The Spanish Princess

The year of our Lord 1501.

Spain is wealthy, but fears for its political power.

Queen Isabella overthrew

a thousand years of Muslim rule

and must have Catholic allies to maintain her sovereignty.

And England faces poverty.

Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth

have long needed rich allies

to deter invasion from France and Scotland.

Both believe an alliance is vital to solve their problems,

and so a match has been made between their eldest son

and heir to the Tudor throne, Prince Arthur,

and the Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon.

This alliance will eventually make Catherine

the Queen of England.

She has been promised this since she was a small child.

The fortunes of both kingdoms and the security of Europe

rest upon Catherine's young shoulders

as she leaves her palace home

to make the arduous journey across Spain

to the ship that will carry her to England.

But achieving her God-given destiny comes at a price...

For Catherine may never see her beloved homeland again.

"My own darling, my dearest spouse,

I feel a strong desire to embrace you.

Your letters have delighted me

and your passion rendered me so smitten.

Let your coming to me be hastened,

that the love between us reaps its joy and proper fruit.

Your Highness' most loving spouse, Arthur."

Arthur.

Highness?

Is it foolish to believe myself in love

with a man whom I have never met?

You love God,

and you have never met Him, either.

I hope God has not read my letters back to Arthur,

or he would not think me so devout.

Good morning, madre.

-Highness! -

Daughter of Spain.

Queen of England.

Wife to Prince Arthur.

Daughter of Spain. Queen of England.

Wife to Prince Arthur. Daughter of Spain.

Queen of England. Wife to Prince Arthur.

Daughter of Spain. Queen of England.

Wife to Prince Arthur.

Daughter of Spain!

Queen of England!

Wife to Prince Arthur!

Wife to Prince Arthur. Daughter of Spain.

Queen of England. Wife to Prince Arthur.

Daughter of Spain. Daughter of Spain!

Queen of England! Wife to Prince Arthur!

Daughter of Spain.

Queen of England.

Wife to Prince Arthur.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God...

Henry.

Have you had news?

First we're told her brother dies

and her mother cannot spare her.

Then the princess has a fever, and again she is delayed,

and now I hear some Moorish rebellion blocks her passage.

Are you sure God isn't trying to keep her from us, Lizzie?

God tests her resolve and ours,

but every threat is overcome,

so it seems to me that God protects our princess

and brings her to us.

My bride has sailed, mother?

She has, so you must leave for Dogmersfield House,

where she will break the journey and you may meet.

Are you not coming with me?

Your new brother cannot bear the journey.

Richard Pole will ride with you as always,

and your Aunt Maggie will attend to you.

You are not sleeping.

We are beset with enemies on every side.

Until wedding bells ring out and Spain becomes our ally,

we have neither the-- the funds nor the--

nor the men to save ourselves...

and all of Europe knows it.

Until that girl arrives...

we are lost.

Arthur...

your Aunt Maggie, what does she say to you?

You know you must relay it to me.

She says nothing, Mother.

My cousin may know of plots against us.

She cares for me, and that is all.

You must tell me everything she says.

Many are against us.

God save you, Arthur.

Highness!

Ohh.

Tell me, are you afraid?

I have never been to sea.

It was God himself who sent me to England.

No wind or rain will stop us.

Did they not tell you that when they chose you as my lady?

I was chosen when I was a girl.

My father was Mauro de Cardones.

My mother's adviser on the Moorish issue.

Ambassador.

Do you bring news of our landing?

We are blown a little way off-course.

I will fetch you something for your stomach.

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

We are not in Spain.

Get your hands off of me.

My name...

Oviedo,

and I, uh, remember,

my, uh--lady.

Arthur!

My lords.

Aunt Maggie.

My brave hunters.

Oh, Arthur.

Oh. Rabbit stew.

Uncle Richard shot them.

I hesitated.

Well, then you are merciful to save a life

when others are too quick to take one.

My mother does hold you in high affection, Aunt Maggie.

I do not like this house, Richard.

I want to go home.

I miss the children.

They will join us in Westminster.

It's not long now.

I know that Galahad has this...

That boy's mind is all over the place.

In a fog of love, I suppose.

I nearly took an arrow in the backside.

The girl is coming, then?

I have hoped, after all this time--

Her name is Catherine,

and you must learn to use it, Maggie,

for the boy's sake and our children's.

You heard Arthur.

The queen would like to put the past behind us.

I would like that Spanish girl

to sink down to the bottom of the ocean,

because she is the cause of my pain and grief,

and so is Queen Elizabeth.

But we do not get what we want in this life, Richard.

The king's mother travels to Southampton to accompany her.

Maybe the princess will be so affrighted,

she'll take the first tide home again.

The child will be exhausted, confused,

and humbled by the sight of England.

The ambassador will accompany her from the quayside

to greet me with a curtsey at this dais.

Hmm.

And then we'll set forth to Dogmersfield to meet the prince.

Majesty.

She will have learnt the ways of England

by the time she gets there.

[ overlapping chatter, groaning ]

Your Royal Highness,

England.