Episode 1 The White Queen

This programme contains some scenes of a sexual nature

HEAVY BREATHING

HORSE NEIGHS

HE SCREAMS

SHE GASPS

Thomas... Thomas, Richard - come. Wake now.

I want to sleep.

Come. Dress quickly, please.

You are going to him?

I have no choice.

Elizabeth?

Take this for luck.

It may help you. And it cannot harm.

Nothing will help me with a man like him, Mother.

Come, Richard.

Where are we going, Mother?

Why must we go so early?

-We are going to go and meet the king.

-King Henry?! Is he back?

No. The new king. Edward.

Edward of York is not the king! He killed our father!

Ssh. He is king now.

And we must show our loyalty to him. Come on, Thomas.

HORSES APPROACH

SHOUTING

-Stop!

-Thomas!

Halt!

Halt!

IN THE DISTANCE: Halt!

Edward? Now? Really?

All right. Rest a while.

Is he really the king?

I'm Lady Elizabeth Grey, Your Grace.

Rise up.

You've come to see me?

I...

I cannot obtain my son's inheritance,

my husband's lands which were taken from me when he died.

My boys and I have nothing to live on.

My husband was Sir John Grey. He died in battle at...

He was the leader of the Lancastrian cavalry.

They killed 700 of our men. He nearly ran you through, Edward.

He did his duty as he believed it to be, Your Grace.

He was loyal to the man he thought king.

My boys are innocent of anything.

And these are his sons?

My only fortune. This is Richard and Thomas Grey.

Edward, you don't have time for her!

Your home is near here?

It is over the fields! And very near.

Warwick. Lead the men on.

I'll catch up with you.

The men may go on. I'll escort you.

Forward!

-We met the king.

-I know.

-We met the king!

Go back to Mama.

You are very welcome to Grafton Manor, Your Grace.

Jacquetta Woodville! Is the pageboy at home as well?

Baron Rivers is away, unfortunately.

Ha ha, I forgot!

Baron Rivers!

A hastily made-up title to cover red faces when

a high-born Lancastrian lady bedded a grubby commoner, as I recall!

He was a squire, and always twice the man that you are, Lord Warwick.

Aha...

Will you take a glass of small ale, Your Grace?

Or we have some fine wine from my cousins in Burgundy.

Edward!

Surely, you are not...

I'll take the wine, with thanks, Lady Rivers.

Boys. I have an important job for you.

Guard Fury for me.

There is not a man on earth who could ride past my daughter, Your Grace.

Not one with his sight, anyway.

Good health, Your Grace.

Oh! Excuse me.

Sit.

Aren't you happy here, with your father and mother?

I love my parents.

I am used to running my own lands and household.

My sons will have nothing if I can't reclaim them.

Too many have suffered during these wars.

But if I can keep my throne, I will see the law of England

run from one coast to the other, and we will all be Englishmen again.

I wish for nothing more than that my sons will never fight.

Do you think it possible?

There must be one more battle.

Henry has regained his wits, for now at least,

but I will try and keep it from your door, my lady.

You are confident of winning.

I am quick, I am brave and I am lucky.

I am as lucky in battle...

..as I am in love.

I will win. Thank you for the wine.

-You're leaving?!

-Yes.

-We have not yet...

-Write down the details of your claim,

the land you say is yours and the details of your ownership.

-Yes, of course.

-And I shall collect the paper from you tomorrow.

On my own.

Well?

He is... He's coming back tomorrow.

Of course he is.

Mother, where are you taking me?

You'll see.

Choose a thread.

Magic? Do you want to be drowned on a ducking stool?

It's forbidden and you promised.

No-one knows but you and I.

We are descended from the river goddess Melusina.

Magic is in our blood, Elizabeth.

Now choose a thread.

What were they?

Things that you will never know.

Children who will not be born, chances you will not take.

They are lost to you.

And what will I catch at the end of this fishing line of yours, Mother?

The future.

Reel it in. A foot every day.

