A historical drama following three women who manipulate events behind the scenes during the Wars of the Roses.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Nine-Year War
The narrative opens with England engulfed in a nine-year conflict between the House of York and House of Lancaster over the rightful throne.
Key Events
Nine-Year War Begins — Nation at war for nine years over rightful king.
Location: England
Plantagenet Branches Contest — Two Plantagenet branches contest the throne.
Location: England
Elizabeth Marries Edward IV — Yorkist Elizabeth Woodville becomes wife of King Edward IV.
Location: Court
Margaret's Lancastrian Lineage — Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort is mother of future Tudor King Henry VII.
Location: England
Anne Marries Richard III — Yorkist Anne Neville marries Duke of Gloucester, King Richard III.
Location: Court
Queens of the Court
The three central female figures are introduced through their royal marriages and familial ties to the warring Plantagenet branches.
Key Events
Women Manipulate Events — All three women manipulate events behind the scenes to gain power.
Location: England
Family Power Struggles — Families and factions clash as women vie for influence.
Location: England
Elizabeth as Protagonist — Elizabeth Woodville serves as the protagonist in the 2009 novel The White Queen.
Location: England
Behind the Scenes Manipulation
Elizabeth, Margaret, and Anne actively maneuver political schemes to secure power for their families amid the dynastic struggle.
Key Events
Elizabeth as Protagonist — Elizabeth Woodville serves as the protagonist in the 2009 novel The White Queen.
Location: England
Margaret's Narrative Focus — Margaret Beaufort becomes the focus of the 2010 novel The Red Queen.
Location: England
Anne's Narrative Focus — Anne Neville is the focus of the 2012 novel The Kingmaker's Daughter.
Location: England
Broadcast and Legacy
The series concludes its run, transitions to home media, and establishes its place within the broader Philippa Gregory historical franchise.
Key Events
Interwoven Novel Structure — All three characters appear across the three novels forming the drama.
Location: England
BBC Premiere Broadcast — First episode premieres on BBC One on June 16, 2013.
Location: BBC One
Final Episode Aired — Final episode airs on August 18, 2013.
Location: BBC One
DVD Release — Drama released on DVD and Blu-ray discs the following day.
Location: Home Media
Mini-Series Confirmation — BBC confirms the drama was always planned as a non-returning mini-series.
Location: England
Sequel Announcements — Two Anglo-American co-production sequels planned: The White Princess and The Spanish Princess.
Location: Starz
Golden Globe Nominations — Drama nominated for three Golden Globe Awards.
Location: Awards
Emmy Nominations — Drama nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards.
Location: Awards
People's Choice Award — Drama nominated for a People's Choice Award.
Location: Awards
Historical Legacy — Women's behind-the-scenes manipulation shapes English history.
Location: England
Story Breakdown
Historical Context — The narrative is grounded in the nine-year Plantagenet civil war for the English throne.
Wars of Roses Conflict — Nation divided by prolonged dynastic warfare.
Plantagenet Dynasty Struggle — Two branches contest rightful kingship.
Central Protagonists — Three women drive the narrative through political maneuvering and familial loyalty.
Elizabeth Woodville — Yorkist queen and primary novel protagonist.
Margaret Beaufort — Lancastrian matriarch and future Tudor mother.
Anne Neville — Yorkist duchess and Richard III's wife.
Political Alliances — Factions align through marriage, bloodline, and strategic backing.
House of York Faction — Royal house supporting Edward IV and Richard III.
House of Lancaster Faction — Opposing house backing Margaret Beaufort and Henry VII.
Narrative Structure — The drama adapts Philippa Gregory's interwoven novel trilogy.
Interwoven Novel Series — Three books focus on each central woman sequentially.
Three-Part Television Adaptation — BBC serial translates the novels into a cohesive mini-series.
Production Details — Broadcast timeline, release formats, and critical recognition.
BBC Premieres and Release — Aired June to August 2013 with subsequent DVD launch.
Award Nominations — Recognized by Golden Globes, Emmys, and People's Choice.
Franchise Expansion — The series serves as a launchpad for connected historical dramas.
The White Princess Sequel — Anglo-American co-production continuing the Tudor narrative.
The Spanish Princess Sequel — Starz broadcast expanding the Plantagenet-Tudor timeline.
In 1960, in a coastal town near to Nantes, Jean Ripoche lives with his wife Liliane, their four children and Liliane’s father Lucien. Jean divides his time between running his plumbing business and making a float for the Nantes carnival. The Ripoche’s ordered lives are thrown into turmoil when Jean’s former friend, Yvon Legualoudec, returns to the town – with his black wife Annabelle and their three children. Before he disappeared twenty years ago, without saying a word, Yvon was Jean’s rival for Liliane’s affections. As bitter memories resurface, the relationship between Jean, Yvon and Liliane become strained.
