The White Queen

22th August 2013

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Directed by James Kent, Jamie Payne & Colin Teague

            Hello my Dearest Reader! I am please to tell you a new which truly enjoy me. Perhaps you have already seen this but for the others, read this article carefully!

Philippa Gregory

            If you read The White Queen, The Red Queen, The Lady of Rivers of The Kingmaker's Daughter, you know about what I am talking. Indeed Phillipa Gregory's novels series has been adapted in the series called The White Queen. The main character is not just Elizabeth Woodville (Wydville at her time), Margaret Beaufort, "ugly, ancient and fanatical" as says Lady Anne Neville, and Lady Anne Neville herself. Then we have different point of view as in the novels.

            But in this article, I would like to focus on Richard, Duke of Gloucester, played by Aneurin Barnard, and Lady Anne Neville, played by Faye Marsay. I decided this because I think their play were wonderful.

Faye Marsay

            Faye Marsay and Aneurin Barnard, tried to play as the novels' character but as the reality too. Indeed, Aneurin/Richard looks torn between his loyalty towards his brother the king and his brother George, Duke of Clarence. But even if he stays faith to Edward, he looks far from his way of living, I mean he is not infidel towards his wife.

Aneurin Barnard

            Moreover, we see his fears, his doubts and how he needs Anne, she's the only one that he will trust ever. And I love the way Faye and Aneurin play when their characters are moving off. And I like how Anne realizes the weight of power, of the crown. She is losing her husband because of her fears about magic, curses, a niece. Well, it doesn't a fairy tail anymore. But let's check how the series is made!

            The series doesn't start when Richard and Anne were young but when Lady Elizabeth meet the king, her futur husband. The first time we see them is at Westminster Palace, they're young and beautiful and Anne Neville is absolutely dazzled by this Lancastrian widow who looks perfect. And we can see she's quite envious.

            But when her father betrays King Edward IV, she goes with him, her sister Isabel, her brother-in-law Clarence and her Lady Mother, as cold as an ice cube... She marries Edward of Westminster, a man who truly does'nt know who to be with a young girl. Her father raises an army and goes back in England but he died at the Batlle of Barnet. In a huge sorrow, Anne doesn't know what she had to do and she decides to stay with the "Bad Queen", Margaret of Anjou. But she's attacked at the Battle of Twekesbury, where her husband died. And who saves her? Yes, Duke of Gloucester, as a prince charming. Not a bad idea.

            However, she goes back at Edward IV's court, he forgives her, and her brother-in-law, helped by his wife, confine her in her room. As a prisoner she cannot do what she wants. §In seeing her cousin Gloucester, she begs him to help her. Prince Charming is BACK Ladies.

            There's a correspondance between the Duke and Lady Anne, she asks him to help her and to meet each other in the garden. She is truly willing to go in an abbey to be far from Clarence. But Richard convinces her to stay, and with a romantical way, I can assure you. Quite too much, but it still nice. He asks her to marry him, and then there's a cute kiss... Because she still loves him.

            Married, they have a son, Edward and they live in the North, in Middleham, their childhood's place. They have a nice life until Edward IV's death. 

His hair are FABULOUS

            Indeed, Richard is now Lord Protector of his nephew Edward V but power has a price and his sleep is one of them... I explain; the boys are declared illegitimate, Anne told him to crown himself and he did it because he had no choice. But he executed Hastings and Buckingham, thus Anthony Woodville for treason.

            But King, he has to face to rebellions, Henry Tudor wants to go back in England, fight and win against him to be on the throne as the true heir. I remind you he claims he will marry Elizabeth of York. And Richard tries to seduce his niece to discredit the Lancastrian heir, and he succeeded! Elizabeth of York is absolutely dazzled by him and when Queen Anne saw this she didn't agree...

            Then her misfortune is not finished, poor woman, her only son died and during an eclipse she joined her beloved son in the heaven in front of Richard.

            When she died, Richard looks guilty. He thinks this is because of his actions she's dead. Personally, I guess he realizes what was the price of his crown. And to face Henry Tudor and his army, he is as alone against an army. And he fought with bravery, as a king.

            To conclude, Richard, Last Duke of Gloucester, King of England as Richard III, lost in beloved son Edward of Westminster, his lovely wife Queen Anne Neville, his life, his kingdom, his crown. This king lost everything he had.

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