The Other Boleyn Girl

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Anne.

Mary.

Wait.

Wait for me.

I received a request

for marriage today...

...for Anne,

The Carey family.

William, their eldest son.

Oh, that's wonderful.

I turned it down.

Offered them Mary instead.

Everyone improves the standing

of their family with their daughters.

I think Anne can do a lot better

than a merchant's son.

And Mary can't?

- I think you underestimate her.

- No, no, that's not true.

I think she's the kinder of the two,

quite possibly the fairer.

To get ahead in this world,

you need more than fair looks and a kind heart.

I'll beat you, I'll beat you.

Hey.

Well done, Anne.

Well done, children.

Oh...

You look... You look adequate.

Not too adequate, I hope.

This is our sister's day.

One wouldn't want to outshine her.

Mary, may we come in?

Look at you.

Younger than me.

More beautiful than me.

Married before me. I'm eclipsed.

I'm the other Boleyn girl.

Hardly.

So is this it, Mrs. Carey?

Do we...?

Do we lose you now, forever?

No, never. I'll be married, that's all.

Apart from that,

it won't change a thing.

Come, George, let's leave our sister.

She needs to make herself pretty.

Was it a boy?

Stillborn, Your Majesty.

No brother for you

to make this country safe.

I'm sorry.

Tell His Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

I'm so sorry.

Are you happy?

I am.

You don't wish you'd married

someone grander? With a title?

I want a husband who loves me.

Who thinks it first thing every morning

and last thing at night.

Then you have found the right man.

He continues to stare.

- Who?

- Henry Percy.

Well, why ever

would he interest you?

What could you want

with the sole heir...

...to the richest landowner

in England?

Oh, I had no knowledge of that.

I simply like his face.

Oh, really?

- Well, he's betrothed.

- Betrothed is not married.

It's a long journey

from bended knee to the altar.

- Sister.

- Hello, brother.

Thomas.

- A proud day for you.

- Yes.

How is His Majesty?

It is difficult time, Thomas.

The king and queen,

once happily married...

...now barely speak.

The failure to provide a male heir

has consumed them.

The queen has lost yet another child,

a boy.

I imagine it won't be long before

he seeks solace with a mistress.

Obviously I've given it some thought

and wondered...

...which Howard girl

I can place under his nose.

You imagine the riches and influence

that would give us?

If we could help the king

with this delicate matter?

What about Anne?

I realize, as a Boleyn,

she's not officially a Howard...

...but as your sister's daughter.

But, Thomas, she's your first born,

and your favorite.

Wouldn't you prefer her to have

a simple, uncomplicated marriage?

Like Mary?

If Anne were a simple,

uncomplicated girl like Mary...

...I'd say yes. But she's not.

She's anything but.

Are you afraid?

A little.

I should be able to tell you

how it would be tonight.

Give you advice on what to do.

I've failed you as an elder sister.

No one could wish

for a better sister.

And tell me everything

in the morning.

- I promise.

- No details spared.

Lie back.

- Anne.

- Father.

Uncle.

You asked to see me.

An opportunity has arisen.

An opportunity in which,

were you to succeed...

...you could secure for yourself

and for this family...

...incalculable wealth and position.

There is a strain

on the king's marriage.

In such circumstances, a man

sometimes seeks comfort elsewhere.

At present because of your uncle's friendship with His Majesty...

...we're alone in knowing this.

It won't be long...

...before the other families

discover the truth...

...and parade their daughters

under his nose.

Before watching somebody else profit,

we would sooner have...

What?

- Have me bed him instead?

- No, that... That's not...

Yes.

Exactly.

The favor he would bestow upon us...

I mean upon you, if he liked you.

To be mistress of the king of England

is by no means to diminish yourself.

And after he's finished with me?

My reputation and prospects

will be ruined.

On the contrary.

Under such circumstances,

when the time came...

...to find you a husband, it would

be a marquis or a duke at least.

Will you accept the challenge?

Don't resist this.

The king and his retinue

will spend two nights here next month.

Your brother has arranged it.

It's done.

Well, I don't like it.

It'll cost a fortune to get this house...

...ready for a royal visit.

It's money we can't afford.

And what if he doesn't like her?

And what if you were to look

on the bright side, just once?

Risk nothing, you gain nothing.

Anne understands that.

Anne understands nothing.

She's just a child.

Tell me, when was it that people

stopped thinking of ambition as a sin...

...and started thinking of it

as a virtue?

That's easy for you to say.

You've had position

and wealth all your life.

Until I married you, Thomas.

And I was happy to give it up for love.

So how was it, the wedding night?

It was very satisfactory.

Really? William Carey,

a good lover.

Yes.

Oh, God. He was in rather a hurry.

- And he snores.

- No.

He got up in the middle of the night

and used a pisspot...

...by the side of the bed.

It was awful.

No.

I also have something to tell you.

Last night,

our father put his trust in me...

...and gave me a commission.

Tell, tell.

To divert the king.

The king of England himself,

on his visit.

Divert him?

Divert him. Beguile him.

Enchant him.

He has a wife.

I know.

But who knows what could happen?

If he liked me,

I'd be married off to a duke.

I could be a happy duchess.

The king.

The king.

The king will be here betimes.

- The king.

- Look alive.

The king.

To your places.

Come on, set to, everyone.

The king.

Take the horses to the yard

and prepare.

Where's the spit boy?

Where is he?

Get over here.

Do you think he'll like me?

Course he will, sister.

How could he not?

Sir Thomas.

Your Majesty.

You're most welcome.

Lady Elizabeth.

May I present my daughter, Anne.

A daughter?

No one said anything of a daughter.

Had we known,

we might have come sooner.

Your Majesty.

Anne, Anne.

Go to bed, get a good night's rest.

Tomorrow there's the hunt.

You must excel at that.

Everything depends upon it.

Good morning, Anne.

Good morning, Your Grace.

- Who will you ride with?

- On my own, Your Grace.

On your own?

There's a new saddle now

which allows this.

But with no man to hold on to...

...how do you propose

to stay on the horse?

As you do, Your Grace.

With my thighs.

Away.

What's keeping them?

Where are they?

Is someone hurt?

My God, it's the king.

The king? What? What happened?

The stag went into the woods

and led us to the deep ravine.

Everyone was prepared to concede

defeat and let the animal go.

Except Anne.

Oh, no. What?

She knows that ravine.

She must have ridden it

a thousand times.

What, and the king followed,

and then he fell?

Oh, Lord.

- What happened?

- He fell.

He's in some pain.

Although I suspect

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