‘The White Princess’ On Starz: 5 Key Developments Heading Into Episode 3
Now that viewers are getting better acquainted with The White Princess‘ cast of characters, it’s time to examine what viewers have learned so far. Mainly, how the parallels between The White Princess and The White Queen, could affect its story going forward. Before The White Princess Episode 3 premieres, let’s analyze five key developments from the first two episodes of The White Princess.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers pertaining to Episode 1 and Episode 2 of The White Princess.
No. 5 Development: The White Princess confirms a mystery from The White Queen.
While it was hinted at in The White Queen and included in a deleted scene, The White Princess confirmed a major speculative plot point from The White Queen, which has now given rise to another one. The White Princess opens on Lizzie (Jodie Comer) recalling her night of intimacy with Richard III on the battlefield of Bosworth.
As the Inquisitr previously reported, that scene from The White Princess and what it reveals could have long-term repercussions for Lizzie going forward. Is Lizzie keeping a huge secret about her child’s paternity? Is Richard III the father of Lizzie’s baby, or is her new husband Henry VII?
No. 4 Development: Lizzie’s sister, Cecily, is taking over her Uncle George’s role on The White Queen, as the York family’s central troublemaker on The White Princess.
As fans of The White Queen will recall, Edward IV’s brother, George (David Oakes), was a ravenous schemer, who showed no loyalty to his family, especially his older brother. While George is long-dead, his influence lives on, as his niece Cecily (Sukie Waterhouse) has proven in Episode 1, and Episode 2, of The White Princess.
Right out of the gate, Lizzie’s younger sister, Cecily, began flirting with Henry VII (Jacob Collins-Levy) in The White Princess premiere, even though he was the intended husband of her sister, a sign that Cecily has no respect for her sister or their family. Cecily kept that tradition alive in the next episode of The White Princess, as well.
In The White Princess Episode 2, Cecily provided crucial intelligence to Margaret (Michelle Fairley) about Lizzie and her mother’s closeness. It was a hint that completely upended Lizzie’s secret alliance with her mother, and their planned rebellion. Cecily’s ambitions are clearly self-motivated, and she appears ready to take down anyone who stands in her way, including the protagonists of The White Princess, and The White Queen.
If it sounds familiar to fans of The White Queen, that’s because George was the exact same way. In Cecily’s character description on the official website for The White Princess, it sums up Cecily with the following description, and it sounds like Lizzie needs to keep an eye on her younger sister.
“Three years younger than her sister Lizzie, Cecily feels forever in her shadow and would like nothing more than to marry a king herself. Cecily acutely feels the fear of living in a Tudor court and her loyalty to the House of York comes under question. Cecily may yet turn out to be the turncoat in the family as she battles for survival and her own advancement.”
No. 3 Development: The White Queen‘s mother/daughter power duo is a bit different on The White Princess.
Lizzie and her mom, Elizabeth (Essie Davis), have picked up where Elizabeth and her mom, Jacquetta left off in The White Queen with a slight, yet crucial difference. Unlike Elizabeth and her mother, Lizzie and Elizabeth are not lock-step in their plans for Henry VII.
While Elizabeth believed she had a ruthless ally in her eldest daughter, she quickly learned that was not the case in The White Princess Episode 2. Lizzie seemed to take her mother by surprise when she admonished her for the attempt on Henry’s life. Are Lizzie’s feelings for her husband changing?
No. 2 Development: Lady Margaret has mellowed since The White Queen. She seems far saner on The White Princess.
During her days on The White Queen, Margaret was mad to see her son take power. On The White Princess she is just as ambitious, though more coherent in how she goes about it. In The White Princess premiere, she urged Lizzie to accept her destiny as the mother of another future King of England.
While Margaret seems saner on The White Princess, it does not mean she is any less dangerous. While Cecily boasted to Margaret that her mother “always finds a way to win,” in The White Princess Episode 2, it may not be so simple. Margaret is an adversary the Yorks should not underestimate. Look no further than Margaret’s work on The White Queen for proof of that.
No. 1 Development: Is Lizzie falling for her husband on The White Princess?
Lizzie and Henry’s marriage started on less than happy terms, but the tide appeared to change in The White Princess Episode 2. They bonded over their unborn baby, and Henry appeared to develop a newfound respect for his wife.
He acknowledged that if they worked together, they could make a formidable power couple. Is Henry sincere? Is Lizzie falling for the man, whose forces killed her beloved, Richard?
If Lizzie is, then she is following in her mother’s footsteps. Elizabeth Woodville’s first husband fought for the House of Lancaster, and was killed by York forces, the house of her second husband, King Edward IV. The house she is secretly working to restore to power on The White Princess.
It is another in a long line of interesting parallels between The White Queen and The White Princess. Find out what others might be revealed when a new episode of The White Princess airs at 8 p.m. ET on Starz.
[Featured Image by Starz]
