You think you know a story, but you only know how it ends.
To get to the heart of the story, you have to go back to the beginning.
Sir Thomas Boleyn, you are, by order and permission...
...of His Majesty, King Henry today created Lord Rochford.
Arise, my lord.
Majesty.
Henry Fitzroy.
Henry Fitzroy, you are, by order and permission of His Majesty...
...King Henry, today created Duke of Richmond and of Somerset...
...and Earl of Nottingham.
Arise, Your Grace.
His Eminence, Cardinal Wolsey.
Your Majesty.
I see His Majesty's bastard son is made a duke.
Does this mean he is next in rank to His Majesty?
Next in line to the throne?
Above my daughter?
Yes. Technically.
He is set above all others, except for a legitimate son.
His Majesty loves our daughter.
He has shown it on many occasions.
I cannot believe he wishes to place his bastard child above her.
I do not believe...
...that His Majesty...
...was personally responsible for this action.
After all, our daughter is engaged to the emperor.
Then Your Majesty has not heard?
The emperor has married Princess Isabella of Portugal.
Apparently he decided it was not worth waiting for your daughter to grow up.
Who is to say, perhaps he was influenced by the fact...
...that the beautiful Isabella brought with her a dowry of 1 million pounds.
He broke his word.
My Lord.
How your tok ens and signs of affection frighten me.
How can I be to you what you think me to be?
You know I am a commoner and think myself unworthy of your love.
Though the offer of it and the passion of Your Majesty's words and looks...
...touch both my heart and soul.
"You have flattered me with so many and such wondrous gifts.
Allow me to send you this token in return.
Small though it is.
And allow me to remain, in all things...
...your ever-loving servant. Anne."
Your Grace.
Mama.
Now, Henry, listen to me.
You are going to own your own house now.
You'll have lots of servants to help you and look after you.
But you must promise me to be a good boy.
And thoughtful and kind to those around you.
You may be set above them...
...but if I find you have grown too proud, I will be sad and displeased.
Yes, Mama. I promise.
And I promise I'll come and see you as often as I can.
And I'm sure your new house will be very grand.
I love you, my darling boy.
I love you.
Do you think they were suspicious? Ever?
Of course they were suspicious.
Didn't you see the way his servants looked at you?
But his son was overjoyed.
I mean, His Majesty was overjoyed.
After all, he had waited many years for the crown.
The old man had hung on grimly.
You need not tell me about that.
What are we going to do?
- Isn't this enough? - No.
Well, yes. And no.
I shall come to England eventually.
Marry me.
What?
You heard me.
Marry me.
My poor sister.
Indeed.
To be made queen for just a few days. It seems incredible.
A tragedy.
Upon return, she's to be treated to every comfort and kindness...
...while she mourns.
As to the great matter of Your Majesty's annulment...
...I have set up an ecclesiastical court with Archbishop Warham...
...to consider and decide on the matter.
It will meet in secret, if Your Majesty agrees.
Make sure they come to the right decision, quickly.
I have some further news.
About the emperor.
He has released King Francis.
What?
- I have it on good authority. - Under what terms?
I have yet to find out.
Why wasn't I consulted?
We are supposed to be allies.
What's he playing at?
Tell his ambassador I want to see him.
Anne. Anne.
Anne...
...I want to say something to you.
If it pleases you to be my true, loyal mistress and friend...
...to give yourself up to me, body and soul.
I promise I'll take you as my only mistress.
I won't have a thought or an affection for anyone else.
If you agree to be my maitresse en titre...
...I promise I shall serve only you.
- Your official mistress? - Yes.
And you will have everything you need.
Everything within my power to give you to you, it's yours, just ask.
What is it?
What have I done to make you treat me like this?
Done?
What fault have I committed? Tell me. Tell me.
Your Majesty, I have already given my maidenhead...
...into my husband's hands.
And whoever he is, only he will have it.
Anne.
Because I know how it goes otherwise.
My sister is called The Great Prostitute by everyone.
I'm sorry if I offended you.
I did not mean to.
I spoke plainly of my true feelings.
Your Majesty...
- Your Majesty. - Open the door.
- Your Majesty. - What?!
Mary. Mary.
Go to your room. I will come later.
Another visit, Your Eminence.
You are always so busy.
Majesty, I have some good news.
Since His Majesty has given his son the Duke of Richmond...
...his own establishment, he considers it only right and proper...
