Synopses & Reviews
From #1
New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (
USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory comes the remarkable story of Katherine of Aragon, Princess of Spain, daughter of two great monarchs, and eventual Queen of England when she marries the infamous King Henry VIII.
Daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, Katherine has been fated her whole life to marry Prince Arthur of England. When they meet and are married, the match becomes as passionate as it is politically expedient. The young lovers revel in each other’s company and plan the England they will make together. But tragically, aged only fifteen, Arthur falls ill and extracts from his sixteen-year-old bride a deathbed promise to marry his brother, Henry; become Queen; and fulfill their dreams and her destiny.
Widowed and alone in the avaricious world of the Tudor court, Katherine has to sidestep her father-in-law’s desire for her and convince him, and an incredulous Europe, that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated, that there is no obstacle to marriage with Henry. For seven years, she endures the treachery of spies, the humiliation of poverty, and intense loneliness and despair while she waits for the inevitable moment when she will step into the role she has prepared for all her life. Then, like her warrior mother, Katherine must take to the battlefield and save England when its old enemies the Scots come over the border and there is no one to stand against them but the new Queen.
Review
"In her addictive new novel, [Gregory] turns her eye to Katherine of Aragon, a princess who became Queen of England all by dint of a well-kept secret." Marie Claire
Review
"Gregory's story is as ambitious as its main character...." Entertainment Weekly
Review
"Gregory makes the broad sweep of history vibrant and intimate." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"...Philippa Gregory never disappoints...[R]iveting....[T]his is a beautifully written book that will transport, entertain and amuse anyone with an interest in history..." BookReporter.com
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Virgin's Lover, this enthralling new novel answers one of history's most intriguing questions: What lay behind Katherine of Aragon's enormous, history-changing lie?
Synopsis
I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England.
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents the crusading King and Queen of Spain have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.
Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.
Synopsis
"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England." Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.
Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.
Synopsis
"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England."
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.
Set in the rich beauty of Moorish Spain and the glamour of the Tudor court, The Constant Princess presents a woman whose constancy helps her endure betrayal, poverty, and despair, until the inevitable moment when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory against Scotland.
About the Author
Philippa Gregory is the author of several bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool, and The Virgin's Lover. A writer and broadcaster for radio and television, she lives in England.
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide The Constant Princess
Philippa Gregory
Introduction
Katherine of Aragon (also known as Catalina) has known her destiny since childhood: to wed Prince Arthur of England. The daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, 16-year-old Katherine leaves behind her beloved home to forge a new life in a foreign land and take her place as Princess of Wales and, ultimately, Queen of England.
To Katherine's surprise, her marriage to Arthur is a passionate love match as well as a political union. As the Prince and Princess of Wales, they eagerly plan for their future reign -- until tragedy strikes five months into their marriage. Arthur falls ill, and before he dies the young prince extracts a vow from his wife. She is to marry his brother, Harry, and become Queen of England. She is to rule England in Arthur's stead, fulfilling their dreams and her destiny. But to take the throne, Katherine must deny her true love and tell the world that she and Arthur never consummated their marriage.
The Constant Princess is the story of a young girl who was raised to be a queen, the lengths to which she goes to fulfill a deathbed promise, and the crucial lie that changed the course of history.
Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. The novel opens in Granada, Spain, as five-year-old Catalina witnesses her parents, Isabella and Ferdinand, conquer the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain. What does this chapter reveal about Catalina, as well as about her mother and their relationship? In what ways did having this portrait of Catalina as a child help you better understand some of her later decisions and motivations?
2. "I did not expect [Arthur] to be so handsome! He is so fair and slight, he is like a page boy from one of the old romances" (34). Why does Catalina's romantic view of Arthur disintegrate after their wedding? How does their journey to Ludlow Castle -- and their first evening there when Catalina acquaints Arthur with some of the customs of her homeland -- become the turning point in their relationship?
3. On his deathbed, Arthur asks Catalina to marry his brother and rule England in his place. What prompts Arthur to ask this of Catalina? Does Catalina promise Arthur for his sake or for her own? How does she justify telling the lie that makes it possible for her to wed Harry?
4. After Arthur's death, Lady Margaret Pole suggests that perhaps God wills that Catalina accept her fate as Dowager Princess. "He does not," Catalina responds. "I shall insist on what is mine. I know what is my duty and what I have to do" (164). Why is Catalina so certain that it's God's will she become Queen of England? Is this conviction a result of her faith, her upbringing, or something else?
5. How is Catalina used as a political pawn by her parents? What is your opinion of Isabella of Spain, both as a monarch and as a mother? How about King Ferdinand?
6. While at Ludlow Castle, Arthur and Catalina make plans for their future reign as king and queen of England. "You are a tactician," Arthur tells Catalina during one of their conversations. "I wish to God I had your childhood and knew the things you know" (129). What tactics did Catalina learn as the child of two powerful monarchs? How does she put these skills to use in her rise to the throne?