CHILDREN LAUGH

Argh!

Lizzie, Lizzie!

-It's the...

-I know who it is.

Lady Elizabeth.

JACQUETTA!

Baron Rivers.

CHILDREN LAUGH

Sh! Sh!

Your Grace. And these are my sons.

-Anthony, John.

-We've met.

At the battle of Towton.

When you slaughtered half of England in one day.

And in Calais, when your father insulted my mother over her marriage

-and called my father a nobody.

-Anthony.

Because you backed a king whose court was poison,

whose taxes were unpayable

and who murdered men he had smiled on and pardoned!

And yet you called him pious!

Well, now your pious Henry is defeated, and I am King.

Lady Elizabeth tells me she has lost her marriage lands.

She didn't lose them, they were taken.

And all she asks for is justice.

Justice! From the Yorks!

Your Lancastrian Queen murdered my father and brother,

and stuck their heads on spikes.

So do not talk to me of justice!

Have you written down your claim for me?

Yes.

Then they'll be returned to you. By your King.

-Thank you.

-(Elizabeth.)

Lady Elizabeth, would you show me around the gardens before I leave?

The air in here is...

stale.

I cannot stay for long.

Henry's Queen is bringing the French to join his northern army.

I must be ready for them.

You don't fear you may lose?

Isn't that what you would wish?

Are you not on the side of Lancaster?

I wish there were no sides.

May I send a pageboy to bring you to me tonight?

I have a longing for you, Lady Elizabeth.

More than I have felt for any woman.

Your Grace, I cannot be your mistress.

I may die in battle and this could be my last request.

You would deny your King that?

You will not die.

You are quick

and brave and lucky.

-Then I must go? And this be the end of it?

-No.

Tomorrow.

At sunset.

Meet me by the big oak tree where I first saw you.

Even if only to say goodbye.

She shouldn't have gone with him alone.

-He's a lecher.

-They are looking at the garden, Richard.

And what comes next?!

He will not return her lands for charity!

We are Lancastrians who stood against him.

-He will want payment.

-If he has not taken it already!

He's bedded every woman in his court,

why would he not take Elizabeth?

-He could be forcing her this moment while we argue!

-Shhh... John.

He will not take her in a rosebush, John.

How can you possibly know that?

He will summon her to court when she is obligated.

When he has returned her lands.

Is that not so, Elizabeth?

I only ask for what is mine to be returned to me.

I ask for justice, and the King has promised it as he should.

A hard man to deny, though, Elizabeth.

And if he summons you to court, how will you answer?

However you advise me at the time, Father.

Will anyone play chess?

Well, I shall certainly advise against it.

It is not you we question.

That man has been through half the wives of London.

And the Yorkist army rape our women as they go.

As does King Henry's.

And at least this new king has his wits.

We were once friends with that witless King.

And his Queen. Or have you forgotten, Jacquetta?

I don't forget.

But the wheel of fortune rises and it falls.

And the Queen, my friend, became too vicious,

and now this man is King

and Elizabeth needs her lands returned to her.

Just not at any price.

It's not just the lands you want though, is it?

You want him too.

He is the King of England.

I must show loyalty if I am to have my land.

How else can a poor widow make her way in the world?

You'd be a fool to sell yourself too cheaply, Elizabeth.

I don't intend to sell myself at all.

I knew you'd come.

I can't stay for long.

Let down your hair so I may see it?

(I am mad for you.)

(I've been thinking about you all day long.)

Shouldn't you be thinking about your battle?

Sit with me.

Edward, I can't.

Elizabeth...

No. No. I can't.

I told you, no! I meant it.

You came to meet me!

To say goodbye! And now I shall say it and go!

Don't run away.

(Dear God, Elizabeth, let me have you.)

(I'm desperate for you...)

No. No. No. I said, no!

No. No.

SHE SCREAMS

You draw a knife on me?! Upon your King?

That is treason!

I draw the blade upon myself.

If you come one step closer, I will cut my throat and die right here.

