Title: The Constant Princess

Author: Philippa Gregory  

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins

Format: Paperback

Pages: 490

Rating: 4/5 stars

*Warning: mature content. Parents please be advised.*

Synopsis:

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

Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, Katherine has been fated her whole life to marry Prince Arthur of England. When they meet and are married, the match becomes as passionate as it is politically expedient. The young lovers revel in each other’s company and plan the England they will make together. But tragically, aged only fifteen, Arthur falls ill and extracts from his sixteen-year-old bride a deathbed promise to marry his brother, Henry; become Queen; and fulfill their dreams and her destiny.

“They tell me nothing but lies here and they think they can break my spirit. I believe what I choose and say nothing. I am not as simple as I seem.”

Widowed and alone in the avaricious world of the Tudor court, Katherine has to sidestep her father-in-law’s desire for her and convince him, and an incredulous Europe, that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated, that there is no obstacle to marriage with Henry. For seven years, she endures the treachery of spies, the humiliation of poverty, and intense loneliness and despair while she waits for the inevitable moment when she will step into the role she has prepared for all her life. Then, like her warrior mother, Katherine must take to the battlefield and save England when its old enemies the Scots come over the border and there is no one to stand against them but the new Queen.

“It was my dying husband’s hope, my mother’s wish, and God’s will that I should be Queen of England; and for them and for the country, I will be Queen of England until I die.”

Raised on the battlefield and in the most beautiful Moorish palace in the world, sent to England alone at the age of sixteen to take her place in a court where she couldn’t speak the language, and abandoned and forced to endure poverty after the death of her husband, Katherine remained a woman of indomitable spirit, unwavering faith, and extraordinary strength. Philippa Gregory brings to life one of history’s most inspiring women and creates one of the most compelling characters in historical fiction.

Review:

This book is a fantastic piece of historical fiction. I had heard such amazing things about Gregory’s books, and I cannot believe it took me this long to read her work. What I loved about this book is that it reexamined the life of Katherine of Aragon, and her early life. She grew up during the age when Spain pushed out the Moors (Muslims) and united Spain under Aragon and Castile. Her parents were strong monarchs, and she looked up to them greatly.

I find that unless you study history, the only thing you know about Katherine is that she couldn’t produce Henry the Eighth a son. But this book looks into the time before her marriage to Henry- at her marriage to his older brother, Arthur. I like the

way this book explained her relationship to Arthur, even though there is no way of knowing what their relationship was like since he died so soon after their marriage. Henry believed that he was cursed because he had married his brother’s wife, and that was why he could not have a son.

The book was a bit slow in some areas, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. But overall, this was a great read that I would recommend. I cannot wait to read more of Gregory’s books.

Happy Reading!