The Spanish Princess (TV Series)

Fever Dream (2019)

Charlotte Hope: Catherine of Aragon

Photos 

Quotes 

• Prince Arthur : Princess of Wales. Does it scare you?

  Catherine of Aragon : I asked my mother once why I was not afraid of my destiny. She said I may as well be fearful of my own reflection. There is no fear. Our marriage has brought peace.

  Prince Arthur : In the south, yes, but Scotland...

  Catherine of Aragon : They raid across the borders. They kill and rob your people, rich and poor alike. Butcher them.

  Prince Arthur : My father has a worse punishment in store. He'll probably send my brother Harry to them, hitch him up to some Morag or Mordina.

• Catherine of Aragon : Do I not please?

  Prince Arthur : I cannot be rushed, like some horse to stud. We should sleep.

  Catherine of Aragon : As you wish, my lord.

• Prince Arthur : You talk in your sleep, in Spanish.

  Catherine of Aragon : That's a pity. I wish to dream in English. You should have woken me.

  Prince Arthur : The banquet today is for the toast of Gaunt. My father's idea, celebrate our bloodline. I warn you, we'll be required to dance.

  Catherine of Aragon : I could teach you the pavane.

  Prince Arthur : Must be English.

• Prince Harry : Uh, good morning, brother. Sunt tibi bene, uh, as the old Benedictines say?

  [Arthur opens door] 

  Prince Harry : Well, but can you have a good night if you're a celibate monk?

  Prince Arthur : On your way, little brother.

  Catherine of Aragon : I'm just concerned that she was too much for you.

  Prince Arthur : What did Socrates say? When... When men who are fond of spirited horses master those beasts, they find the rest of life easy to cope with.

  Prince Harry : And did you master your Iberian thoroughbred?

  Prince Arthur : Gentlemen, last night, I was in Spain.

  [Men start laugh] 

  Catherine of Aragon : Hurry up! Rosa. I will need a fresh fire in this room. Last night's burned so fiercely. There was much to burn. Hurry up!

• Catherine of Aragon : I don't know this.

  Prince Arthur : It's a galliard.

• Catherine of Aragon : Lady Pole. I beg forgiveness for what was done in my name. I throw myself upon your mercy. I did not know.

  Maggie Pole : I- I cannot speak of it. Get up.

  Catherine of Aragon : I am here, only because an innocent life was taken, your brother. Edward was innocent. I was a child, too, when it happened. I am so sorry, so sorry.

• Catherine of Aragon : [Scots come]  You disgusting heathens. You dare to foul this day?

  Edward Stafford : Your Highness, these men are guests.

  King Henry Tudor : Welcome, gentlemen. Welcome. Now, as you recall from...

  Meg Tudor : Why are they looking at me?

• Prince Arthur : You did not enjoy the day, did you? Was it Harry?

  Catherine of Aragon : I did not ask your brother to write to me nor did I know it was him when I replied. I feel foolish enough that I was tricked. Can we not just put it behind us, Arthur? The lettes are now ashes. I understand now what it took for us to marry. Your cousin, Edward of Warwick, was executed.

  Prince Arthur : Don't talk about that.

  Catherine of Aragon : To clear the path for us.

  Prince Arthur : On your own mother's command.

  Catherine of Aragon : You blame my mother for this? Blame your own.

  [he throws something] 

  Catherine of Aragon : Is that why you can't touch me?

  Prince Arthur : When we reach Ludlow, you will learn to perform your duty.

  Catherine of Aragon : I am trying to perform my duty now, Arthur. You won't let me.

  Prince Arthur : I will sleep alone tonight.

  Catherine of Aragon : Should I warn my ladies this is what it is to be a Tudor wife? The cold and the damp shrink all desire and all joy. I have seen things that you, hidden away in your dark little country, could never dream of. I am the daughter of the two greatest monarchs this world has ever known. If you challenge me, I shall defeat you.

  Prince Arthur : Perhaps you already have, Catherine.

• Catherine of Aragon : Meg.

  Meg Tudor : I am ordered to see you off and wish you well, but I wish they'd ordered me to come with you. Still, they say the sweat is back. Maybe I'll be lucky and drop dead.

  Catherine of Aragon : Meg, let us say goodbye properly. We are sisters now.

  Meg Tudor : So strange. You knew about your wedding since you were a girl.