Play-acting.

I'm sorry if I have misled you in my coming here,

but I will not be your mistress.

I could take that from you in a single second.

-Not before I slice my throat.

-Stop it!

Don't doubt my courage, Your Grace.

I'm match for any man.

So I see.

You may keep my dagger as a souvenir.

-Your Grace?

-You have made a fool of me.

You may congratulate yourself on that.

You'll never see me again.

You've had no word from him, no token?

He said I would never see him again.

Well, they say the battle will be any day now,

and if King Henry wins

then it will not matter what Edward thinks or does for he will be dead

and you will have your lands back either way.

But you know that there's more to it than that, mother.

He asked me to lie with him and I refused.

And if he dies, I'll regret that for ever!

I regret it now.

You are a girl from the House of Lancaster,

and you live in a country that is divided.

You may not fall in love with a York King

unless there is some profit in it for you.

Your life will not be easy because you wish it to be so.

You will have to wade through blood and you will know loss,

you must be stronger.

And this is your fortune for me?

What do you foresee for yourself?

I know what you think, Mother, but I don't share your gifts.

I'm the daughter of a humble squire. I have no seeings or foresight.

You are of my line.

And you will come to know that in time.

But what I foresee is that you may have whatever you want...

..if you will take the consequences.

Hold the horses!

What is it, Father?

A muster. We are to go to war again.

No. Why? Why you, Anthony or my brothers? Not again?!

The King has commanded me to provide a dozen men.

Fitted and kitted to march under his command against the Lancaster King.

We are to change sides.

Did he say anything else?

It's a muster, not an invitation to a May Day breakfast.

What do you expect him to say?

They will be through the day after tomorrow. The men will fall in then.

Perhaps we should go out and wave them off.

I'm sure the girls would like to see the army on their way.

John!

Have you not had your fill of seeing men go off to war?

We should show our support, Richard.

If he wins, it will be better for us,

and if he loses no-one will remember that we wished him well

and we can soon deny it.

I'm paying them, aren't I? Arming them from what I have!

And we should find a purse of gold from the treasure room for His Grace.

A purse of gold to wage war against King Henry?

What, woman, have you lost your wits?

Are we Yorkists now?!

Yes, if he wins,

and he is likely to.

For then he will control all our fortunes,

and all the marriages

and there are many girls in this family, Richard.

Sometimes, woman, you even scare me.

Very well.

We'll do it your way.

And we'll wear white roses too, if you wish,

if you can find some this early.

Let's go! I'm so excited! Those ribbons are beautiful!

Can I borrow your green dress? Can I borrow your green dress?

-We don't want to be late! Hurry up!

-Hurry up!

-Come on!

My men, Your Grace, all sworn to your service.

I won't forget your support.

Nor how dizzyingly quick it was conjured out of nowhere!

Tell me, if I scratch that rose,

will I find its true red colour underneath?

Leave it, Warwick.

Your Grace.

We offer you this to help your cause.

You never accepted your defeat at Towton,

nor given up hope of mad old Henry back on the throne.

It seems no matter what we do,

we lose in your eyes, Warwick.

I cannot sleep.

I haven't slept since I last saw you.

Nor I.

Nor can I eat.

(No.)

Because of me?

(Yes.)

So, is this love then?

Is this what it feels like?

I thought you were well versed in love.

Not love. Perhaps the other!

I cannot ride the battle like this.

I have to have you.

And if you will not be my mistress...

-..then you must marry me.

-(Don't joke.)

Marry me.

It is the only way.

(I'm mad for you.)

Will you marry me?

Yes.

Tomorrow, at sunrise.

Meet me at your chapel.

Bring your mother as a witness.

I will bring my chaplain.

(We have to keep it secret for a while.)

...trouble to be riled by me if I am so far beneath you.

May we offer you refreshment?

No. But I will take supper with you tomorrow, if I may?

A few hours' hunting while the last of the men are recruited

and we'll be close by.

HE SNORES

I was early. I couldn't wait.

