The White Princess episode 7 recap: ‘Two Kings’

“The Boy” and his wife’s arrival in England causes a rift between Lizzie and Henry in The White Princess episode, ‘Two Kings.’

“Two Kings” picks up where “English Blood on English Soil,” episode 6 of The White Princess, left off, with Margaret Beaufort bringing the young man alleging to be Prince Richard back to Westminster Palace. Lizzie nervously awaits her first face-to-face encounter with “The Boy,” who’s reported to be Perkin Warbeck, the son of a peasant farmer.

But her face shows that she herself has doubts as to whether he is, in fact, her younger brother who escaped the tower in the first episode. Henry at first appears confident when “The Boy” is brought before him and his wife to determine to his fate, threatening to have him “hung, drawn and quartered” for his attempted rebellion.

However, “The Boy” remains defiant, suggesting to Henry that murdering him is the only way to remain king. He glances at Lizzie as he reiterates that he’s the rightful heir to the throne. He also demands that Henry return the crown and throne that belong to him or else face the wrath of God.

Henry tries to play it off by laughing at his proposal, but he refuses to execute him at this time, instead making him knave of the king’s wardrobe. “You may care for the robes you covet,” he says.

Unsurprisingly, the punishment isn’t enough for Margaret Beaufort, who wants him killed immediately, but Henry does not want to make him into a martyr. Instead, he decides to drag him through the streets for humiliation, while Margaret seeks to find his wife and their child to use to their advantage. She achieves this by tricking Cathy Gordon to go there on her own believing that her husband has requested her presence.

While past episodes have cast doubt on “The Boy’s” claims, “Two Kings” demonstrates for the first time that Perkin Warbeck may indeed be Prince Richard. Maggie was one of the first characters to show inclinations in believing that he is her cousin, even as their grandmother had her own doubts as to his supposed lineage.

Throughout the episode, Maggie becomes increasingly bold in defying Lizzie, who herself suspects that “Perkin” is her brother after he shares several facts that only he would know. But at the same time, she remains fiercely loyal and protective of her children just as her mother was before her, particularly her eldest son Arthur, who is one day to become king.

The episode sees Lizzie have her biggest wardrobe transformation since becoming queen, wearing a more conservative dress and a head covering throughout the installment. This marks her slow transformation into her former adversary, her mother-in-law Margaret Beaufort, as evidenced not only by her clothes and steely demeanor, but also her fervent determination to protect her family, even if it means getting rid of a young child by any means necessary.

This threat becomes more imminent with the arrival of “The Boy’s” wife, Cathy Gordon, who becomes the king’s object of desire under the guise of an attempt to undermine his enemy. Cathy remains madly in love with her husband despite the loss his title, but Henry wants to turn her against him by romancing her with little regard to his wife’s feelings. He dines and dances with the Scottish royal as Lizzie seethes with jealousy.

While Lizzie spurns “Richard’s” attempts to connect with her, she still protects him against Henry’s fits of rage as the king becomes increasingly self-conscious and paranoid, believing that everyone likes Perkin more than him.

It doesn’t help that “The Boy” is quickly able to charm the crowd assembled to throw things at him while he’s paraded through the streets. But Henry and his mother attempt to drag him down at every turn, annulling his marriage to his wife and snatching away their son so he can be cared for by midwives before being banished to the tower.

As “The Boy” is locked away in the king’s wardrobe, the Duchess of Burgundy plots his release. She arrives in England, and manages to meet with her niece, Maggie, who later informs “Richard” of the plan, but he knows it’ll be a more difficult task to get back his son.

While Henry attempts to humiliate and dehumanize “Richard,” Lizzie does the same to his wife. She ridicules her looks, and even hits her in her “empty head.”

Additionally, Henry’s mistrust extends to his mother, as he questions what his late Uncle Jasper would have revealed on his deathbed. His suspicions are raised when he’s informed that Cathy and “The Boy’s” son has been dealt with, which he mustn’t concern himself with.

“Richard” at first refuses to confess to lying about his identity, but later reads a confession stating that he’s Perkin Warbeck after he and his wife are told that their son has been sent to live with a family in London.

He is to remain a servant in the palace as he can no longer be tried for treason since he confessed to not being an Englishman. But Henry’s paranoia remains, culminating in his claims that “The Boy” has poisoned his garments, resulting in a vicious beating at the hands of the king and his guards.

This action, along with Maggie’s reminder to Lizzie about the curse she and her mother put on those who ordered for the York princes to be killed, cause her to make a risky move. She asks her cousin to take “Richard” to see his wife. Before then, Maggie confesses that she believes “The Boy” is who he claims to be.