The Tudors has all the ingredients of a top TV drama—intrigue, royalty, nobility, sex and religion—despite several inaccuracies. The series focuses on a “young and sexy” Henry VIII—rather than history portraying him as an obese tyrant who married six times.
The series captures all the intrigue and factions at Henry’s court—disgruntled noblemen and the “new men,” including the ambitious Cardinal Wolsey (Sam Neill) whose luxurious life caused resentment among other courtiers. Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (Steven Waddington), believed he had a better claim to the English throne.
The series contains several inaccuracies.
In one episode, Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) makes a passing reference to Bessie Blount’s (Ruta Gedmintas) husband in one bedroom scene.
In reality, Bessie Blount, was not married whilst having an affair with Henry. She was later married off in 1522—after producing Henry’s only surviving son—for services rendered.
However, it was a well-recorded fact Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) did blame his wife, Katherine of Aragon (Maria Doyle Kennedy), for his lack of sons.
History does not record whether Henry celebrated his illegitimate son’s birth, especially in the Queen’s presence. Beverley Murphy suggests Henry “might have been tactless enough to parade the child at the ‘sumptous banquet’ given by the queen in August 1519”.[1]
Many biographies claim Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer) was never encouraged by her father to pursue Henry after he tired of her sister Mary. She planned to marry Lord Henry Percy, the Earl of Northumberland’s heir, until Cardinal Wolsey quashed her plans. Sources claim Anne swore revenge on Wolsey. Anne was banished to the family home at Hever Castle whilst Percy’s parents arranged a marriage with Lady Anne Talbot.
In reality, Anne learnt from her sister’s mistakes and refused to become the King’s mistress. She wanted to become Queen.
Princess Margaret (Gabrielle Anwar) became attracted to Charles Brandon (Henry Cavill) in The Tudors when he escorted her to Portugal to marry their King.
Actually, it was Henry’s younger sister Mary (not mentioned in the series) who fell in love with Brandon in real life before she was sent to France to marry the aging Louis XII in 1514. Mary obtained a promise from Henry that she was free to marry the man of her choice after Louis’s death. Mary was widowed three months later, so she secretly married Brandon before they returned to England.
Margaret actually married James IV of Scotland in 1503—five years before her brother Henry became King. James was killed in the Battle of Flodden in 1514. Margaret was deposed when she married Achibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. She fled to England. They eventually divorced in 1527. Margaret married Henry Stuart, later Lord Methven, but her brother refused to permit a second divorce.
Henry’s daughter Mary (Bláthnaid McKeown), was only two years old when she was betrothed to the Dauphin. They never met at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, as incorrectly shown in the series.
Auburn-haired Waddington is better suited to the role of Henry than Rhys Meyers.
However, The Tudors contains nudity, violence, adult content and violence. Viewer discretion is advised (Rated MA15+).
© 2008 Carolyn M Cash
[1] Murphy, Beverley A, Bastard Prince: Henry VIII’s Lost Son, Sutton Publishing Limited, Stroud, 2001 (Reprinted 2002), p31
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