THE SPANISH PRINCESS (S1E8) “Destiny”: Long Live The (Soon-To-Be) Queen

We have come to the end of the line for the first season of The Spanish Princess! Catherine of Aragon came over to England from Spain to marry and become the queen, but life didn’t go according to plan.  Over these seven episodes, she married, lost her husband, lied about the consummation of her marriage, fell in love with her husband’s brother, got a marriage proposal from her father-in-law (twice) and fended off members of the family that tried their hardest to get rid of her.

In this final episode for season one, along with the viewers, Catherine finds out if it was all for naught! Let’s dish about “Destiny”!

Bathtubs Can Be Dangerous

Margaret Beaufort is quite satisfied with herself as she goes to her son and passes along info that Maggie Pole and a bunch of her cohorts have been arrested for treason and taken to the Tower of London. Henry discusses his next plan for their French enemies, including sending a posse to Kent, but he’s been feeling under the weather, with a cough that won’t seem to dissipate.

Oviedo is washing up when Lina approaches and they start bickering about Oviedo’s work as a “spy” and what has happened to Maggie. Oviedo states he may very well go to war in France with the rest of the troops, telling Lina that he only joined the army because she wouldn’t accept him and they could have had a different life if she weren’t so proud. Catherine asks if Maggie has been taken to the Tower and says to Lina that she must go to her and offer whatever help she can, plus she’ll try to write to Hatfield and find out if she can speak to Harry.

As Henry is trying to relax and have a nice bath, his mother is in the room talking about her new attachment to the parrot poached from Catherine. There is quite a comical moment when his mother comes barreling past the screen partition and sits down, causing Henry to quickly cover himself up with an embroidered white handkerchief. Henry chastised Margaret, but Mother thinks it’s no big deal; she held him as a baby. Not only are all their enemies apprehended, but Margaret may have found a new wife for her son. Henry also talks a bit about how both Elizabeth of York and her mother, Elizabeth Woodville, both supposedly had psychic powers. He gives a quick reminder that Elizabeth mentioned that if Harry were to marry Catherine, there would be no sons (and she was absolutely correct). As a result, Henry told his son he must marry Eleanor of Castile (Joanna’s daughter and Catherine’s niece). As Margaret continues talking about her pick for Henry, he coughs up blood, with the handkerchief covering his face getting saturated in it. In mere seconds, Henry VII perishes in his bathtub.

Maggie Pole and two of her children are brought to a cell in the Tower of London. They are housed separately, which will change.

Margaret is upset, and in a panic (and to bide her time) grabs William Compton, a Groom of the Stool (a servant specifically tasked with dealing with the King’s bodily excretions), to get him out of the tub and into his bed. As Henry is obviously deadweight, there’s a bit of a scramble. Compton inquires as to whether they should fetch the physician. Margaret tells Compton to eat the food Henry left behind, as a ploy to put poisoning as the cause. She then orders him to dress Henry and put him back into bed, claiming that her son had an upset stomach and needs to rest, with no one to disturb him. Compton knows Henry is dead and wonders why Margaret won’t announce it, but Margaret is hurriedly writing a letter. Compton scoops some of the bathwater with Henry’s bloodstained hanky in a bucket and races it outside, handing it off to Oviedo to dispose of. Margaret brings out her folded letter and orders it to be delivered to Harry. Oviedo speaks with John Blanke and tells him that before he leaves for war, he must make things right with Lina.

Back in Henry’s chamber, Compton has dressed him, and Beaufort orders him to send word to Dudley.

A Mother’s Work is Never Done

Over at the Tower, thanks to Catherine, Maggie, Henry, and Ursula are moved to a larger cell. Catherine promises that they will not be held for long. However, it’s the very one where Maggie’s brother, Edward Plantagenet, was held for many years before his execution. Maggie sees his name carved in the door. Maggie freaks out, but Catherine tries to reassure her. Maggie says that Catherine has no power; they are at the mercy of Margaret. She locked her brother in here and had two other boys executed (the famed Princes in the Tower). Catherine tells her to hang on, using a Spanish phrase from the previous episode: ¡Ya basta! (Hold fast!)

Oviedo finds Lina and Catherine and tells them he suspects the King is dead. As Margaret has sent word for Harry to return to London, and Catherine’s been banned from Westminster, Catherine decides to ride off and try to catch Harry before the letter gets to him. Oviedo offers to go with Catherine and Lina as protection.

Margaret is rifling through the cabinets to find the documents she and Dudley created to collect the exorbitant amounts of taxes and confiscated property on behalf of the Crown. As Parliament didn’t approve this method, everything they did was done illegally. Dudley shows up, accompanied by someone Margaret didn’t send for, Thomas Boleyn. As Margaret pushes the ledgers into Dudley’s hands so they can be disposed of, Boleyn takes a peek at them and pronounces the whole method as thievery. Yes, they were all aware that the Royal Treasury needed cash, but not through these tactics.  Margaret stresses that Harry must be back in the palace safely before the public learns of his father’s death, as there still could be a rebellion otherwise. Dudley offers to take the ledgers and documents to his home until Margaret tells him what to do with him. What of Henry?, asks Boleyn. Still holding on to power, Margaret says that the King sleeps until she says otherwise. Once the men leave, Margaret lies next to her deceased son.