CHOIRBOY SINGS "KYRIE ELEISON"

SINGING STOPS

I'm a fool! I forgot the ring!

Lady Rivers, do you have a ring that I could borrow?

I...I have one.

-Your Grace.

-Thank you.

Lady Rivers? Where can I take my bride?

There's a hunting lodge by the lake.

I've had it made ready for you.

I'm never nervous!

Don't be.

Don't be.

Thank the Lady of Heaven we're dining at your father's.

I'm starving to death, you wanton woman.

If you'd let me out of bed, I can get you some bread and cheese.

Yes, but then you'd be gone too long.

I could not spare you.

I must wash.

You have no appetite, Your Grace?

I thought you would be hungry after hunting.

I thought the same myself, but I am exhausted.

She led me quite a merry dance.

Elizabeth, I have to go.

You have to go?

To battle. The men are ready.

It's time.

What? You must go now? Today?

This moment, I'm afraid. Or else I risk my crown.

And how should you love me then?

I would love you even if you were a common pauper,

and right now I'd be glad for it.

Elizabeth. We must discuss - should luck go against me and I am killed,

you must say nothing of this marriage.

You would gain nothing by revealing it.

You will remember me in your prayers, I hope,

and I would like you to marry again.

If you find yourself with child, then you must leave England.

Henry and his son may die young

and if you have a boy, he will be the only heir to the throne.

Go to my brothers, to Warwick. They will help you raise our York boy.

Just come back to me, Edward.

Elizabeth, you are not going to lose me on the battlefield.

I will die in bed

beside the most beautiful queen that England has ever known.

You whore.

You shamed our house and our name.

And your dead husband who gave his life fighting that usurper.

-No, Anthony.

-Don't touch me!

It isn't what you think!

What? My eyes deceive me? And this is an honourable coupling?

This IS honourable!

We are married!

Oh, dear God, Elizabeth!

He's fooled you.

What?

Oh, my poor, dear sister!

Let me guess,

a secret wedding in our chapel?

None of his family attended - Lord Warwick must not be told?

-For now.

-Elizabeth, think! This is a man who is King of England.

He will marry a princess, not some commoner from the camp

of his enemy he found begging by the roadside!

He is married to me now!

You are not married, Elizabeth.

You've been tricked.

It was a pretend service.

There were witnesses.

Who?

Mother! And a priest!

Which priest?

I...I don't know.

He's tricked you with a pretend priest to get you into bed.

He's done it before and he has a bastard son.

He is Warwick's puppet, Elizabeth.

Without him, Edward could never have claimed the throne.

Warwick is the kingmaker.

You can be very sure he will make the queen as well.

You are wrong. Edward is king!

He does not have to do what Warwick tells him.

You are wrong!

HE GASPS

SHE GASPS

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth? A messenger.

-My Lord.

-Thank you.

Father! Is there news?

Another bloody battle.

Who's won?

The Lancaster forces were routed. Henry is defeated.

-Oh, dear God!

-Edward? Edward has won?

Henry has fled to the moors with a price on his head

like a border rebel.

He's lost his wits again.

Oh, the poor man. And Queen Margaret?

She's taken her son to Scotland.

She won't give up, though.

She'll never give up until her son's on the throne.

And so this war will never be over.

No-one may doubt now that Edward of York is king.

And all our fortunes rest with him.

Mmm...

-I have to go. Or father will miss me at dinner.

-No, stay.

-You are not helping, husband.

-I am not trying to help.

Unless we were to announce our marriage and then...

Not yet.

If he had his way,

Lord Warwick would have me marry the Princess Bona of France,

and he will need some time to see it is not to be.

A few days?

Weeks.

Oh, Elizabeth! He is like an older brother to me.

He gave me my first sword. He stood beside me my whole life.

I must take the time to explain it to him. I owe him that much.

But you will tell him?

-And I will come to court as your wife?

-Yes. When the time is right.

-May I at least tell Father, so we can meet openly when you are...

