The Constant Princess

Written by Philippa Gregory

Narrated by Samantha Bond

Splendid and sumptuous historical novel from the internationally bestselling author, Philippa Gregory, telling of the early life of Katherine of Aragon. We think of her as the barren wife of a notorious king; but behind this legacy lies a fascinating story.

Katherine of Aragon is born Catalina, the Spanish Infanta, to parents who are both rulers and warriors. Aged four, she is betrothed to Arthur, Prince of Wales, and is raised to be Queen of England. She is never in doubt that it is her destiny to rule that far-off, wet, cold land.

Her faith is tested when her prospective father-in-law greets her arrival in her new country with a great insult; Arthur seems little better than a boy; the food is strange and the customs coarse. Slowly she adapts to the first Tudor court, and life as Arthur’s wife grows ever more bearable. But when the studious young man dies, she is left to make her own future: how can she now be queen, and found a dynasty? Only by marrying Arthur’s young brother, the sunny but spoilt Henry. His father and grandmother are against it; her powerful parents prove little use. Yet Katherine is her mother’s daughter and her fighting spirit is strong. She will do anything to achieve her aim; even if it means telling the greatest lie, and holding to it.

Philippa Gregory proves yet again that behind the apparently familiar face of history lies an astonishing story: of women warriors influencing the future of Europe, of revered heroes making deep mistakes, and of an untold love story which changes the fate of a nation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 5, 2007
• ISBN: 9780007265855

Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is an internationally renowned author of historical novels. She holds a PhD in eighteenth-century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Works that have been adapted for television include A Respectable Trade, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. The Other Boleyn Girl is now a major film, starring Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana. Philippa Gregory lives in the North of England with her family.

Reviews for The Constant Princess

[kendrarenee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this, especially since I grew to like the main character so much. Her closed-mindedness bothered me from the beginning, so I was very pleased with the way Gregory had her mature and change. The annoying thing about historical fiction is that I can never know what's true and what's not, but I did enjoy immersing myself in this author's idea of what royalty's lives were like in the 1500's. Not sure how I feel about the constant switching back and forth between 1st and 3rd voice, but eh, whatever. It did the job.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book starts when Katherine of Aragon is a young girl then makes a few jumps covering various time periods in her childhood and then stops when she gets to England to marry Arthur. In this work Katherine of Aragon becomes a lonely woman used by everyone, her parents, her husbands and her ladies in waiting. Although it isn't as though she never uses anyone her self, but the book has a very poor me tone that gets old after a couple hundred pages. Katherine comes across as the woman who makes herself the martyr by never accepting help from anyone because she feels she can't trust them, as in many of Philippa Gregory's books, everyone is manipulative and deceitful, there are no good people.

[daisydaisydaisy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun and interesting read. It follows the life of Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, and looks at her earlier marriage to his older brother Arthur, and her subsequent marriage to him. The powerlessness of Tudor women really came across, she was just a pawn between her parents in Spain and the Tudor throne in England. Plus the lack of medical knowledge I found amazing, especially when it was compared to the vast knowledge from the East in the Muslim world. I suppose it was often the small details that made me really enjoy the book, as well as Katherine's efforts to get what she had felt she'd been born for - to be Queen of England.

[lecari_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book covers Katherine of Aragon's life, from her early years in Spain with her parents, her marriage to Arthur (Henry's older brother), her years as a widow, and finally, her marriage to Henry VIII. This has diary-like entries, which give an interesting insight into her life.I found this book very enlightening, particularly as I don't know much about her. Although most people know her as Henry's first wife, she is fairly unknown, so I enjoyed learning more.

[lexxa83 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the Audible version of this book, and by the last third was counting down the time until the end. I thought the portion of the book surrounding what may have happened between Katherine and Arthur was interesting, although not necessarily based in historical fact. Like other reviewers I had a hard time suspending my belief that someone so profoundly religious would be able to predicate their entire life on a lie. The writing was good, although the switching between first person and third person narrative was often jarring. I would say this book was well written with characters and a plot that were periodically well developed and interesting, but lacked that something special that makes a book truly wonderful.

