Claire: when reading the Other Boleyn Girl “we need to take a pinch of salt” Me: When reading Philippa Gregory we need to take the whole spice rack.

Philippa Gregory's novel is akin to those films with the heart-wrenching scenes of Mary of Scotland pleading with Elizabeth I. It's good drama although the two women never met.

Perhaps a better title might have been “A Load of Tudor Poppycock”. The movie was strictly for entertainment. Thank you for clearing up this mess!

I love reading historical fiction and it usually sparks my interest to research more about the real story.

Anne and Mary were sisters; George was their brother - I think that's where fact ends and fantasy begins.

Hopefully you do a video about how accurate “The Tudors” was about Anne Boleyn and whatnot!

I’d love to see more of these done. Hollywood tends to take too many liberties with history

I always thought that the doctors and astrologers were right in saying that Anne was to have a boy when she was pregnant with Elizabeth. She did turn out to be the monarch England needed, a role that a boy was expected to fill.

Thanks, Claire for distinguishing between fiction, focused on entertainment and seeking out historical accuracy. Personally, I prefer historical accuracy because I think the truth is stranger and more entertaining than fiction.

Claire thank you so much for the shout out to Riley. She was so thrilled when she heard it. We just came back from an 18 day adventure to England and Scotland and Riley is eager to see all the photos we took there. Just a beautiful place. Thank you for all your videos just love watching them!

Two videos in one day! We’re being spoilt! Historical fiction is great, we as readers just need to remember that it is indeed fiction, with a dash of reality, not the other way around. Another great video Claire, thank you.

OMG almost an hour about Anne Boleyn!! Yesss!! Thank you so much Claire! I always love to hear what you think about Anne's life and how she was.

Short answer: no

The operative word is "novel", not "biography".

I always learn something in your videos. Thank you for your scholarship and passion. You referred to the expression, "Take it with a grain of salt." A dear friend of mine always referred to gross exaggerations with, "Take it with a salt sandwich!" Thanks again!

I absolutely LOVED that book! It actually got me interested in history, especially Tudor history, to the point where I pursued a teaching degree. I remember seeing the movie when it came out with my then boyfriend, who was also a huge history buff and while I was thoroughly enjoying the drama before me he is getting more and more irritated because of all the inaccuracies. The most irritating of which, apparently, was the fact that a simple house in the countryside had glass windows. We spent the whole drive home talking about how glass would not have been affordable to anyone besides high nobility. I would put the movie on to annoy him sometimes :)

Hmm, could you do this for "The Tudors" and Natalie Dormer's version of Anne Boleyn?

I liked The Other Boleyn Girl. I get caught up in the period settings and costumes but I've learned that when history is written as historical fiction, facts are usually embellished or distorted for entertainment.

Even though The Tudors isn’t the most accurate show on the planet, I adored Anne’s relationship with Elizabeth. The scene where she and young Elizabeth are looking at the fish in the fountain is so adorable, it’s very sweet.

Since I've become more of a skeptic in general, I no longer enjoy historical fiction about a real person. The inaccuracies bother me too much to enjoy the story.

I’m so thankful to you for bringing the facts about the “incest” charges against her and her family. I turned the movie off when she decided to malign a female character that she tries to claim she champions. The facts that she twists words and creates imaginary thoughts to back up her arguments is sickening.

I’ve been lurking about this channel. Just wanted to say how much I enjoy being here. I love Tudor history!

You'd need to do a whole series of vids on inaccuracies in "The Spanish Princess." That one darn near drove me to distraction, what very few scenes I've seen from it.

The Other Boleyn Girl started my passion for the Tudors so i'm glad I read it.

Thank you for this video. I love your dedication to your channel, and your communication with your Followers. Thanks again.