While they rest for a moment, Oviedo asks Lina if she can put himself and their own family above Catherine.

Margaret addresses the Privy Council over the taxes/property confiscation issue, which causes an uproar amongst the men. Boleyn points out Margaret and Dudley’s involvement in the scheme.  Margaret throws Dudley under the bus, claiming he came up with the whole plan alone. She tells him the Dudley has all the evidence and that they must move quickly for a conviction.

Catherine and the rest have caught up to Harry, informing him of Henry’s passing and he subsequent ascension to the throne. As Maggie sits in her cell, she hears Dudley protesting his own arrest.

Catherine confesses her love to Harry and tells him that if she can’t love him as a wife, she’ll attempt to love him as a subject. Naturally, Henry professes his love and they all make ready to head back to Westminster. Maggie has carved the very phrase Catherine told her into the cell’s door. Dudley is still waiting for Margaret Beaufort to see him, but that’s not happening.

Dudley is dragged outside by palace guards, where Beaufort reads charges against him. Beaufort appointed herself judge and jury and brought over the executioner. As Stafford continues reading the charges, Dudley insists that he didn’t do anything wrong, before finally turning on Beaufort and pointing the finger back where it belongs, on her. Unfortunately, Dudley gets his immediate death sentence and goes right to the block. Dudley continues to protest until he realizes he’s taking the fall for Beaufort. He yells toward her and the rest of them and tells them where they can all go, using quite colorful language. We then see Dudley’s not-so-swift beheading.

A Done Deal

Catherine and Harry return to Westminster, where he is given his due reverence. He tells all in the courtyard that Catherine will be his wife and their queen before going inside to pay respects to Henry. Harry is brought up to speed about the Dudley situation. Margaret Beaufort sees her grandson and tells him that Eleanor has been summoned. Harry says that she can attend his wedding to Catherine. He then throws Dudley’s rapid arrest and execution back in his grandmother’s face. She says his father ordered it, but Harry knows Henry was already dead and Margaret was the culprit. When Harry asks Margaret about Maggie Pole’s crimes, Margaret points out that she was a traitor by writing to her cousin, Edmund de la Pool. Catherine tells Margaret off herself, claiming that if she could, Margaret would have gotten to her as well. After asking Harry to pardon Maggie as a wedding present to her, Margaret still protests that they haven’t gotten the papal dispensation. Catherine asks if the Pope has refused or is still deciding. Harry orders Maggie’s pardon and release.

We flashback as Margaret remembers her traumatic childbirth of Henry at the age of 13, being bounced around on bedsheets. Catherine goes to the Tower and fetches Maggie with a pardon and invitation to court. As Maggie happily leaves her cell, she touches her brother’s carving.

So, how did Catherine get to Harry so fast? Oviedo was riding with her, remember? Oviedo is Margaret’s latest victim of framing. Remember that Book of Hours that she gave to Oviedo last week? As Oviedo and Lina are sharing a warm moment, Margaret busts in with more soldiers claiming that that book was stolen from her. She has the guards search Oviedo’s stuff and of course he has it. Lina corners Margaret and tries to convince her of his innocence. Maybe she forgot she gave it to him? Margaret says she possibly may remember if Lina confesses that Catherine and Arthur did consummate that marriage. Lina is appalled and won’t, so Margaret says Oviedo will hang. Lina says she’ll tell Catherine, but Margaret tells the guards to seize her and throw her out. Lina admits that they did have sex. Margaret is satisfied, but wants Lina to wear everything on a cross. Backed against the wall, Lina does. Margaret got want she wanted and has the guards take her out anyway.

Lina runs to Oviedo and wants to marry him as soon as possible. Catherine is waiting for her.

Maggie has gone off to Sheen Priory to fetch Reggie and take him home, but he is so distressed, he lies in bed, despondent and unresponsive to his mother’s words. Maggie vows to return the next day.

Lina and Oviedo finally marry in the field near the soldier’s quarters, presided by both Muslim and Catholic clerics.

Harry is finally leading the Privy Council and asks Wolsey why he isn’t as fired up as the others. Wolsey plainly admits that he knew about the unfair levies, but said nothing because he wanted favor from Henry and Margaret Beaufort. Harry says he should hang them all. Margaret is proud of her grandson taking his true position, and he should start with the lying, whoring Catherine. Her lady (Lina) admitted it. Catherine lies to cover up her lie and Harry wants to see Lina and ask her himself. Harry flips out and yells at his grandmother to bring Lina to him.

