Every time we say goodbye, we die a little…
This is it, my fearless fellowThe Spanish Princessviewers.
The show ends with Catherine humbled, butstill strong in spirit.
Credit: Nick Briggs/Starz
It gives her an emotional victory, if not a literal one.
Henry descends further into madness, surrounded by flattering courtiers and his new love interest, Anne Boleyn.
But let’s take one last dive into the historical truths ofThe Spanish Princess.
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He invites Bessie and the child to come live with him at court.
It angers Catherine, fearing Henry will privilege this boy over their true royal daughter.
Henry really did do all of this.
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Indeed, Henry’s favoritism to the boy over his own daughter only worsened.
No dad of the year awards for Henry.
By the finale, she’s over it.
She sends Albany back to France, declaring herself regent again.
She then appears before parliament, naming her son officially king with herself and others as advisors.
Angus can’t let it go, deciding to storm her castle.
Extraordinarily, this is all true, down to the cannonballs.
Her son, James, was elevated to full kingly powers, and parliament named Meg his chief councilor.
When parliament confirmed her new title, Angus stormed her castleand Meg really did fire on him with cannons.
Not from one, but two of her houses, Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House.
He got it from all sides, so to speak.
Honestly, I find this hilarious comeuppance.
Dude hardcore deserves it, sorry not sorry.
Meg’s life was dramatic right to the very end, beyond where we leave her here.
Anne Boleyn
At long last,The Spanish Princessformally introduced Catherine’s greatest rival, Anne Boleyn.
The series understandably omits Henry’s affair with Anne’s sister, Mary.
The series is true to Anne’s sudden rise in favor and appearance in court.
She was indeed a member of Catherine’s retinue (girl-on-girl crime to the max!)
Despite Catherine lying to Henry for their entire marriage, Maggie goes to Henry and tells him the truth.
He quotes Leviticus; she volleys with some Deuteronomy.
In truth, no one will ever know what happened between Catherine and Arthur behind closed doors.
But it does winkingly point to many of these things in pieces of dialogue or asides.
One last word on Maggie Pole here, she uses this secret to get ahead.
Catherines last words
Our last moments with Catherine showcase a more familiar version of the historical figure.
In voiceover, we hear Catherine’s letter to Henry, voluntarily leaving the palace.
Her final words are a letter to Mary, telling her daughter how she is Henry’s greatest treasure.
“I love you as I love him,” Catherine tells her daughter.
And that’s a wrap on Catherine’s story.
In truth, Catherine was forced out of the palace, banished by Henry.
She ended her days in Kimbolton Castle, where she led an ascetic life, fasting nearly continuously.
Catherine left court in 1531 and died in 1536.
Rumors persisted that she’d been poisoned, but the modern consensus is that Catherine died from cancer.
To the end of her days, she called herself Queen of England and Henry’s wife.
Catherine, we bow down to you, a true queen if there ever was one.