-We may as well tell the town crier!

If we met openly, the whole town would know

and the rest of England soon after.

We must keep our secret a little while longer.

I'm rather enjoying it, though - aren't you?

Our humble hunting lodge?

I have to go.

So...he didn't take you with him?

He has to tell Lord Warwick first. He must explain to him.

Or perhaps Lord Warwick will explain to Edward that he must marry

-the Princess Bona of France, and throw off his little commoner.

-I will not hear it, Anthony!

In any case, I love Edward so much, I would have him any way I had to.

Then I'm sorry. Because I think you've seen the last of him.

My Lord.

-Your Grace.

-Your Grace.

Your Grace.

He writes me "Lady Elizabeth Grey".

He does not say "wife", he writes "my love"!

There's nothing here that speaks of a marriage, Mother.

Not a word to prove it ever happened.

Read the rest.

He writes that he's busy but he will see me soon.

The court is in London, the council is sitting,

Henry has still not been captured and Queen Margaret has sailed

home to France with her son demanding help.

He says he loves me. He burns for me.

That's lovers' words, nothing more.

Does he say whether he has spoken to Lord Warwick?

He does not say. It means he has not.

What should I do? Should I trust him?

The messenger who brought your letter also brought a summons for your father.

It has gone out to all the nobles, requesting they attend the court.

It will be to announce his marriage.

That's what your father believes.

To me?

Or to another?

It seems...

the French Princess Bona is at court.

-Your Grace.

-Your Grace.

-Your Grace.

-Your Grace.

My Lords. We welcome you to court.

The king has some important news he wishes to share with you

about Princess Bona of France.

Lord Warwick?

PEOPLE MURMUR

Whatever can be the problem now?

Father, I think the king may announce...

that he is married to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth who?

Our Elizabeth.

Are you out of your mind?

Although he married another before her.

And the first lady has his son.

So he might equally announce his marriage to the first one.

Dear God!

I should've guessed that whore would get her hooks into you

when she lured you into her hovel.

You may not call her that. She is the queen.

SHE is a roadside strumpet and this can easily be undone. It must be.

She is my queen of choice and I...

Of choice?

Have you gone mad? We've...

We've got a peace treaty to conclude with France

and without it, that whore of Anjou will bring the whole French army

against us and this time they will win!

-I cannot help it.

-Well, you will have to help it!

I've not spent the last year of my life

scraping to that fat French pig for Princess Bona's hand for you

to just throw it all away!

Now get in there and make the announcement.

Um, thank you for your patience.

We are

proud and happy to announce...

..I am married to Lady Elizabeth Grey.

PEOPLE MURMUR

Your Grace?

Your Grace?

Sorry, that... Mm, it's beautiful. Thank you.

I have written to my family in Burgundy,

inviting them to London for the coronation.

They will confer on us the royal position we shall need to see this through

and if we fail, they will be there for refuge and support.

You're making it sound more like a battle, Mother, than a marriage!

Oh, it IS a battle, make no mistake, Elizabeth.

The king has done what he should not.

He has married from another house, and a commoner at that.

There are many who will be cursing our luck and wishing us to fall.

But you, Elizabeth - you may have it all.

You love your husband, and he will give you prestige, too.

You are blessed. Mm?

Oh, and after the Coronation,

-we must send your boys to live with their kinsmen. They must learn...

-No! My boys stay with me!

Girls. Out!

Elizabeth!

You're as cold as ice! Elizabeth... Elizabeth!

-I...

-This is a seeing!

You have been warned of danger to your boys.

-Now, do you see more?

-I...

They must not be with strangers.

So be it.

We have had a warning and now we will keep them close with us

and they will be safe.

You're of my line, Elizabeth. I knew you had the sight.

Father.

Good to see you.

My Lord.

Do you give me your blessing, Father?

Of course I do.

And you will always be my daughter, no matter what.

My little Elizabeth.

Oh!

Anthony. You can stay down there! The things you said to me.

