15 Questions about The Constant Princess | Literature

Answer: Spain

Katherine of Aragon is the daughter of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I, two of the most powerful rulers of Spain. She spends most of her childhood years in Spain, but is forced to move to England as a young teenager to marry.

Answer: Alhambra

The Alhambra is in Granada, the last Moorish stronghold that is conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella. It is a grand, ornate palace, and Katherine spends most of her childhood there.

Answer: Prince Arthur

At night, Arthur always asks Katherine to recount her childhood at the Alhambra. He is awed by the seemingly exotic Spain, and by all of Katherine's happy memories there.

Answer: False

At first, Katherine and Arthur are very awkward together, but as they grow more comfortable, they fall in love and try to be together as much as possible. They even have secret meetings at night, because they are not allowed to share the same bedroom.

Answer: Ludlow Castle

Ludlow is the traditional seat of the Prince of Wales, and Arthur and Katherine are sent there with their own mini-court to learn how to be effective rulers. Despite the weather differences between Wales and Spain, Katherine learns to love it at Ludlow.

Answer: A horse

When Henry sees the beautiful Barbary horse Katherine brought from Spain, he tries to guilt Katherine into giving him one. It is right before her wedding to Arthur, and Katherine can only imagine what life will be like with this spoiled little boy as her brother-in-law.

Answer: Latin

Neither of the two knows the other's language, but both have learned Latin, so they use that language when speaking to each other.

Answer: The Moors

The Moors were originally from Africa, but they inhabited much of Spain in the few centuries before Katherine's birth. They were focused on science and did not accept Christianity, and they were dark-skinned, so Ferdinand and Isabella, who both controlled little pieces of Spain, married and used their joint power to reconquer Spain. Granada was the last piece to be overtaken, and Spain was united and converted to Christianity.

Answer: He is a Moor

Since her parents had been stout opponents of the Moors, Katherine feels almost like a traitor for letting him help her, and she is afraid of what he may do. Her religion, especially, makes her not sure whether to trust him.

Answer: True

Because Katherine's dowry isn't fully paid yet, Katherine's father and Henry VII decide that the best decision would be to just marry her to Henry, and then the rest of the dowry could be paid without problems. A dispensation was given by the Pope to make the marriage possible.

Answer: He is attracted to her

The King is very impressed by Katherine, and as he forms marriages between her and his sons, he cannot help but think that she is very intelligent and pretty, and that he likes her. However, he does not tell her this, and keeps on with his plans.

Answer: Lettuce

Vegetables are considered unhealthy by her peers, but in Spain Katherine was accustomed to eating fresh fruits and vegetables. She cannot get used to the cooked meat and pastries of the English court.

Answer: Problems with her dowry

As Katherine is waiting to marry Prince Henry, she begins to have money problems because her father thinks that it is Henry VII's duty to support her, and Henry VII thinks that it is her father's duty, because since he has not received the full dowry, he has no obligations. Ferdinand refuses to pay until she is married to the Prince, and they reach a stalemate. Katherine is left without funds or food, waiting for someone to give in.

Answer: She will name her first son "Arthur"

Katherine tries to uphold her promise to Arthur. When she becomes pregnant by Arthur's brother, she asks him if she can name the baby "Arthur Henry." She would have preferred just "Arthur," but she knows that Henry would never agree to that. However, Henry thinks that the baby should just be called plain "Henry," and "Arthur" can be saved for the next son.

Answer: Prince Henry

Henry is very excited to lead her down the aisle, especially because of all of the attention he will get. He is very polite towards Katherine, who is a little afraid, since she only just arrived in England. He keeps her calm until it is time to walk down the aisle.