JODIE COMER'S "MASTERPIECE" PERIOD DRAMA THAT'S A "THRILL TO WATCH" GETS NEW UK STREAMING HOME

A "masterpiece" period drama starring Jodie Comer and Jacob Collins-Levy is streaming for free right now on Channel Four.

The White Princess first aired in 2017 as a miniseries, based on the novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory.

It centres around the marriage of Henry VII (Collins-Levy) and Elizabeth of York (Comer), which ended the Wars of the Roses by bringing together the houses of Lancaster and York.

But behind their seemingly perfect facade, the real battle for the throne is far from over, as Elizabeth fights mistrust toward her husband, Henry's manipulative mother Lady Margaret Beaufort (Michelle Fairley), and plots against the family from all sides as she secures her position to become Queen.

It picks up where the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning series, The White Queen, left off after it initially aired in 2013.

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Much like its predecessor, The White Princess was beloved by fans and critics alike, often hailed as a "masterpiece".

It holds a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Well-acted and enlivened by its fresh perspective, The White Princess delivers more than enough intrigue to satisfy fans of period British royal court drama."

In their review, Common Sense Media wrote: "If you like British royal history dramas (and there are quite a few to choose from at this point), The White Princess will prove itself very entertaining."

Entertainment Weekly said: "The series grounds itself in the journey of its titular heroine with a sharp understanding of a new queen's difficult, often precarious position."

AV Club added: "Some of the situations and characters have been tweaked for dramatic purposes. But the actual events of this story still have enough in play to make this a riveting watch."

We Got This Covered summarised: "The White Princess is a bit frothy, sometimes kinda camp and there's an occasional whiff of Harlequin romance, but it's extremely watchable television."

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, Doctor Who icon Comer explained how she approached playing a character who had lived more than 500 years ago.

"When I read the scripts, even from the start of the audition process, I felt like I knew her. I think it was the adolescence in her that I totally related to," she began.

"I guess you must sense something about yourself in the characters you read. The more daunting prospect for me was that the story was set over a seven-year period.

"It's a long time, so it was more [about] showing the growth of her and how she ages. We didn't go crazy with changing hair color or fine lines or anything like that; it was more shown through the way she's developed.

"I wanted the audience to pick up that she's grown and is a result of the experiences that she's faced throughout the season."

The White Princess is streaming now on Channel Four

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2025-12-08T23:23:53Z