7. When it's realized that Catalina is not pregnant with Arthur's child, her mother sends an emissary to escort her home to Spain. Why does Catalina, who was raised knowing it's a princess's duty to obey her parents, defy her mother and remain in England? Why is it so important to her that she not return to Spain? Are her reasons more political or personal?
8. Why does Catalina first accept King Henry VII's marriage proposal and then refuse him? The king vows that Catalina "will regret the day she tried to lead me on as if I were a lovesick boy" (230) and exacts revenge by a false betrothal to Harry. When does Catalina realize that she is being used as a pawn in the king's scheme? Does she have any recourse other than to remain a "constant princess" for six years?
9. On his deathbed, King Henry tells Harry that the young man is free to marry whomever he chooses. Why does Harry decide to honor his betrothal and marry Catalina? What actions does Catalina take to make Harry want to marry her? What is the significance of Catalina changing her name to Katherine when she becomes queen?
10. How does Katherine usurp power from the king's grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, and then, "slowly but surely," draw the "management of the entertainments, then of the household, then of the king's business, then of the kingdom, into her hands" (286)? How much control does Katherine eventually come to have over the kingdom?
11. On two occasions Katherine consults in secret with Yusuf, a Moorish physician. What does she come to realize about Yusuf during their clandestine meetings? How about the Moors in general and her mother's treatment of them in Spain? How does this realization impact her later decision not to lay waste to Scottish lands after she defeats them in battle?
12. Describe Katherine and Henry's marriage. How is the age difference (Henry is six years Katherine's junior) a factor? How does Katherine's first confinement -- for what turns out to be a false pregnancy -- change their relationship and her standing in the court?
13. "I have no tears for the husband who is going away because he has left me with everything that I have ever wanted (374)," Katherine says when Henry sets sail to face combat in France. In what ways is this a triumphal moment for Katherine? Later, on the brink of going to war with Scotland, why does Katherine refer to the impending battle as "the moment of my destiny" (375)?
14. Sixteen years after her historic victory over the Scots, Katherine is summoned to face another battle -- a fight against the dissolution of her marriage during a papal legate sitting. Why, even under this intense scrutiny, does Katherine remain steadfast in her lie that she was a virgin when she married Henry? What final impression does this scene give you of Katherine of Aragon?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. When King Henry VIII defeated Richard III on the battlefield at Bosworth, a succession of Tudor monarchs then ruled England. Aside from Henry VIII, they included Mary I (Katherine of Aragon's daughter) and Elizabeth I (Anne Boleyn's daughter). Find out more about the royal Tudors at www.tudorhistory.org.
2. The Alhambra Palace, Katherine of Aragon's home before journeying to England, is in Granada, a city located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in southern Spain. Learn more about the town and the palace at www.andalucia.com/cities/granada and www.alhambradegranada.org.
3. In The Constant Princess, on the evening of their arrival at Ludlow Castle, Katherine shares with Arthur some of the traditions and customs of her homeland, one of which is serving tapas, small portions of food on individual plates. More than 70 tapas recipes can be found at www.tienda.com/recipes/recipes.html, along with ideas for main courses, soups, salads, and desserts. Recipes for various kinds of sangria, a Spanish punch, can be found at www.spain-recipes.com/sangriarecipe.html.
4. Philippa Gregory's own website Philippa Gregory.com welcomes visitors to the readers group and to read about the background of the books including this one. See also Philippa's account of her trip to Granada and other travel journalism. She also joins the readers group for discussion of the books.
Author Q&A
1. In the Author's Note, you mention that The Constant Princess was one of your "most fascinating and most moving novels to write." How so? What first sparked the idea to write a story about Katherine of Aragon?
I admired the Katherine of the historical record when I was researching for The Other Boleyn Girl. Her courage and determination when she was neglected and then abused by her husband Henry and his lover Anne was striking, and her courage in survival was moving. I knew then that I would want to write both about her and her daughter Mary. I wrote about Mary in The Queen's Fool and knew I would want to write about her mother.
2. In your previous novel, The Other Boleyn Girl, Katherine of Aragon is a peripheral character. At the time you wrote that novel, how much did you know about the first wife of Henry VIII?
I think, like many people, I became familiar with Katherine after her arrival in England so I knew a little about her life with Henry and then a good deal about the divorce and the start of the Reformation. What I didn't know until I came to research for this novel was the history of Spain, her parents, and of Katherine as a Spanish princess, the daughter of a newly-united kingdom. That has been fascinating.
3. How has history remembered Katherine of Aragon? How do historians account for the question of whether or not she and Arthur consummated their marriage?
I think Katherine is one of the most provocative characters of the period, readers feel very strongly either in favour of Anne Boleyn or in favour of Katherine, and historians throughout the centuries have tended to take sides also. In general, people tend to remember Katherine as the old wife replaced by the young and glamorous lover, and it has been a great joy to write a book which shows Katherine in her youth: as the young and glamorous princess that she was.