...that his beloved Princess Mary should also have hers.
What do you mean?
His Majesty intends to send the princess...
...to Ludlow castle in the Welsh Marches.
She will be under the care of Lady Salisbury, her lady governess.
Her tutor, Dr. Fetherston, will also accompany her...
...along with 300 members of the princess's household.
She is to be taken away from me?
No. His Majesty is according her the true honours of a princess.
This is your idea.
Madam, I am often accused of things that are not my fault, or responsibility.
Some people are always prone to speak evil...
...without knowledge of the truth.
I fear they may have poisoned Your Majesty's mind against me.
You are taking my child from me.
My child.
You are tearing her from me as if you were tearing her from my womb.
I do as His Majesty commands.
No.
You are my enemy.
Your Majesty is unfair.
Get out of my sight.
Mary.
The ambassador of His Highness the Holy Roman Emperor.
Senor Mendoza, I am not pleased to see you.
Majesty?
Your master has broken all his promises.
He has taken our money but used it against us.
He has negotiated a separate peace...
...with the king of France and His Holiness the Pope...
...while neglecting his friend and ally.
He has not kept faith.
Charles has nothing but words for me.
Deeds he keeps for others.
The emperor would never betray Your Majesty.
Never, he regards you as his uncle. He...
His fucking uncle?! How old am I?
Well, Your Highness must consider that you, yourself...
...may not always have kept to your obligations.
After all, we received only half the gold that was promised.
Your accusations are totally false.
Unacceptable.
I will answer for my honourable conduct...
...whoever contradicts me.
Leave.
My Lord Rochford.
Yes, Your Honour?
The emperor sends you his congratulations on your elevation.
What does the emperor care about my elevation?
He cares to have friends at the English court.
And pays for the privilege.
Does he have many friends here already?
Several.
- You would know them. - And what does friendship pay?
One thousand crowns a year.
I will certainly consider His Highness's offer.
- Your Grace. - My lord.
So how did you find the imperial ambassador?
Stimulating.
Indeed?
I find him a man of great principle.
Indeed.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah indeed.
My lord.
No, I was just listening.
Yes, l...
You have such a talent.
Orpheus himself would be jealous I think.
Sir.
A very good day to you ladies.
- Isn't the music divine? - Yes, I quite agree.
Ladies.
No, George. Please, give it back.
"I have given you my heart, now I desire to dedicate my body to you."
No, please.
"Written by the hand of him who in heart, body and will...
...is your loyal and most ensured servant, HR."
And look. He's drawn a little heart between the letters H and R.
Just imagine.
The king of England writing to my little sister.
Promising to be her servant. It's incredible.
- Give me the letter. - He's in love with you.
Give me the letter.
You're not in love with him, are you?
He wants a divorce?
It's not a divorce.
King wants an annulment on the grounds...
...that he was never married in the first place.
By marrying his brother's wife...
...he has offended the laws of both God and man.
He simply wants that recognised.
The pope gave him a dispensation to marry Catherine.
Indeed he did. No one denies it.
But the king feels more beholden to God...
...than he does to the pope.
His conscience is genuinely stricken, and tender.
He has disobeyed God's injunction...
...and there is nothing His Holiness can say or do that can alter that.
The pope is God's representative on Earth.
- He speaks for him. - Come, come, Thomas.
What are you pretending?
Kings get divorced all the time.
And popes always find an excuse.
I know you're an idealist but you're not stupid.
If Henry wants an annulment, who's to stop him?
All right. You talk of fact.
Let me give you a fact.
Catherine is not only a great queen and the daughter of kings...
...she is also immensely popular throughout the country.
God forbid that the king should abandon her just to ease his own conscience.
I don't think the English people would ever forgive him.
Does she know yet?
Behold the cross on which hung the saviour of the world.
The queen.
Good people of Lambeth.
On this Good Friday, the Queen's Majesty will distribute...
...alms to you unfortunate...
...but true and loyal subjects of Their Majesties...
...in the Christian spirit of charity and love.
- Your Majesty. - Bless you.
- Your Majesty. - And you.
God be with you.
In good faith.
May you know him in deed.
In good faith.
I beseech you, help me.
God bless you.
Do not be afraid. You are God's child.
Want some business?
Sorry, love.
My dear William.
Charles, welcome back. Good to see you.
You too. Come sit down, have a drink.
I don't understand. Why here?