[steph1203-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing, I loved reading about the early life of Katherine of Aragon, her first love Arthur, and then her marriage to Henry and everything that happened after. I will definitely be reading more books by Philippa Gregory!

[chmessing · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Another well-written and enjoyable read from the series by Phillipa Gregory. The action progresses through a combination of narrative and the thoughts within Catalina's own head. You will definitely have a much greater understanding and appreciation of Katherine of Aragon. My only complaint is that the final section jumps ahead to the events involving Ann Boleyn, without much set up(unless you've already read The Other Boleyn Girl)and not much detail. It feels disjointed from the rest of the story and somewhat like an afterthought, although, clearly, that was a defining moment in the life of Katherine, Queen of England.

[bookworm87_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book, though not as good as Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl". The book seemed to slow toward the end, but all in all it was a satisfying read. Gregory seemed to have done a lot of research for the story. The one thing I didn't know if I liked was how the storytelling constantly switched from being told in the first person to being told in the third person; it was definitely something to get used to. However, the book really seemed to let us in to Queen Katherine's life and thoughts. Philippa Gregory is a great author, and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

[kivrin22 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I love the character of Katherine of Aragon, but I hated Phillipa Gregory's version of her. She's more conniving and self-involved than the generous spirit she is usually portrayed as. The Boleyn Inheritance is my favorite Gregory Tudor novel so far, even surpassing The Other Boleyn Girl. I didn't finish and would be happy to give this library-book-purchase away.

[slvoight_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good story with alot of details about Katherine's early years with her parents in Spain which I had not read about before in other books about her. Of course it is fiction but many of those places do exist. I really enjoy reading about the Tudor period in English history and will look for more books like this one.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book on CD performed by Jill TannerBook six in her Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses on Catalina, Infanta of Spain, daughter of Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand, and known in English history as Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. I admit that I knew little about Katherine, other than her end (thrust aside in Henry’s mad affair with Anne Boleyn). I never realized that she was the daughter of Isabela and Ferdinand, that she’d been trained as a warrior queen, and that she’d been betrothed to Henry’s older brother Arthur when she was but four years old. This was one fierce lady; intelligent, mentally and emotionally strong, an astute observer and able to plot and plan with the best of them. Gregory gives the reader a strong female lead, and I was caught up in the story at the beginning, but I found that the story seemed to bog down in details. I got tired of the “waiting” and can only imagine how Katherine felt enduring those years of “limbo” while she waited for a marriage and an heir. Jill Tanner does a fine job performing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and really brings Katherine to life. I get the sense of how young they all were at the outset. (Katherine and Arthur were married only five months when he died, leaving her a widow at age seventeen.) And Tanner gives the young Henry a boyish immaturity that really contrasts with Katherine’s steady and superior though process.

[serogers02-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

About as historically accurate as any Philippa Gregory can be said to be, this novel portrayed a young Catalina, Infanta of Spain, Princess of Whales who will be Queen of England. Sure in her future, even when her young husband dies, she is sure that she will be the next Queen of England and see her son on the throne, even if that means lying that her marriage to Arthur was not consummated.

I found this novel to be intriguing. I have never read a novel about the young Catherine of Aragon and her life with Arthur. While the question of the consummation of their marriage is still one of the greatest in history, it was interesting to read from the perspective that it was indeed a full marriage and the implications that had on Catherine as a wife to the young King Henry VIII.

[aapjebaapje · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Constant Princess is sooooo constant. I haven’t read such a repetitive book for as long as I can remember. I know the book has to reflect the title but with such an interesting subject the book could have been called something else and then the style could have been less droning. Katharine of Aragon is a subject little written about so perhaps Ms Gregory could have another bite of the cherry with a novel about Mary, her daughter. But let's hope that this book is of the same ilk as her series about the Tradescants.

