The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

It is Catherine’s childhood following her parents around Spain that influences her later ability to rule England (suppressing the Scots) whilst Henry is in France. Part 3 is her second marriage until Henry and Catherine’s coronation Part 4 are the following few years as Catherine becomes queen, only for her position to be undermined by the multiple miscarriages along withe the developing threats of her husband’s wandering eye (in particular Anne Boleyn).

Part 2 covers the years between Arthur’s death and her marriage to Henry 6 years later. In this book, Caterina and Arthur are madly in love as he dies, the marriage has been consummated, and it is her promise to Arthur as much as anything that drives the following decisions she makes. The book is split into 4 parts: the first being Caterina’s (Catherine’s) childhood and marriage to Arthur, Henry’s olderbrother. Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness they shall be childless.). What has been missing are the small details of how that marriage could be arranged, against the rules set out in the bible (Leviticus 20: Verse 21: If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. After Arthur’s death, still aged 16, she became Henry’s first wife, only to be usurped by Anne Boleyn. I will willingly admit that my knowledge of certain periods of history are lax to say the least: I know that Katherine of Aragon was married to King Henry VIII’s brother Arthur. 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.Īddition to my TBR from a bookcrossing meeting 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. 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. 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. Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon.

“I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known…and I will be Queen of England.”

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory