Looking for a royal binge? Viewers say this 8-part period drama is a 'masterpiece'
The Jodie Comer-starring historical drama, The White Princess, about the marriage between Elizabeth of York and Henry VII, is available on Channel 4 now
Are you looking for a gripping historical drama to get stuck into this weekend? The White Princess, based on Philippa Gregory's novel of the same name, tells the story of the marriage between Elizabeth of York and Henry VII – and it's available to binge-watch on Channel 4 now.
The eight-part series stars Jodie Comer in the titular role of Elizabeth of York, whose marriage to Henry VII ended the War of the Roses by uniting the houses of Lancaster and York.
As HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor and someone who has been a huge fan of Jodie Comer since watching her in Channel 4's BAFTA-winning teen drama My Mad Fat Diary, I can safely say her compelling performance in The White Princess will keep you glued to your screen. The series, which was released on the American network STARZ in 2017, marks Jodie's first major leading role in an international production before she gained worldwide fame for her portrayal of the psychopathic assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve.
Plus, the series boasts an impressive writing team and is penned by showrunner Emma Frost, known for her work on the BAFTA-winning Shameless, and Sarah Dollard, who has written for Doctor Who, Bridgerton and Neighbours – which perhaps explains the show's soapy drama.
WATCH: The trailer for The White Princess
Intrigued? Here's all you need to know about the series…
The drama is based on the novel from author Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War series
What is The White Princess about?
The period drama, based on the novel from author Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War series, picks up after the events of The White Queen, the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning 2013 miniseries starring Rebecca Ferguson.
While England is united by the marriage of Princess Elizabeth of York/Lizzie and King Henry VII, their personal and political rift runs deep and the divide between the pair threatens to tear the kingdom apart. But when rumours begin to circulate that Lizzie's long-lost brother Prince Richard is alive and plotting to take the throne, Lizze is forced into an impossible choice between her new Tudor husband and the boy who could be her own blood and the rightful York King.
The synopsis continues: "The White Princess is a tale of power, political divides, family, love, and betrayal, which charts one of the most tumultuous times in British history uniquely from the point of view of the women waging the ongoing battle for the English throne."
Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Doctor Foster) leads the cast as Elizabeth 'Lizzie' of York.
Speaking about her role on the show in an interview with W Magazine in 2017, Jodie, who is a longtime fan of the period drama genre, explained that the epic costumes helped her channel the character. "I always admired period dramas and just everything that goes into it," she said. "I feel like when you perform in a period drama, it’s so easy to transform yourself into someone else because the costumes are so different."
Jodie is joined by Jacob Collins-Levy (Young Wallander) as Henry VII, Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) as Margaret Beaufort, Rebecca Benson (Vera, Shetland) as Margaret 'Maggie' Plantagenet, Kenneth Cranham (Finding Alice) as Bishop John Morton, Essie Davis (Game of Thrones) as Elizabeth Woodville, Rossy de Palma (Law of Desire) as Isabella I of Castile and Richard Dillane (The Crown, Andor) as Thomas Stanley.
The series holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75 per cent
What have viewers and critics said about the show?
Viewers hailed the show as "phenomenal" and "thrilling" in online reviews, with one person writing: "It was a thrill to watch and so incredibly well done, I couldn't stop watching! Perfect cast, great storytelling with wonderful direction," while another hailed the series as a "masterpiece" and praised Jodie Comer as "the perfect Princess Elizabeth".
Meanwhile, the series was met with mainly positive reviews, including a respectable Rotten Tomatoes score of 75 per cent. While Variety described the series as an "enjoyable, ridiculous romp", The Times handed out two stars and while it praised Jodie's "commanding" performance, described the series as "perfectly entertaining, provided that you don't take it remotely seriously."
All eight episodes are available to stream on Channel 4
How to watch the show
The White Princess is available to stream on Channel 4 now.
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