If I tell you to close your eyes and imagine a show about warring families plotting and fighting their way to the throne, what do you picture? If that's Jon Snow floating inside your eyelids, then you are dead wrong.
Told from the perspective of Elizabeth "Lizzie" of York (Jodie Comer), The White Princess covers the end of the War of the Roses, which divided England between the royal families of Lancasters and York for over 30 years. To set the scene quickly: Henry Tudor (Jacob Collins-Levy) has just taken the throne from King Richard III (yes, the Shakespeare one, but sans hunchback IRL). Henry is descended from the Lancasters. Before the battle, he promised to marry Lizzie, Richard's niece and former lover (I know, it's gross, but remember — this is the 15th century), who is descended from the Yorks, in order to unite their houses and end the war. Now, with Henry about to ascend the throne, Lizzie must come to terms with what it means to live and rule in her mortal enemy's house — and struggle with some pesky emotions they call feelings.
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Like its predecessor The White Queen, the series will portray real historical events, but from a female-centric angle — a refreshing break from the dude-led version you probably learned in history class.
So, rather than solely focusing on petty struggles between kings, viewers are also privy to the behind-the-scenes struggles between Lizzie, Henry's formidable mother Lady Margaret Beaufort (played by a magnificent Michelle Fairley, a.k.a. Catelyn Stark from Game of Thrones), and Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville (Essie Davis).
You can get a quick sense of the drama in the trailer, below.
The good news is that if watching the trailer has unleashed your inner history nerd, there's more to be had. The White Queen is based on Philippa Gregory's novel by the same name, which is itself part of The Cousin's War Trilogy. So between that, and The White Queen (available on the Starz app), there's more than enough to tide you over to April 16, when The White Princess premieres on Starz.
Or, you can just ogle this magnificent photo of Lizzie. No judgement here.
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