Lady Jane Grey is one of the more tragic Tudor-era stories (read about the real Lady Jane Grey below), so Prime Video got a little reimaginative with the riveting My Lady Jane.
The entire 8-episode arc is a joy to watch, filled with betrayal, daring exploits, high-stakes drama, and a fantasy element involving Ethians, people who can transform into animals. These Ethians are oppressed and outcast by the Verity, normal humans who rule everything and harbor bigoted opinions about their sometimes furry counterparts.
Plus, it’s got tropes like enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, forbidden love and more.
Already as obsessed as we are? Well, from the real-life story to the cast, here’s everything we know so far about My Lady Jane.
Who is the real Lady Jane Grey?
The real Lady Jane Grey, a great-niece of Henry VIII, was born in Bradgate, Leicestershire, England, in 1537.
In My Lady Jane, she is depicted as an intellectually curious teenager, which is similar to the historical Jane, who loved languages and theology.
The show fictionalizes her marriage to Guilford Dudley, portraying them as falling in love, while historically, Jane was opposed to the marriage. The Duke of Northumberland arranged the marriage to secure his son’s position when Jane ascended the throne, persuading a dying Edward VI to name her his heir.
Edward VI wanted Jane, a Protestant, as his successor to prevent his Catholic sister Mary from ruling. Jane’s reign lasted nine days before Mary, with more public support, assumed the throne. Jane was executed on February 12, 1554, after speaking out against Mary’s Catholic reforms and becoming a potential figure for rebellion.
What is My Lady Jane about?
The series follows Lady Jane Grey, who is forced into marriage and unexpectedly finds herself becoming the Queen of England.
Jane and her family find themselves penniless after the death of Jane’s father who, thanks to the patriarchy, left the entire estate to an uncle, the Duke of Leicester (Broadbent) a rather grotesque old man with old-fashioned ideas about women and disgusting feet.
Jane, you see, is not at all interested in old-fashioned ideas about women or marriage. She wants to be independent.
Is My Lady Jane based on a book?
Yes! The series is based on the book of the same name by author Cynthia Hand. It’s a New York Times bestseller and, like the series, is a historical and fantastical reimagining of the life of Lady Jane Grey, Britain’s shortest-reigning monarch.
Who is in the cast?
- Lady Jane is played by Emily Bader, who you might recognize from The CW’s Charmed reboot.
- Lord Guildford Dudley, Jane Grey’s husband, is played by Edward Bluemel, who played Hugo in Killing Eve and Sean Wiley in Sex Education.
- Lady Frances, Jane’s mother, is played by Anna Chancellor who played Amanda Bynes’ almost-stepmother in What a Girl Wants.
- Lord Dudley, Guildford’s father, is played by The Trip star Rob Brydon, who most recently starred as Sugar Daddy Ken in Barbie.
- Mary, Edward’s sister, is played by Kate O’Flynn, who played Alice in Bridget Jones’s Baby.
- Lord Seymour, Mary’s right hand and, secretly, her lover is played by Dominic Cooper, who starred as Sky in Mamma Mia and a young Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Stan, Guildford’s brother, is played by Henry Ashton.
- King Edward is played by Jordan Peters previously starred in Everything I Know About Love and Gangs of London.
They’re majestic. pic.twitter.com/UrQYEVKcBc
— Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) July 12, 2024
