherine writes to her father, Ferdinand of Aragon, imploring him to reason with Joanna to send over her dowry, citing her sister’s intention for her son Charles to marry Mary Tudor need not be the only source of preserving the alliance between Spain and England.

Little Mary Tudor is getting a formal gown made for her betrothal ceremony to Charles. Margaret Beaufort has a nice little chat with her granddaughter, telling her that she was around the same age when she was wed, so there isn’t anything to fear. Margaret wants the gown to have as much ornament as possible, as this marriage is for “God, King, and Country”.

Margaret rolls back outside, encountering Edmund Dudley, who has been carrying out Beaufort’s dirty work of collecting taxes owed to the Crown. He seems particularly pleased with his work, having fleeced Maggie Pole last week, yet Beaufort is not terribly impressed with his smarminess.

After Catherine has requested to see the King, she walks in to Margaret Beaufort, who all but dismisses her when she asks to see her son or grandson. Margaret pointedly replies that Harry has been sent away to marry Eleanor, Joanna of Castile’s daughter and Catherine’s own niece. Catherine protests,  claiming that Harry would not leave her. Margaret and Stafford break it to her that this double wedding between will solidify the alliance. Margaret tells her to graciously admit defeat, as she doesn’t have a place in England anymore. Stafford further stresses Margaret’s point.

Oviedo officially asks Lina to marry him and will not give her her ring until they actually wed. He admits he is now under the employ of Margaret Beaufort. That doesn’t not sit well with Lina, due to Margaret’s antagonistic relationship with Catherine. Oviedo basically says a job is a job. He was brought here, so he has to make the most of it. As her husband, he will be able to support her, thanks to Allah and the woman who pays him.

Catherine finds Henry where Oviedo said he would be, studying at his great table. He tries to be a bit softer to Catherine, but Harry has a new path to take. As the conversation progresses, Catherine says that if he’s happy, she’ll accept it and let him go.  Henry says that Catherine was born to be a queen, and in a last ditch effort, he throws his marriage proposal back on the table. She declines, and once again both realize that the other cannot replace their true loves. Margaret Beaufort busts up the party, ordering her guards to not let Catherine back in again. Margaret coldly remarks to Henry that Catherine can send her broken heart to her sister as a warning. There is still no word or any trace of Edmund de la Pool, which vexes her greatly.

While in the large chapel, Harry tells Margaret that he knows about the “double-stitched alliance”and has prayed about doing his duty to his country. Margaret tries to reason with her grandson how important it is to do what’s best for England. As for Catherine, Margaret says she will go back to Spain. Her attractiveness will allow her to find another match.

Speaking of prayer, Margaret finds Oviedo doing so and admits surprise as to his Muslim faith. She asks if Catherine knows of this and if he has anymore information on possible enemies. She gives Oviedo a pouch full of money for him to read any letter he comes across. She still knows there are still Yorks and their supporters around, and wants to quash them. She also gives him a Book of Hours (a personal religious prayer and devotion book) in which to learn the faith of the country he is in. She hopes he wishes to learn about this willingly, not under torture, as it was under Isabella.

A White Rose Without a Garden

A desperate Maggie Pole searches for help for her precarious situation. She takes her children to the covert meeting place of another cousin, George Neville, part of the impending York rebellion helmed by Edmund de la Pool. Maggie asks George to take in her sons. Proud to have his “whitest of roses” there with him, he asks if she will join the cause, which she refuses. He tells her that her son Reggie is too young to remain, and if she is unable to care for him, he may be housed within a nearby monastery, the Sheen Priory. Maggie knows that the monks at Sheen Priory are a silent order and cannot subject Reggie to that. George gives it one last shot for Maggie take up the cause, and again, she refuses. Her son Henry will stay, but the lioness threatens her cousin that if anything happens to him, she will kill him herself.

Oviedo and Lina continue to iron out differences regarding religion and their wedding, which Lina says must be of a Christian origin because they are in England. Oviedo is frustrated that he must keep his faith and the person who pays him a secret, but it’s fine that she ask him questions about Harry’s whereabouts because Catherine wants to know. Lina tells him that she’s doing it for her sake, because Catherine’s unhappiness puts a dark cloud over her own. Catherine asks Lina if Oviedo found Harry. Lina says he told her that Harry and Charles Brandon were no longer at court. Lina tries to reiterate that that is all he knows, but Catherine knows someone knows where he is, and is determined to find out. She asks two little girls if they’ve seen Harry. He’s gone and Thomas Boleyn also tells her she has no place in that country.