I beg your forgiveness, sister.

I hope you know that it was out of love.

I am happy for your joy.

Get up, then.

Common tart!

Anthony... Anthony!

We had a secret wedding. We must expect some jibes.

Elizabeth.

My wife.

-Jacquetta Rivers.

-Mm-hm?

So you've turned your coat to York.

Margaret Beaufort. Lady Tudor.

Lady Stafford now.

Oh, you remarried?

As women must, it seems.

Though some of us still loyal to our own house.

These are different times, Lady Margaret.

Lancaster brought us only war. King Edward will bring us peace.

He is a pretender. He has taken the throne by force.

He is the king.

And those who speak against him are guilty of treason.

-Is all well?

-Mm.

A common Lancastrian girl as queen.

It's an insult to the lords who fought for him,

to take a bride whose family killed for Henry.

The worst part is he kept it from you.

The boy is fogged by lust. I shall bring him back.

I have sacrificed too much to lose him now.

The Rivers whore will wish she'd never come here.

My brothers - George and Richard. My sister Margaret.

My cousin, Lord Warwick.

his Countess, and daughters Isabel and Anne.

My royal court, I give you the Queen of England.

APPLAUSE

Lord Warwick looks as though he's swallowed poison.

All his plans for Edward smothered in their sleep.

They'll make Edward pay for it, though. You can be sure of that.

And now we have the joy that is his mother.

Duchess Cecily. It is an honour to meet...

I am not happy about this marriage.

That's a shame. We're all delighted.

I would remind the Lady Rivers

that the wedding was a secret one which...

Private. It was private. Not secret.

I was there, as were other witnesses.

But if your son, the king, did not invite you, then I am afraid you must take that up with him.

Your daughter is a widow and years older than my son!

I know.

That's such an advantage, isn't it,

as my daughter has already proved herself fertile

with two handsome and legitimate boys, so we may

feel confident that God will bless this new royal couple with issue.

Your daughter could never be royal!

She's not my choice.

Nor that of my nephew, Lord Warwick.

Her father was a commoner!

And while I might overlook THAT, if Edward were not the king...

He IS the king. And he has chosen me.

Unless I should unseat him.

And how would you do that, Duchess Cecily?

I could disown him.

I could put his brother George upon the throne in his place.

How would you like that as the outcome of your private wedding, Lady Rivers?

Yes. I did hear some talk, when Edward was born.

Um...it was an archer, wasn't it?

By the name of, um...

Blaybourne. That's it.

Yes. People said that you had made a cuckold of your husband,

but in fact, I was of the few who swore that

a lady of your standing would never stoop so low.

And yet it seems you did. If that is what you're saying, Duchess Cecily,

that you admit yourself a common whore and declare your son,

the king, a bastard?

-For I cannot see how else you would unseat him.

-Enough!

Enough.

So then your words against the king will go no further?

And now that we all are friends, I believe you do know the proper

custom when presented with the Queen of England is to curtsy?

It is an honour to meet you, Duchess Cecily.

I'm surprised you won her over.

You must have really worked some charm.

I confess I had expected quite a battle.

She is your mother, Edward. How much trouble could she be?

Edward? Does the Earl of Warwick like me? He makes me nervous.

He made me what I am, Elizabeth. You must love him for my sake.

He's my closest kinsman.

Then I shall try.

But loving you is very much easier.

Mmm.

Now let us make a son, to scotch the Lancastrian threat

and start our dynasty.

More magic? I could have been anyone, Mother.

Who else would come in here at this time of night?

I'm trying to see our futures.

I said we'd keep them close.

So, tell me, then, who are my enemies?

I do not need to scry to tell you that.

Lord Warwick and Duchess Cecily.

Well, then - tell me something we do not know.

How many children shall I give Edward?

How many sons and daughters of...

SHE GASPS

What is it? Elizabeth, what do you see?

A woman!

With blood on her hands!

A woman, wearing red. I...

I do not know.

Whose blood was it?

I think it was mine.

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