Episode seven, the penultimate episode of the first season of Starz’s The Spanish Princess, begins with Princess Catherine (Charlotte Hope) watching as her ladies load a wagon. Rosa (Nadia Parkes) is returning home and she apologizes to Catherine for any shame she’s caused. Catherine’s closest allies are worried that if she remains in England, her life could be in danger now that she’s no longer an important player in the alliance between England and Spain.

Princess Catherine refuses to leave, steadfast in the belief Prince Harry will remain true to their love.

Before Rosa leaves, Catherine gives her the golden compass she was presented with by Christopher Columbus. “Maybe it will bring you back to us someday,” says Catherine.

Maggie Pole (Laura Carmichael) returns home to find there’s no food for her children. Her oldest son informs her there aren’t even any rabbits or rats to be found. She hurries off to steal an egg but is surprised by a barking dog and drops it. She breaks down crying.

Princess Catherine writes to her father, begging him to convince her sister to send the dowry. She believes a marriage to Prince Harry would strengthen Spain immediately. She adds that she’s willing to have a double wedding ceremony with Princess Mary and Queen Joanna’s son, Prince Charles.

Lady Margaret (Harriet Walter) compliments Princess Mary (Isla Merrick-Lawless) as she’s being dressed for her betrothal ceremony. Lady Margaret assures her there’s nothing to fear by marrying so young.

Sir Edmund Dudley (Morgan Jones) arrives at court after collecting the taxes of the people of Essex. He promises they’ll give more to the Crown in the future.

Lina (Stephanie Levi-John) and Princess Catherine speak with Oviedo (Aaron Cobham), asking to see the King. He denies them entry, citing his orders and calling Catherine “My Lady.” Lina reminds him Catherine should rightfully be addressed as Highness. Stafford interrupts to say he’ll take her, even though she doesn’t need an escort.

Princess Catherine is brought to see Lady Margaret, not the King. Margaret surprises Catherine with the news Prince Harry will be marrying Queen Joanna’s daughter, Princess Eleanor. She also insists Harry’s already left for Spain so there’s truly nothing left for Catherine to say. There’s also no reason for her to remain in England as she’ll never be the Queen.

Catherine will not play any role in the alliance between Spain and England, and Margaret advises her to be gracious in defeat.

Oviedo asks Lina to marry him, confessing he’s earning money by working for Lady Margaret. Lina’s upset Oviedo works for Catherine’s enemy, but she loves him and only asks that he not tell Catherine who’s paying him.

Catherine learns King Henry’s location from Oviedo and speaks to him about Prince Harry. He acknowledges Harry will do whatever is necessary for his country, including marrying someone he doesn’t love. Princess Catherine asks if Harry’s happy, and King Henry’s moved that she continues to care for his well being even though he’s marrying another.

King Henry (Elliot Cowan) asks Princess Catherine, again, to be his wife. She declines, reminding him she loves Prince Harry and that the King deserves a wife who loves him.

Princess Catherine emerges from her meeting with King Henry upset Harry’s already left for Spain. However, Lina doesn’t believe that’s true. No ships have sailed other than the merchant ship carrying Rosa home. Prince Harry would not sail aboard that class of ship.

Lina’s correct as the next scene involves Lady Margaret speaking to Prince Harry in the chapel. Harry’s deep in prayer when his grandmother arrives, and Harry’s obviously upset about his upcoming marriage to Catherine’s niece. Harry prayed on this matter and Lady Margaret reminds him he needs to choose a path for England’s future. He’s worried about Catherine and what will become of her, but Lady Margaret assures him Catherine will find some rich, powerful husband back in Spain.

Prince Harry will not be forced into marriage, assuring his grandmother he’ll tell her when he’s made his decision. He needs more time to think on it and pray.

Lady Margaret discovers Oviedo praying, confirming he’s Muslim. She wonders why he uses a carpet for prayer, and he explains he prays to Allah. She asks if he has any new information about traitors, which he doesn’t. She provides him with money to find someone to go to the port and read all the letters coming in and out of the country to find any possible York traitors.

She also hands him her Bible, advising him to read it.

Elsewhere, Maggie hustles her children down busy streets to meet with her cousin, George. She asks him to take in her boys for a while because their fortunes have changed. George wants Maggie to work with them against the Tudors, but she simply wants George to look after her boys. He explains her youngest, Reggie, will have to go to the monks for now. It’s a silent order and Maggie’s not happy about sending her son to live there.