Catherine and Lina are sitting at their table at home. Catherine is talking a little smack about Boleyn, when Dudley comes knocking, informing Catherine that her rent is overdue. The rent has know gone up and Catherine knows that Margaret Beaufort is behind this. Time to pay up or get out. Now completely destitute, Maggie finds herself at Catherine’s doorstep. Catherine lets Maggie and her two little ones stay with her and Lina as long as they are there. Maggie tells Catherine that her own family can’t help them and their fortunes are now similar. Catherine feels responsible, as she put Maggie in the position to lie. Maggie admits that she almost gave her up to Margaret Beaufort, but couldn’t do it. She wasn’t 100% sure if Catherine had been with Arthur, and if she did, it was of no consequence now.  Catherine changes the subject to Harry’s wedding. Maggie is yet another person that tells her to give up and go back to Spain. Catherine is still stubborn and refuses to concede. After Maggie checks in on her sleeping children and thanks the ladies for letting them stay, Catherine goes off to her room to write a letter to Harry, telling him she is waiting for him to come back to her. Catherine has a spectacular nightmare, in which she dreams Harry has forsaken her for his kingdom and will take Eleanor as his bride.

Catherine gets a letter from her father with much news. Philip has died. Joanna went off the deep end. so he had to confine her and take the throne of Castile himself. He implores his daughter to defend his honor and he will send over her dowry.  Catherine and Lina ride over to the palace and ask Wolsey for an  audience with the King. If they want to know why de la Pool was not returned, she will tell them. Between Philip’s death, Joanna’s condition, and Charles’ young age preventing him from ruling, Ferdinand is back in power and Catherine is now his ambassador.  Margaret warns her that the marriages contracted cannot be broken, but Catherine points out that her niece and nephew are now her father’s responsibility and she is his proxy. He plans to pay her dowry, and Catherine knows they need this alliance to protect them from France. As the new ambassador, she will now take the former’s quarters. Henry tells her yet again that Harry is gone.

Taking It All Away

Maggie now has to break it to her younger son that they will be separated for a while. She has no choice but to give Reggie to the monks at Sheen Priory. Catherine tells Maggie that she has asked her father to find another match for her niece, so she still has a bit of time. Time has run out for Maggie and as she is ready to leave, Lina gives her a bit of money to help her, from herself and Catherine, invoking the memory of Arthur. Maggie points out how different everything would have been if Arthur lived.

Catherine’s belongings are confiscated by the Crown and she moves. Maggie brings Reggie to the monks at the Sheen Priory, while she and daughter, Ursula, will stay with the nuns at Sion Abbey. Both mother and son are heartbroken, but Maggie tries to reassure him that they will see each other. She gave him a poppet that he could take comfort in, to no avail. She walks away, uttering, “God grant me time to see all the Tudors dead”. She heads over to George’s hideaway and informs him that she’s written to de la Pool, pledging her fealty and is onboard in taking the Tudors down once and for all.

Margaret tells Catherine that in her new role, she must assist with the betrothal ceremony between Mary and Charles. During the conversation, Catherine observes that Margaret has a greater claim to the throne than either her son or grandson. She then decides to stick it to Margaret by telling her had it not been for her sex, she would have been the greatest queen in England.

In our final moments, the Yorkist plan is going into action, with Edmund de la Pool finally returning to England. Catherine takes the reins in Mary’s betrothal ceremony. After talking with Catherine about her husband-to-be in the large chapel, Mary tells her where she can find Harry. Taking comfort in the alliance being sealed and Edmund de la Pool finally being on English shores, Margaret states the other traitors will suffer, including Maggie Pole. Margaret has sent her army to ambush the Yorkists, and it looks like Maggie may be the next casualty of war.

In one scene, Joanna is shown calmly sitting and embroidering a black bird. Interestingly crows, ravens, and blackbirds are ominous birds, traditionally symbolizing impending doom or death. She gets a double dose of ill fate, as she loses her husband, her freedom, her queendom, and possibly her sanity. As for Maggie’s agonizing decision, it was customary in those days that when a family was unable to care for their children, they would “give them up to God”, as members of the clergy were among the wealthiest. Did you happen catch the name of the little girl Catherine talks to in the street? She gives her name as “Anne”. Yes, it was none other than Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary. Both sisters would be intertwined with Henry VIII, one as a mistress, one as a wife. The nightmare scene was beautifully shot and mesmerized me for those few minutes!

Join me this coming Sunday for the first season finale, as we learn what Catherine’s “Destiny” will be!

Will we see another wedding? Will Maggie Pole be restored to her birthright?