  Catherine of Aragon : My mother told me stories of England since I was this high. Now, I thought at first they were child's tales, but she was turning the soil, and planting this country in my heart. Now, even though it is strange and new, it still feels like mine. It was my mother's gift. It was a gift I wanted.

  Meg Tudor : And you never doubt?

  Catherine of Aragon : Whatever awaits you in this life, you must... fijar... fix your place in the heavens.

  Meg Tudor : What if you don't want the place that others pick for you?

  Catherine of Aragon : Then pick your place, not theirs, sister.

• Prince Arthur : I should take confession.

  Catherine of Aragon : Too much like a church? Please, come here.

  [he sits] 

  Catherine of Aragon : You are afraid, because you do not know me. I want you to understand what I am. I am your wife, yes, but I am also Infanta of Spain.

  Prince Arthur : I know that.

  Catherine of Aragon : But you do not know. I grew up in a Christian court. We are Catholics, and we made all of Spain Catholic. And yet there is another side to us, not in faith, not in culture. We eat at low tables. We say grace, but we live in rooms studded with jewels of al-Andalus and Ethiopia. I believe in the one true Catholic faith, but I respect the beauty of Islam. I want you to know these two sides of me.

  Prince Arthur : Tell me more about your home.

  Catherine of Aragon : The Alhambra? When you enter the first room, it is small like a merchant's house.

  Prince Arthur : I was told it was grand.

  Catherine of Aragon : Wait. But then you pass through the first room, and you enter the Golden Chamber. When I was a girl, the Golden Chamber seemed as big as the sky.

  Prince Arthur : I cannot remember a time I was not betrothed to you. We were both small children then, and now look at us.

  Catherine of Aragon : Look at us, Arthur. We are masters of our destiny now. And we have time to know each other in all ways.

  [Arthur kisses her, marriage was consummated] 

• Prince Arthur : "I will never boast, but cherish humility instead. I will speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word. I will defend those who cannot defend themselves. I will honor and respect women. I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship. I will be generous to the poor and to those who need help."

  Catherine of Aragon : King Arthur?

  Prince Arthur : Which makes you Guinevere and Westmister Camelot. Why not?

  [they laugh] 

  Prince Arthur : Who would stop us?

  Catherine of Aragon : Una mesa redonda? The Round Table?

  Prince Arthur : And we'll make Stafford and Wiltshire and Suffolk, make them all sit around it. No more plots and secrets. Fair taxation! Something to work for, then, together.

  [they kiss and hug] 

• Catherine of Aragon : [Arthur gives a paper]  What is this?

  Prince Arthur : It's not very... I've read the poets and Aquinas, but I do not possess their abilities.

  Catherine of Aragon : It is very fine, Arthur.

  Prince Arthur : But not as fine as others can achieve.

  Catherine of Aragon : Others have not achieved my hand.

• Catherine of Aragon : Why is he leaving the prince?

  Maggie Pole : He's preparing him a draft. They will not neglect him.

  Catherine of Aragon : I am staying.

  Maggie Pole : You can't, Your Grace. It is the sweat. Thousands died when the Tudor army brought it to England.

• Catherine of Aragon : I know how much you love him. I also try to love him.

  Maggie Pole : I know you love the idea of being queen.

  Catherine of Aragon : You still think so badly of me.

  Maggie Pole : No, it's not your fault. You were bred for it. But I have seen so much ambition in my life. My family have been the victims of it.

  Catherine of Aragon : Lady Pole... Maggie... come. Pray with me.

• Sir Richard Pole : You cannot risk this, Your Grace. This is too dangerous.

  Maggie Pole : Catherine, don't.

  Catherine of Aragon : Everybody out. Leave me with my husband.

  Prince Arthur : S-Stay away.

  Catherine of Aragon : What can I do? What do you want?

  Prince Arthur : I want... to live.

  Catherine of Aragon : Your father will ride to you. I know it.

  Prince Arthur : I'm sorry. They will... They will send you back to Spain. And I dreamed of Camelot. And... And Teddy was a knight of the Round Table. And he had a place set for me.

  [Catherine continues to cry and Arthur is in pain] 

• King Henry Tudor : He found happiness with you.

  Catherine of Aragon : I believe some, Your Grace.

  King Henry Tudor : You will return to Westminster with us. We will see if you are with child. Pray God you are.