George reminds her if she pledges her support to the York heir, she could rally half of England. Maggie warns her cousin not to let her oldest son, Henry, come to any harm, and refuses to back the Yorks. She believes they would have her children killed if she supported Edmund De La Pole.

Lina and Oviedo discuss their upcoming wedding. She wants a Catholic wedding while Oviedo is set on a Muslim wedding. Lina insists any marriage in England must be Catholic. They continue to argue over their wedding and over the fact Lina has asked about Prince Harry’s whereabouts. Oviedo offers a compromise: they’ll marry in a church and then have a Muslim feast. They kiss to seal the arrangement.

Oviedo doesn’t know Harry’s location, but he does confirm he isn’t at the court.

Later, Dudley arrives at Catherine’s door, demanding her overdue rent. She insists it’s paid, and Lina shows him a receipt. He informs them their rent has increased and Catherine’s sure it’s all Lady Margaret’s doing. If she can’t pay, she must leave.

Lina follows Dudley outside and spots Maggie and her two youngest children. They have nowhere to go and Princess Catherine welcomes them in for as long as she remains in England.

That evening when the children are asleep Maggie and Catherine discuss their current circumstances. Catherine blames herself for Maggie being out of favor with Lady Margaret, and Maggie confesses she thought of writing to Margaret and confirming Catherine slept with Arthur. However, she didn’t know that for a fact, so she didn’t take any action.

Maggie speaks her mind, suggesting that because Prince Harry is marrying Princess Eleanor, Catherine should return to Spain and start a new life. “Why would Lady Margaret tell the Church to raise my rent right now, if she has won? If Harry is to marry Eleanor, what threat could I be?” asks Catherine.

Maggie explains Lady Margaret has raised the rents of all of her tenants. Maggie suggests they accept there isn’t any hope, but Catherine will not give up. They clasp hands and Catherine tells Maggie they must both chart their course and head toward it.

Princess Catherine writes to Prince Harry, informing him she’s holding fast to their love. She tells him he’s her destiny and asks him to come back to her. Opening the window, she sets the letter free to drift on the breeze.

She dreams she’s standing in a hall surrounded by her letters to Prince Harry. She spots him at the end of the hall and runs into his arms. He tells her nothing can keep him away, other than the crown. He’ll toss love away for that. “A king can play with love, but he can not build his reign on it,” says Henry. He reminds her she burned his letters so he burned hers. The dream ends with Catherine in a boat, alone at sea in the dark of night. She’s heading toward a waterfall and screams as the boat goes over the falls.

Princess Catherine wakes to the sound of pounding on the door. A letter from her father’s delivered, and Catherine understands she has one card left to play. The letter reveals Queen Joanna’s husband died of a fever and Joanna’s mind is going so their father locked her up in a convent. He doesn’t believe Joanna will ever be Queen again and he demands Catherine defend his honor now that he’s the ruler of the Spanish empire. If she agrees to support him, he’ll send her dowry.

Princess Catherine returns to court and demands to see King Henry. She’s denied entry until she reveals she knows why Edmund De La Pole has not been returned to England.

Princess Catherine interrupts King Henry, Lady Margaret, and the council to inform them Philip is dead and Joanna is ill. Her eight-year-old son, betrothed to Princess Mary, is too young to wear the crown so her father is King of Spain. He’s named Princess Catherine as Spain’s Ambassador to England.

Lady Margaret’s predictably furious and denies Catherine has the ability to hold that position. Catherine stands firm, reminding them she learned from her mother how to handle negotiations. She also explains Joanna’s children are in her father’s keeping.

Catherine surprises everyone by revealing her father has promised to send her dowry. She admits her father is tricky, but they need him to side with England over France.

Princess Catherine demands new, more suitable quarters and King Henry agrees.

After Catherine leaves the meeting, Lady Margaret insists this is all a scheme for Princess Catherine to remain at court. She doesn’t believe the King of Spain will stop Prince Harry or Princess Mary from marrying into Spain’s royal family and sealing their alliance.

King Henry will write to Philip’s father, Emperor Maximilian, to learn if Edmund De La Pole is being returned to England.

Maggie asks her two youngest children to be brave, saying they’ll only be apart for a little while. She asks if Catherine’s found Harry and learns Catherine’s sure Harry is not in Spain. Catherine confesses she’s asked her father to allow her to marry Prince Harry.

