This series strays farther from real history than it's predecessor The White Queen, and is generally not as well-written.
Every single major character in this series really existed. But there are many historical inaccuracies, including some that are very degrading to the memory of real historical people.
1) Henry VII is seen choking and striking his mother, but in reality he was very devoted to her and would never harm her.
2) Perkin Warbeck and Margaret Gordon's baby is murdered on the order of Margaret Beaufort, but there is no historical record of the couple having had a baby.
3) The incest between Richard III and Lizzie which is frequently mentioned (especially in the first episode) very likely never happened. It is extremely unlikely that Elizabeth of York was in love with her uncle.
4) Margaret Beaufort, a very pious woman, never murdered Jasper Tudor by suffocating him with a pillow. He died of natural causes in his 60s.
5) The boy Henry VIII has a ceremony interrupted by Elizabeth Woodville as he is named Duke of York, but this ceremony took place years after Elizabeth died in 1492. Henry was just one year old when she died.
6) The Duchess of Burgundy was not arrested in London, it is very unlikely she was there at all when Warbeck was imprisoned and even more unlikely that Margaret Pole was delivering letters to her to aid in a revolt.
7) Warbeck and Edward were not executed on the same day.
8) Elizabeth of York was not much involved in politics, and was very likely much a less assertive person.
I've come to expect historical inaccuracies in movies and TV programs, but 1) to 4) listed above add nothing positive to the drama and in fact make it less realistic and less interesting.
On the positive side, the cast performed very well. Jodie Comer, Jacob Collins-Levy, Essie Davis, Caroline Goodall, Rebecca Benson and Michelle Fairley perform very well. And one of my favorite actors, Vincent Regan, was the perfect person to play Jasper Tudor.
Every single major character in this series really existed. But there are many historical inaccuracies, including some that are very degrading to the memory of real historical people.
1) Henry VII is seen choking and striking his mother, but in reality he was very devoted to her and would never harm her.
2) Perkin Warbeck and Margaret Gordon's baby is murdered on the order of Margaret Beaufort, but there is no historical record of the couple having had a baby.
3) The incest between Richard III and Lizzie which is frequently mentioned (especially in the first episode) very likely never happened. It is extremely unlikely that Elizabeth of York was in love with her uncle.
4) Margaret Beaufort, a very pious woman, never murdered Jasper Tudor by suffocating him with a pillow. He died of natural causes in his 60s.
5) The boy Henry VIII has a ceremony interrupted by Elizabeth Woodville as he is named Duke of York, but this ceremony took place years after Elizabeth died in 1492. Henry was just one year old when she died.
6) The Duchess of Burgundy was not arrested in London, it is very unlikely she was there at all when Warbeck was imprisoned and even more unlikely that Margaret Pole was delivering letters to her to aid in a revolt.
7) Warbeck and Edward were not executed on the same day.
8) Elizabeth of York was not much involved in politics, and was very likely much a less assertive person.
I've come to expect historical inaccuracies in movies and TV programs, but 1) to 4) listed above add nothing positive to the drama and in fact make it less realistic and less interesting.
On the positive side, the cast performed very well. Jodie Comer, Jacob Collins-Levy, Essie Davis, Caroline Goodall, Rebecca Benson and Michelle Fairley perform very well. And one of my favorite actors, Vincent Regan, was the perfect person to play Jasper Tudor.