[mccin68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Follows Catalina, the spain princess, from her beginnings as a pawn of her parents, Isbella and Ferdinand of Spain and Henry VII to her cornation as Queen of England. The ending was disappointing as it jumps so 16 years skipped some very turbulent times. I understand the writer's intent to showcase Katherine in her strongest and influential times but it would have been better to end it there without the 16 year gap. overall great read. especially life the history of her childhood and the influence of her feverent/militant mother Isabella.

[amandacb_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard not to compare this to Gregory's finer works, such as "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Queen's Fool." However, "The Constant Princess" is a fine, solid historical fiction piece over one of the most intriguing figures in history, Catherine of Aragon.

[sleano_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gregory's portrayal of Queen Catharine is intriguing. She gives a different account of what Catharine's life was like pre and post Henry VIII. She tells a wonderful love story that transcends heaven and earth. Gregory gives depth to Queen Catharine as a monarch, lover, and warrior.

[auntieclio · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book relates the story of Catalina as a child in her beloved Aragon (Spain had not yet been united), child of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. It rather abruptly ends as Katherine has defeated the Scots along England's northern border while Henry is at war with France.There's much to quibble about with the way this book is written. It's my view that just because a book is fiction based on history doesn't mean I should wonder about how the history was done in order to write the book. This is the second book I've read this month which kept pulling me away from the story to wonder about how the author did the history.Switching between diary entries and narrative should support each other, not detract, and here Philippa Gregory lost me. At the end of a lovely diary entry by Katherine, the narrative would barge in with "and six days later ...." followed by a little explication and then back to the diary.Although the ending is addressed in the "interview" with Gregory in the back, I found the reasoning lacking. She could have left the epilogue out completely and been done with it. But she does not, she returns the reader to Katherine's diary 16 years later, as she faces the Papal Legate regarding her status as virgin when her first husband, Arthur (Henry's older brother), died unexpectedly after only 5 months of marriage. It was upon this argument that Henry was trying to base his marriage annulment from Catherine of Aragon.Gregory explains this 16 year gap as something she had already written extensively about in The Other Boleyn girl. This just seems lazy to me. Why have the epilogue at all, if one of your assumptions is based upon people having read another book?

[mvshamrock · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Gregory and the work that she does. I listened to it as an audiobook and it became a bit drawn out, but it really did a marvelous job of entertaining while laying out the backstory for one of the most notable Queens of England. I liked that it ends at the point when anyone could pick up the story. I definitely felt connected to the characters and it was an enjoyable read.

[sassybrunette · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

this book was alight, it puts a new twist on a long debated event. I felt like it dragged a little bit and I found myself skipping paragraphs. it also ended really abruptly, I would liked it to of focus on her trial more.