Catherine offers to speak to King Henry on Maggie’s behalf, but Maggie says she needs to find her own new world. Lina offers Maggie money to help her buy food and when Maggie tries to refuse it, Catherine says it’s in memory of their beloved Arthur.

Princess Catherine and Lina return to court while Maggie drops off her youngest son with the monks who don’t speak. He begs to stay with his mother, and she assures him she’ll be just across the river with the nuns. He believes it’s his fault his father died, and Maggie comforts him and tells him she loves him. She promises to return and visit him often.

Maggie and her daughter visit George once again, but this time Maggie reveals she’s written to her cousin Edmund De La Pole and pledged her full support. She’s ready to end the Tudors and restore York. She tells George, “I will stand with you and do whatever it may take. I will cut their throats myself, every man, woman, and bastard son.”

Lady Margaret informs Princess Catherine that in her role as Ambassador to England, she’ll need to oversee Princess Mary’s betrothal ceremony to Prince Charles. She feels if Catherine oversees it, she’ll have to accept the alliance has been struck without her. Princess Catherine in turn reminds Lady Margaret her father can still change his mind and drops the news that she knows Prince Harry isn’t in Spain.

Princess Catherine points out Lady Margaret has a greater claim to England’s throne than her son or grandson. When Lady Margaret calls that treason, Catherine says, “I only observe that given your intellect and ambition were it not for your sex, you could have been the greatest Queen of England.”

Lady Margaret is stunned into silence.

Lina and Oviedo have another argument over religion, Lady Margaret, and Princess Catherine. Oviedo reminds Lina that Queen Isabella tormented Muslims, adding that Lady Margaret allows him to practice his faith.

Maggie tells George and the York supporters she’s received a reply from Edmund. He instructs them it’s time to strike out at the Tudors and return the Yorks to the throne.

Edmund arrives in Southwark, London and is ready to bring God’s wrath down on King Henry and the Tudors. Back at their hideout, Maggie instructs the men to take different roads on their way to meet with Edmund that evening.

Princess Catherine does as Lady Margaret instructed and oversees Princess Mary’s betrothal ceremony preparation. King Henry compliments her to Lady Margaret, but Lady Margaret snidely comments Catherine’s not dressed appropriately.

Princess Mary goes missing from the ceremony and Princess Catherine volunteers to find her. Catherine locates the young bride-to-be in the chapel and sits on the floor beside the girl. Mary confesses she thinks her husband will be 300 years old, and Catherine assures her the man she’s speaking of is just the person sent to represent Prince Charles.

Charles is younger than Mary, but Mary’s sure she won’t like him. Princess Catherine assures her in time she’ll learn to like him. She’ll discover what makes him laugh and it’ll be a glorious adventure getting to know her husband.

Princess Mary asks if Catherine knows what makes Harry laugh. Catherine does, and Mary reveals Harry’s location. He’s in Hatfield. Princess Catherine kisses Mary’s forehead in thanks.

Princess Catherine returns with Mary, assuring the young girl Charles is very handsome. She also teases she’ll bite his ear off if he ever annoys Mary. Mary smiles, no longer afraid, as she walks toward the elderly gentleman representing Prince Charles.

Oviedo arrives and Lady Margaret scurries from the ceremony. Oviedo has a list of names of the traitors and Margaret’s pleased, telling him he’s done God’s work. She sends soldiers out to round up the traitors.

Princess Catherine also steps away from the ceremony to inquire about what’s happening. Lady Margaret, nearly giddy with joy, explains Edmund is on English soil and the realm will soon be safe from traitors. She’s positively joyful as she announces Maggie will be killed with the rest of the traitors. “The red rose will eclipse the white, as in the Tudor coat,” says Lady Margaret.

Princess Catherine blames herself and wants to warn Maggie.

The York supporters head toward their meeting with Edmund, but Maggie is delayed because her daughter needs to urinate. Maggie watches from behind a wagon as the King’s men arrest Edmund and his supporters. Oviedo captures Maggie’s son, Henry, warning him to stay still and he’ll protect him.

Maggie and her daughter flee the scene and briefly take shelter in a monastery. Soldiers barge in as Maggie and her child find a hiding place. They then move through the woods but are confronted by soldiers who warn them not to run.

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The Spanish Princess concludes season one with episode eight (“Destiny”) airing on June 23, 2019. Starz recently announced The Spanish Princess will continue with a second eight episode season.

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• The Spanish Princess Episode 8 “Destiny” Recap
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