We've been expecting you back at court.
How is the king?
Anxiously awaiting his sister, to share her grief.
We're married.
- What? - She and me.
We're married.
- You and? - Yes.
Here you are, sir. One for you.
You have to tell him. You have to tell the king.
I have to tell him? Why do I have to?
Because it will be better coming from you.
What's the matter? Have you lost your nerve?
This is no laughing matter.
Then why did you do it?
You know me.
I don't always think.
Yes, you do. Just not with your head.
Henry.
Catherine, I have something to tell you.
As far as I am concerned, our marriage is at an end.
Actually, there is no need to end something which has never been.
You and I were never truly married.
It was a misunderstanding of scripture...
...and a papal misapplication of canon law.
It's true I did not know about these things before...
...but it has been brought to light by learned opinion...
...and it weighs down my conscience.
It has forced me to give up your bed and board once and for all.
All that remains...
...is for you to choose where to live...
...and to retire there as quickly as possible.
I swear to you all will be done for the best.
Your Grace, my lords.
I believe you know why we are gathered here in private.
We are here at His Majesty's bidding.
His Majesty has requested an enquiry into the nature...
...of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon...
...for the tranquillity of his conscience and the health of his soul.
For as it says in Leviticus:
"If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an impurity...
...he has covered his brother's nakedness...
...they shall be childless."
Now, if, my lords, we are able to agree between ourselves...
...that the marriage was, in fact, never legal...
...and was proceeded with against both canon and ecclesiastical law...
...as His Majesty, to his great regret, has come to believe...
...then it is my understanding that, as papal legate...
...I myself have the power and authority to dissolve and end it.
Of course I would be grateful to hear...
...the opinions of your lordships on this great matter.
Your Grace?
I am inclined to agree with Your Eminence...
...though I reserve judgement until I have heard all opinion.
My Lord Fischer.
I see no merit in the king's case, so expressed.
None whatsoever.
If there was any obstacle to the king's marriage...
...then it was overcome by the pope's dispensation.
The marriage was therefore legal.
As Your Eminence knows, divorce is disallowed by the Church.
That is my opinion.
Madam, Lady Salisbury's here.
Your Majesty.
I have brought your daughter, to say goodbye.
- My baby. - Your Majesty must be reassured.
The princess will be well taken care of, as befitting her station.
You will be sent regular reports of her health and accomplishments.
And naturally, you will visit her...
...during the course of Your Majesty's progresses.
You must make sure she practises her music.
She has a great facility for music.
Be strong, my daughter. Remember who you are.
The descendent of Isabella and Ferdinand of Castille.
The only daughter of the king of England.
Be strong, and be true, and one day...
One day you will be queen.
Yes, Mama.
Is he sorry?
Does he repent it?
Tell me, does he beg my forgiveness?
Your Majesty knows His Grace.
You mean he does not.
Send in my sister.
You are not wearing black.
No, Your Majesty.
But you are in mourning.
Your husband is dead.
I said your husband is dead.
He's alive. My husband is alive.
I gave you no permission to marry Brandon, nor would I ever.
You gave me your promise. I was free to choose.
I made no promise. You are mistaken.
How dare you look at me?
I am your lord and master, not your brother.
You are both banished from court.
You will relinquish your London houses.
You will remove yourself from my sight.
Do you understand?
Yes, Your Majesty.
- And Margaret? - What?
I have yet to decide whether to make your bedmate a head shorter.
Say yes.
- You're married. - So?
So...
- Why deny me? - I do not love you.
- Is that all? - For me, yes.
You're so beautiful, Tom.
You're a lord.
What am I?
A genius.
What is it?
A parcel, Your Majesty.
Who is it from?
The Lady Anne Boleyn.
A ship, with women on board. What is a ship?
A ship is protection, like the ark that protected Noah.
And the diamond?
What does it say in the Roman de la Rose?
"A heart as hard as a diamond, steadfast, never changing."
She is the diamond.
And I am the ship.
She says yes.
King Francis is eager for a rapprochement...
...with Your Majesty.
He is disgusted at the treacherous behaviour...
...of the emperor towards you.
Behaviour he knows only too well having suffered it himself at firsthand.
And offers you instead a true and lasting friendship.
It is true, the emperor has betrayed us.
Perhaps he was never sincere in the first place.
Even so, he still has friends at court.
Which friends?
My agents intercepted this letter.