[juglicerr · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I will admit up front that I am not a Philippa Gregory fan. True fans may wish to skip this review altogether. I do read a lot of history and historical novels about this period, and I was intrigued as I flipped through the pages and read about the confrontation between Katharine and Margaret Beaufort, Henry VIII's very powerful grandmother, who tends to be left out of accounts of this period. I was also glad to see a novel that dealt extensively with Katharine's earlier years. I disliked The Other Boleyn Girl, but at least I didn't become as bored as I did by this novel. There are a few effective and historical incidents: Henry VII's gift of jewelry to assuage Katharine's homesickness, her refusal to state an opinion on going to Ludlow, her false pregnancy, etc. Gregory shows Katharine as the pretty young girl and shrewd woman she probably was. The beginning, at Grenada and Gregory's revisionist view of Katharine and Arthur's marriage are both interesting and intriguing. For the most part, however, the book is entirely too interior, too focussed on the private and Katharine's very repetitive thoughts. Clearly, Gregory is partly trying to explain Katharine's adamant refusal to allow her marriage to be dissolved, but I don't need to be retold the same thing every tenth page. Too much is told and not shown: we are told of Queen Elizabeth's kindness to Katharine, but we don't see it. We are told that the Duke of Buckingham gave Katharine gifts of food when she was in dire straits, but we never see him showing up at her home. Moreover, since the book leaps from 1513 to 1529, the trial at Blackfriars, I hope the reader is familiar with The King's Great Matter, because there is almost no explanation here. I don't mind that the book ends here, there have been so many other books, but there may be some readers who have no idea what is going on. Maybe one could read the first two parts of the book, switch to The Other Boleyn Girl, and then switch back when it gets up to the trial, and then resume reading it after this. One problem with the book is that except for the longing for a child, there is only ever one thing happening in Katharine's life at a time: from Fall of 1511 until 1513, for example, the only subject of the plot is the looming war with France and Scotland. This is the period when Katharine's dear friend Margaret de la Pole was created Countess of Salisbury, a title held by her Yorkist forebears (perhaps with Katharine's encouragement?). The book establishes Katharine's sad plight after Arthur's death, and then skips forward to Henry VII's death, leaving out such interesting events as the meeting of Henry with Katharine's sister Juana and her brother-in-law Philip. Katharine would later be involved in Henry VII's attempt to marry the widowed Juana (over the vehement objections of Ferdinand). It omits, except by allusion, the marriage of Princess Margaret to James IV of Scotland and the proxy marriage of Henry VIII's sister Mary to Juana's son Charles, as Philip and Henry plot to combine against Ferdinand. So much going on that could have been described, and we have endless repetitions of Katharine's belief that she is fated to be Queen of England! By skipping from 1513 to 1529, we miss Henry's bout with smallpox (very worrisome to the still childless Katharine, wouldn't you think?), the switch to an alliance with France, sealed by the marriage of Henry VIII's sister to Louis XII of France, accompanied by rumors that Henry meant to set aside Katharine and marry a French princess. Mary Tudor was a loyal friend to Katharine, and her dramatic secret marriage to Charles Brandon after being widowed (with Katharine perhaps pleading that they be forgiven?) is completely absent. Katharine nearly caused an international incident by persuading Henry to break his vow not to shave until he met Francis I of France. We miss the birth and rearing of Katharine and Henry's daughter Mary, the birth and ennoblement of his illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, the rumors that he will replace Mary as Henry's heir. How can the life of Katharine of Aragon become so dull? I am not bothered by the assertion that Katharine and Arthur's marriage was consummated - when her marriage to the future Henry VIII was proposed, the English stated in their petition to the Pope that it was, and the Spanish claimed that it wasn't. (The Pope was not amused.) I'm willing to accept the premise as the basis for the story. It really only mattered because Henry later made the ad hoc claim that the Pope couldn't grant a dispensation in that case. There was some controversy at the time of her marriage to Henry, and apparently there were flaws in the dispensation, but only Henry's desire to leave the marriage made these significant. Manoel of Portugal married Katharine's sister Isabel; when she died leaving him a young son, he married her sister Maria, and that marriage stood. Yes, I know that Katharine was very pious, but so were Richard III and Margaret Beaufort - politics encourages convenient morals. And Katharine is supposed to have done this partly in order to continue the good works that she and Arthur planned, but we never see her generous support of education, her attempts to introduce new craft industries, etc. We never really understand why the English public supported her, no matter what Henry said about their marriage. In service to the vision of Arthur as Katharine's One True Love, Katharine's famous devotion to Henry VIII is discounted. I found Henry VII's coarse leering at Katharine tiresome and crudely written; I don't think there is any historical basis for it. Gregory tells us in her notes that she also wants to give a voice to the Moslems of el Andalus. She lays it on with a trowel. Katharine misses the privacy of the harem where woman can really trust one another and don't have to worry about their husbands cavorting with someone else(!?) Andalusia was a veritable paradise of refinement, learning and tolerance, her people pillars of virtue. Well, I've read that, but I've also read that the much vaunted tolerance was something of a myth, invented centuries later in order to shame Christian Europe into imitating it. I think she has seriously overdone it, and that sort of thing often backfires. I can only remember Jane Austen's assertion that pictures of perfection made her sick and wicked. In any case, if Gregory wants to give the Moors of Spain a voice, I suggest that she write a novel about them in all their human complexity, not simply tack them on as a romantic myth. Gregory says that el-Andalus has a lot to say to us as we struggle with tolerance and mutuality, but she never shows us how the Moors are supposed to have managed it. Katharine's attitude towards the Moors is not so much ambivalent as cognitively dissonent. She alternates between calmly explaining their glorious culture and history to Arthur and becoming nearly hysterical at the thought of Moors. This erratic vacillation undermines one of Gregory's themes, i.e., Katharine learning to think independently of her parents. Katharine tells Arthur that the Spanish royalty are very much Arabs in private, have adopted, rather than adapted, Arab customs. This while they are destroying all the centers of learning and driving out all the uniquely competent doctors as minions of Satan. Even if they did indeed take a great deal from Moorish culture, I doubt that they would consciously see themselves as becoming Arab. One can understand that Katharine is enthusiastic about Englishmen joining a Spanish crusade against North Africa, but Katharine spends a fair amount of time worrying about the threats posed to England by the Moors. I think it would be pretty obvious that England's most pressing foreign concern was not likely to be an armada of the Barbary pirates appearing off the white cliffs of Dover. Ferdinand and Isabella's determination to drive out the Moors didn't cause them to neglect European politics. I suppose that anyone who is a big fan of Philippa Gregory will want to at least try this. Those who like richly detailed recreations of the past and vivid imaginative constructions of historal people may be disappointed. Gregory's version of Arthur and Katherine's marriage is really the only interesting variation in this very familiar tale. I recommend two much better novels by Norah Lofts: Crown of Aloes (Isabella of Castile) and The King's Pleasure (Katharine of Aragon). The young adult novel Patience, Princess Catherine: A Young Royals Book (Young Royals) by Carolyn Meyer is a much more vivid picture of her life from just before her departure from Spain to just after her marriage to Henry. The story is bookended by Katharine's defiance of Henry after his marriage to Anne Boleyn many years later, but the historical notes are better.

