The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory - Book Review

If you find England’s King Henry VIII and his six wives fascinating, you’ll want to pick up The Constant Princess or one of Philippa Gregory’s other novels that chronicle the lives of women in the King’s court. More than a historical novel, The Constant Princess is an appealing look at Queen Katherine of Aragon before she married King Henry. The sweeping descriptions of life in Spain along with the political intrigue of the English court make for a suspenseful and fast-moving read.

The Constant Princess tells the story of Catalina, Princess of Wales, eventually to become Queen Katherine of England. You might remember her from history class as Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, eventually replaced by Anne Boleyn. This story fictionalizes and dramatizes her life, from Catalina’s childhood as daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, to her marriage at age 15 to Prince Arthur, who died before their first anniversary.

The Constant Princess is strongly informed by historical events, but is more engaging and exciting than most historical novels. At it’s heart, The Constant Princess wants to be a love story about the Spanish princess and her first husband, and her efforts to keep a promise she makes to him. Also romantic are Catalina’s detailed descriptions of the palaces, clothing and culture that defined her childhood in lush, exotic Spain.

Fans of Gregory’s previous novels will find that The Constant Princess satisfies in all the usual ways—a strong and role-defying female lead, royal intrigue, geopolitical plotting, and romantic love tales mixed with gossipy affairs. At the same time, though, this novel covers much of the same ground as previous ones, and is somewhat less satisfying.