Once the ceremony is over, the guards tie the noose around Oviedo’s neck and string him up. Lina is panicking and screaming, until Catherine and Harry race to the rescue and order Oviedo to be let down.  They find Margaret and tell her, accusing Margaret of arranging the type of torture that will get a quick confession. Margaret doesn’t care. She still says there will be no wedding. After all, there’s still no dispensation. A pained Oviedo tells Lina that in part of his job to read letters and report findings to Margaret, the Pope indeed gave his permission for the wedding weeks ago. Margaret has the letters. Harry and Catherine, with Lina nearby, finally corner Margaret and tell her they know the truth. They will marry, and Margaret will not attend.

Margaret tells her grandson that everything she’s done has been for him, that’s she’s been like a mother to him. They don’t care and walk away, leaving Margaret in her own misery. Margaret takes to her bed. Maggie Pole, now given a place in court, comes in her chamber. Maggie is there with all her children for the wedding, but Reggie remains mute. That’s Margaret’s last gift to her. Margaret asks for a drink of water, which Maggie gives her, despite how terribly Margaret treated her. Margaret still tries to stop the wedding and that she has to protect her family and everything she built, which falls on deaf ears.

As everyone prepares for the wedding, Catherine gets one last gift: a letter from Ferdinand stating that he withdrew the promise of Eleanor because Joanna claimed that she and Harry slept together.

Her health, life, and sanity fading, Margaret is haunted by the spirits of those two boys in the Tower that she had killed so that her son could nab his throne.  Margaret, that strong, inimitable force in all three miniseries, finally dies.

Finally, to close out this season, Catherine encounters Harry in the large chapel and asks him if it’s true he laid with her sister. He denies it, saying that she believes what her father and sister say, everything they fought for was for nothing. After the apology, Harry asks if she actually laid with his brother. We end the episode with Catherine of course, maintaining the pretense that she is a maid.

As always, I have some parting bits of history to share with you. While we all anticipate season 2 coming sometime in 2020, hopefully these tidbits are sure to tide you over until then. Reginald Pole became a Cardinal and the final Archbishop of Canterbury before Henry broke from the Roman Catholic Church. It was said that he remained quite bitter for much of his life due to his mother’s abandonment. Hopefully, we will get an adult Reggie in the next eight episodes! They are three women who are particularly important to both Henry VIII and Catherine’s stories, so I’m quite confident that they will be included in the cast of characters.

As for the two little girls in episode 7 were Anne and Mary Boleyn, obviously, we must have them as adults. Mary Boleyn was one of Henry VIII’s many mistresses, and everyone knows the role Anne played in the eventual divorce of Catherine and Henry, and the subsequent marriage of Henry and Anne.  She would go on to give birth to their only surviving child, Elizabeth, while Henry’s only surviving child with Catherine, Mary, was bastardized. Once Anne Boleyn was executed, Henry moved on to wife number three, Jane Seymour. Jane would finally deliver what Henry wanted, a legitimate son and heir, Edward. Once that little boy was born, Elizabeth was also cast aside and bastardized.

Elizabeth Blount was another mistress who would give birth to a son. As the only surviving child by Catherine was a girl, this child was claimed by Henry VIII and named Henry FitzRoy (son of the king), probably because it proves he was able to father a male. FitzRoy may have been acknowledged as a child of Henry, and styled as a Duke, yet he was not to be included in the line of succession.

I do hope they bring back Alba Galocha as Joanna (Juana) of Castile next season!  While her actions were a misguided display of love, Margaret Beaufort’s ruthlessness was thanks, in part, to Harriet Walter‘s amazing performance. Hopefully, she will receive some type of accolade in the coming months! While both Charlotte Hope and Ruairi O’Connor are reprising their roles, if they happen to age the characters and thus cast older actors, I’m partial to having Alex Kingston play the older Catherine of Aragon.  Not only would she be near the age Catherine was when Henry decided to divorce her, but she shares quite a resemblance with Hope.

So now I bid farewell to all you goodly people. Thank you to all of you for hanging out with me for these eight weeks. I hope you enjoyed my recaps as much as I enjoyed writing them! Thank you to Emma Frost and Matthew Graham for giving us yet another amazing program! We are all anxiously awaiting the next round!

There is one special note that I must share with you. Not only was this my final recap of The Spanish Princess, but my final article for Film Inquiry. As the torch can now be passed to the next writer that may choose to pick it up, I want to give a hearty thank you to Manon, Kristy, Stephanie, and all of the other brilliant writers and editors of Film Inquiry. They gave me a great opportunity and as I depart, I know my time here has truly made a difference. All of them are passionate and knowledgeable about film and television and extremely talented in writing about it. Be sure to keep following their work!

As for my next adventure, I can best describe it in the immortal words of Catherine of Aragon, ¡Ya basta!

What were your favorite moments on The Spanish Princess? What do you hope will be shown in the second season?