[crittercrazyjen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favorite Philippa Gregory novels. It was refreshing to read about the young Katherine of Aragon, as most authors write about her later years. Though some may be upset and even offended that, in this novel, Katherine and Arthur's marriage is consummated, I for one was not. It has been neither proven nor disproven that Katherine's first marriage was consummated. That being the case, I have often found myself asking, "What if...?" What if Katherine really wasn't a virgin when she wed Henry VIII? Though it's unlikely, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Gregory has merely spun a tale based upon this possibility. I found Philippa's version of the events to be well-written and intriguing, even if the novel isn't 100% fact based.

[booketta · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yet again, Philippa Gregory achieves what she does best, weaving a believable fictional story around historical facts. This book does not disappoint. This is the first book I have read that casts Katherine of Aragon in such a good light and I think, we forget what she may have achieved in her short reign as Queen. History at school focussed more on Henry VIII and the fact that he had six wives, brought in Protestantism breaking the bond with the Catholic church and other historical facts rather than on his wives during their short reigns as his Queen. As Ms Gregory points out in her 'Author's note' it is generally thought that the marriage to Arthur was consummated but we don't know for sure or if it was a marriage of love. Arthur was of a weak constitution and it is also likely that the marriage could not be consummated on his part. We do not know any of this for sure. We do know that Katherine was a strong woman and Gregory has dipped into her earlier life merging fact with fiction based on her research.Was the marriage to Henry objected to by his father in reality, I have read contradicting stories offering that it was his idea based on the 'knowledge' or thought that the first marriage remained unconsummated! Whatever the truth, this works and makes for a better story involving conflict. What I do like is that we get a flavour for Henry as he may have been in reality. Weak, puffed up with self importance, selfish and a highly opinionated man. He certainly was weak where women were concerned and easily manipulated by members of his court. It is quite possible that Katherine was instrumental in planning his battles in those early days.

[mawls · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

this is another good one from gregory. i enjoyed the female aspect of strength and also "learning" about the young version of King Henry VIII's first wife.

