5 Best Costume Dramas Based on Real Life if You Liked The Serpent Queen
Palace intrigue, forbidden love, and betrayal – what could be better?
Strong female rulers not only lived in luxurious mansions, they also made history. The monarchy put an end to private life: marriages were often arranged for convenience, and it was impossible to give up power and responsibility.
TV series often focus on strong women in power – because the real facts of their lives are often more shocking and heartbreaking than any scriptwriter's invention.
1. Victoria, 2016-2019
Victoria's uncle, the King of the United Kingdom, died in 1837 when the girl was eighteen years old. Despite her young age, Victoria becomes the sole heir to the throne. The girl begins to impose her own rules on the palace, causing discontent not only among advisors but also among common subjects.
The nobility gossip that the monarch is too young and inexperienced, and the courtiers allow themselves to treat her with contempt. Her mother also tries to control Victoria, imposing her advisor Sir Conroy as her secretary. But the girl does not allow this – she finds support from Lord Melbourne and makes him her right hand.
2. Isabel, 2011-2014
The series tells the story of the life of Isabella of Castile. Princess Isabella's older brother, the king, dies. Several people lay claim to the vacant throne of Castile. Among them are Juana, the king's daughter, and Isabella's husband, Ferdinand. But the woman has no intention of surrendering the throne to anyone.
She strives to be proclaimed queen, and this event will mark the beginning of a civil war. The series consists of three seasons: the first tells about the youth of the future queen, the second – about the civil war for power, and the third is dedicated to the last years of Isabella's life.
3. The Spanish Princess, 2019-2020
The Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Isabella of Castile and her husband Ferdinand, was destined for the English throne from childhood. She was to be the wife of Arthur, Prince of Wales, the eldest heir to the crown. But when the young people were married, the prince died.
They were never able to share a bed, and so Catherine can still hope to become the wife of the future king, Prince Henry, who will go down in history as Henry VIII.
4. The Empress, 2022-...
The series tells the story of the Austrian princess Sisi, who has caused trouble for her family since her youth. Sisi's mother wants the girl to be engaged to a duke, but the girl herself dreams of a different life – she wants freedom.
But when she meets Emperor Franz, who everyone believes should marry her older sister, Sisi falls in love. Since that moment, palace intrigue awaits her.
5. The White Queen, 2013
The story is set in England in 1464. The War of the Roses, which has been going on for nine years, is in full swing. Two royal dynasties – the Lancasters and the Yorks – are fighting for the right to inherit power. Edward IV, a representative of the Yorks, seizes the throne by force, overthrowing the previous ruler.
The aristocrat Elizabeth Woodville's husband fought on the side of the Lancasters and died in the war. To protect herself and her children, Elizabeth intends to become the wife of King Edward, who has ascended to the throne. On the other side is the young widow Margaret Beaufort, whose husband died at the hands of the Yorks. She is ready to do anything to put her son on the throne.