The letter is from the queen.
She asks why the emperor doesn't write to her more often.
And promises, as always, to be his true and humble servant.
His servant. Not mine.
Tell the French ambassador that we are in the mood...
...for a rapprochement with King Francis.
Tell him to send delegates.
Let us be allies against this emperor.
My lady.
I lay claim to your maidenhead.
And I make you this promise.
When we are married, I will deliver you a son.
No.
I shall honour your maidenhead until we are married.
No less could I do for love.
Oh, my love.
Love.
By daily proof, you shall me find, to be to you both loving and kind.
I hate you.
You said it would be all right.
You said he would believe you.
- You promised. - For the love of God, wife.
Don't call me "wife."
I don't want to be your wife. I hate you.
No, you don't.
Yes, I do.
If it weren't for you, I would still be the queen of Portugal.
- And now what am I? - You are drunk.
And you are foolish.
Henry will forgive us. He's just standing on his pride.
We just wounded his vanity. Believe me.
Why should I?
I don't know if you're really brave or if you're just a fucking fool.
Neither do I.
God.
Thank you, Alice.
I know you've talked to Wolsey.
And I know you do not approve of what I am trying to do.
It's against your conscience.
And I'm not going to try and change your mind.
That's unlikely in any case.
But I need you to understand, Thomas.
I need to explain.
I have been living with my brother's wife...
...and I have come to believe their marriage was consummated.
If that is true, then I have been living in sin.
Can you understand what that feels like, Thomas?
That is why I asked the cardinal to examine the matter.
What if it can be proved that the pope's dispensation was valid?
That there was no sin?
Then I shall be the happiest man alive.
I shall be content to live with Catherine until the end of my days.
Wait.
I ask you again.
If the king is so troubled by his conscience...
...why has he waited so long to bring this matter to a head?
Because of his love for the queen, he has denied the truth to himself.
But her failure to produce a living son is proof of it.
Then he'll want to remarry?
If his marriage is annulled, then, yes, I am certain he will remarry...
...in the hope of producing an heir.
He has an heir.
I do not believe for a moment...
...that the English people will accept his bastard son as a legitimate heir.
- Nor does the king. - He has a legitimate daughter.
My lords, English history is littered with the tragedies...
...of those who have tried to pass on their crown to a daughter.
Then he has a new wife in mind?
He has a mind to take one, yes.
It stinks.
I think you should be careful, my lord.
As should you.
One of the great advantages of having a library...
...is that it is full of books.
And some of these books contain ecclesiastical law.
And according to those books...
...you have no authority to judge this matter.
It is for the pope alone, or those whom he appoints.
It seems that in this case...
...your reach has exceeded your grasp.
So I have invited a French delegation to visit Your Majesty's court...
...to discuss a new treaty, binding us together...
...in the face of the emperor's intransigence and aggression.
Good. Excellent.
And since the emperor has reneged on his promise...
...to marry your daughter, it could perhaps be politic...
...to resurrect her betrothal to the dauphin.
Or if the dauphin is already promised perhaps to the Duke of Orleans...
...King Francis' youngest son.
And what of your secret sessions?
Have they come to a decision?
How soon can I expect my annulment?
Your Majesty should not be concerned but...
We were not able to come to a conclusion.
- Not able? - The matter is a complex one.
Really? How?
It is my considered opinion...
...that we should apply to His Holiness, Pope Clement...
...for a ruling on this matter.
Since he loves Your Majesty, I am certain he will rule in your favour.
I hope so.
I certainly do hope so. For your sake.
- You can always tell the French. - Oh, yes.
Ponces.
But they never did anything so clever as giving Wolsey a pension.
He's never failed them.
We must wait and see.
When the wheel of fortune has reached its zenith...
...there is only one way for it to go.
Move aside, move aside. Out of my way.
I bring most important news.
Your Majesty, Rome has been sacked.
Let him through.
Your Majesty, I bring most terrible and calamitous news.
Rome has been captured and sacked by the German and Spanish mercenaries.
They have plundered and befouled its churches...
...destroyed its relics and holy treasures...
...tortured and killed thousands of its priests.
What of His Holiness?
The pope is a prisoner in the Castel St. Angelo.
He is the emperor's prisoner?
Yes.
Lady Blount.
He caught the sweating sickness.
There was nothing we could do.
He complained this morning of feeling ill.
And by this evening, he was in the hands of God.