[dslynn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Young lovers moving the reader steadily through their story as the author allows us to become part of two great historical families. From the voice of Catalina we understand the marriage of The Prince of Wales Arthur to Catalina Princess of Spain. An added bonus is an early glimpse of Arthur's brother, the very spoiled, Henry VIII which sets the tone for a broader understanding Henry's historical actions.Outstanding read for European historical and romance readers!

[natalie220 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one of the best books I have ever read. I enjoyed this very much because I was not only entertaining myself with a great story but I was also learning a piece of history. Having ancient ancestors from Spain, I was very much intrigued by the Infanta of Spain. And despite her great lie she was royalty and lived up to her name. If I had to choose between her and Anne Boleyn, she would have to be the better choice. A MUST READ!

[angelic55blonde · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great book by Philippa Gregory. It is a historical-fiction book which has to be kept in mind by the reader. She does do some research for her books so some of the information contained in the book is pretty historically accurate. This book is about Queen Katherine (who married Prince Arthur of England who died). She eventually married the famous King Henry VIII who cheated on her with almost any woman he could get his hands on (Ann Boleyn most famously). This is a book through Katherine's eyes from the time she married Arthur, to her death. This is a great book, with some historical accuracy, and it definitely grabs the reader in.

[christy5778 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you enjoy Philippa Gregory's work, this book will not disappoint you.

[girlsgonereading · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Constant Princess follows in the same exact pattern as Gregory’s other works-she focuses on a princess in the English court, lets us eavesdrop on the private thoughts of a public women, has some explicit sex scenes, and forces us to watch the woman’s downfall. In this work, the princess is Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife. We follow Katherine as a child, then a wife, and finally an outcast. You would assume that the woman replaced by Anne Boleyn would have been more exciting. I was mildly entertained.Philippa Gregory began the novel with this premise: Katherine was a liar. Okay, history lesson…Before she married Henry VIII, Katherine was married to his brother Arthur-the first heir to the throne. She was allowed to marry Henry because she swore to the POPE that the marriage wasn’t consummated. Henry later used her first marriage to push her aside, and he blamed this fact on their lack of sons. Well, Gregory theorizes that Katherine loved Arthur and that she lied about their sex life to stay the Queen of England. Would a incredibly devout woman do this? Would a devout Catholic lie to the Pope to stay Queen?I picked this novel up as part of my “The Tudors are over. What am I going to do now???” recovery. I was desperate to get a Tudor fix. This novel fixed it alright. Now I know why the show was so good-it was exciting, and it focused on exciting characters. The Constant Princess did not. Katherine was not exciting for me, not believable. The sections where her inner voice spoke where so boring that I almost skipped them entirely.Another thing that really troubled me in the novel, was the whole premise of the lie. Katherine of Aragon has been described as an extremely devout woman. Part of her infertility issues are now based on her extreme fasting and extremely long prayer times. How could a woman who was so devout tell such a lie? How could she claim to be a virgin when she wasn’t? Gregory argues that it would have almost impossible for Arthur and Katherine to not consummate their marriage-that Katherine would do anything to be queen. I, for one, had a hard time reconciling her incredible faith with her amazing ambition.This novel left something to be desired for me. I don’t know if it was because this Katherine didn’t fit the image already in my head from The Tudors or if Gregory’s work is just getting old for me. Either way, I am in no hurry to read another one of her works.

[gingersnap000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author, Phillippa Gregory took poetry license when writing this novel but I was not aware of that fact when I began reading "The Constant Princess". The novel is based on fact but the truth is stretched to make for a more interesting read. Middle of way into the novel, I began to research Henry the VIII wives and mistress and found several time lines and facts were incorrect. I would recommend the book for a chick lit read but not as a historic novel.

[bung_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprising! This wasn't the story of Katherine of Aragon being ousted from the court and favour of King Henry VIII. Rather it told of Katherine's family, her childhood, and her true and lasting love for Arthur, Prince of Wales. They even downplayed the scandals of her many pregnancies. A fresh look at a familiar historical figure.