As regard the consummation question, it is fascinating to see how historians have tried to believe Katherine's version of events. She was highly regarded by the Victorian historians who tended to believe that a woman so spiritual could not tell a lie. The actual events - the public bedding, and the records of the time, suggest without doubt that the marriage was consummated. It says much for her personal charisma that she could state the contrary and people should believe her at the time, and that her lie should carry weight for centuries. I think most modern historians now believe that the marriage was consummated but as far as I know, I am the first to tackle the question of why she should tell the lie.
4. Why did you choose to structure the book as you did -- ending with Katherine's victory over the Scottish and then jumping forward in time sixteen years to the concluding scene in which she attends the papal legate sitting? What parallels can be drawn between these two pivotal moments in Katherine's life?
I didn't want to go into the years of Katherine's defeat, partly because I have dealt with that period in The Other Boleyn Girl, and partly because I wanted to present a new picture of Katherine: as the woman she was when she was in her prime, at her ascendant. I thought that the battle of Flodden was the fulfillment of her education and destiny, and that her walking into court to defy Henry showed her at her greatest moment of personal power. I wanted to honour those two moments of triumph for her. I do believe that the moment in court when she stood up to Henry and he, with every reason to defeat her, could not even speak, is a real pivotal moment in Tudor history.
5. You mention in the Author's Note that you took a trip to Granada, Spain, to research aspects of Katherine's background and homeland. What can you tell us about this trip? What was your most memorable experience? In what ways did having this first-hand knowledge bring color to the novel?
I went to Ludlow Castle as well! Perhaps less glamorous than the Alhambra Palace but both of them gave me a powerful idea of what it would have been like to have lived there at the time. As a novelist I have to have a real sense of the place as it was, and there is nothing better than going there in person. I can't pick out one memorable experience over another, the beauty of the building and the gardens was quite overwhelming, but I was also delighted to go to the cathedral in Granada and see a statue of Isabella. I was very moved by the realistic image of her, and I wanted to give a fair portrait of her and her daughter.
6. Prior to The Constant Princess, you wrote about Katherine's daughter, Mary I, in The Queen's Fool. What similarities did you find between mother and daughter?
I think there is a powerful tradition of courage and spirituality and duty (also blinkered stubbornness) which goes through three generations of women from Isabella to Katherine to Mary. I think Mary's good and bad characteristics come from her mother. The powerful sense of duty, the sense of kinship with God, that dangerous sense of being guided and samctioned by God, and a genuine love of Englanad both people and countryside.
7. Several of your books have centered on members of the Tudor family. What is it about this particular royal line that you find so intriguing?
It is an extreme time in terms of danger and opportunity and it gives rise to extreme and extraordinary people. The women especially have to be heroic to survive the dangers which are part of their lives. I love the energy of the Tudors and their ambition, and I love the fact that they are building the world that we inherit. It all starts here.
8. In addition to Katherine of Aragon, The Constant Princess also gives readers some insight into the character of Henry VIII. He was raised as a second son, pampered, and never expected to take the throne. Does this account for some of his self-indulgent behavior, including his decision to divorce Katherine in favor of Anne Boleyn?
Absolutely, I try to give the impression that Henry throughout his life is really a spoiled boy without the sense of duty that was instilled in Arthur. He has enormous talents and enormous energy and if Katherine had borne him a son and they had remained married I think he would have been a truly great king, guided by her. But in the event his life encouraged some of the worst aspects of his character which come to fruition in my next novel which tells of his treatment of Anne of Cleeves and Katherine Howard.
9. In your opinion, what was the greatest impact that Katherine had on the future and politics of England?
The defeat of the Scots at Flodden gave England a desperately needed peace, and a chance to redefine England's borders. In some ways it is her failure that moulded England, If she had given birth to a son I am certain that England would have remained Catholic, probably Papist. Similarly, the infertility of her daughter meant that the Protestant Queen Elizabeth inherited and the country became and remained Protestant. In the long terms she failed to keep England Catholic and the enormous changes of the Reformation took place despite her.
10. In one instance in the novel, Katherine says in reference to her mother, Isabella, "My story won't be like hers, of course. I have been born to less exciting times." Although she might not have led armies into battle, in what ways was Katherine's life as dramatic as that of her mother?
Isabella's life was like something out of a fairystory, I could not resist giving glimpses of it in the novel as Katherine tells her family history to Arthur; but really Isabella's life was played out with full power on a huge stage. Katherine is right, she is born to less exciting times but her regency of England was dramatic and successful and she was the first Queen militant that England had ever seen. Her courage was reflected in her daughter who also commanded her own army, and we see it again in Elizabeth and the famous speech to the troops at Tilbury. I don't think Elizabeth could have been the Queen she was without those two predecessors. In personal terms, with two marriages to two Princes of Wales, almost all the power of ruling the Kingdom, and a great place on the stage of Euirope, Katherine's life was very dramatic.