That scene at the end of the movie drove me bonkers! More so than the other inaccuracies

Thanks so much for this Claire. Thoroughly enjoyed this, and your knowledge is, as always, breathtaking. There is no substitute for fact, and the facts about Mary Boleyn could be written on a stamp. I enjoy Philippa Gregory's books (some more than others) mainly because her style is very accessible and they are real pageturners (the curses in The White Queen series are a good example of harmless and compulsively entertaining reading). But I never forget they are fiction and intended to entertain. It is so irritating when novelists assert that their work is historically accurate (Mantel's seem to be well researched although often difficult to read). Gregory's liberties are as nothing compared to a trilogy of historical conspiracy novels I have just been reading about Catherine Howard, her survival of her execution (it was someone else executed in her place), giving birth to Henry's twins in secret (as Henry had gone mad - this part not too unbelievable!) with the help of Anne of Cleves, and the daughter eventually (through a baby substitution) becoming Mary Queen of Scots!!! (who died just before her execution, so they beheaded her dead body). All laugh out loud, unless taken seriously by the uninformed reader, which, I garee, is always the danger. Keep on going Claire - your work is much appreciated!

This is so interesting and I really can appreciate your hard work and diligence as you are piecing all this information together. Thank you!

I wonder if in 1536 Percy would have said yes we were bethroed, if Cromwell could have made Annes marriage to the King invalid and her life could have been saved.

Thank you for this video! I’m so impressed with your knowledge and the ease with which you express it. I have been subscribed a while so was glad to see you post another video. Mary USA

Claire, do you have a compilation on Henry VIII's mistresses? I have seen a couple pop up in my stream, but I really doubted the authenticity. Thank you, you have helped educate me some more.🤗

I just re-discovered your videos after a bit of a hiatus... I so love your work!

Aaaah! This is my favorite subject!. Thank you so much for some historical facts! Thanks for being Switzerland in the torrid world of Tudor geography. 😀😁😁 p.s. It is quite easy to create juicy TV worth drama by painting people; long dead and unable to defend their reputations, any lurid colour that one might like. It is a much more difficult task to speak out for their true lives, which must be gleaned from between the lines of hundreds of miles of ink on paper. Thank you so much for being their champion Claire.🚩🏵️🚩🏵️🚩

Great video topic claire!!! Giving us so much to binge watch :3 keep up the great work girl!

Ah, yes. Anne Boleyn is very much interesting. So are the other Queens, but from a 'poll' I put on Wattpad, everyone loves Anne Boleyn more.

I love "The Other Boleyn Girl" (probably because Mary Boleyn is actually a multiple great grandmother of mine) but I always treat it as a novel.

I love your blouse! Also The other Boleyn Girl is my favorite movie about the topic always wondered why it was so inaccurate. Thank you for doing this video!

I love this video idea! I’m so glad you’ve answered questions about this. The factual inaccuracies ruined it for me as it definitely does not display her character from what we know.

Oh I am so excited to watch this whole thing! It's my bed time but I'll watch this all tomorrow

Thanks Claire! So enjoyed this. Historical fictions have sparked my interest in so many different directions- but I’ve never enjoyed Phillipa Gregory. Her male characters are the very worst of humanity. If a man wrote women that way, he’d be laughed out of town. IMO.

Another great video, Claire, thank you!

Love your longer videos like this when you really get stuck in, Claire. 💕

Thank you very much for this video! I don't see a lot of people talking about the issues with 'The other Boleyn girl' on youtube so this is great. I will say that I, at the very least, appreciate Gregory's merits as a writer. She's got a way of creating her own interpretations on real historical figures and presenting the essence of the Tudor period in boldness and colour. What annoys me is how far she feels she has to go to twist these real people's characters into what she needs for the stories: Hero, villain, sidekick and love interest. People like Anne Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth could've been extremely compelling to write about as they were. Embellishments can be made of course but the essence must stay true. Even the way she wrote them was interesting so long as she owns the fact that it's historical fiction. But I digress. Thanks again for these Tudor videos-they're very educational on a rainy day.

Thank you for this lovely commentary!

"My brother doesn't spring to mind as someone who can help me out with that" YOUR LOOK! I'm cracking up

Just had to come back and say thank you this has been my favorite video I have seen from you

Thanks, Claire, for a very lively, funny ("Ewww") and interesting account of the fictional aspects of The Other Boleyn Girl. You didn't have to convince me, since I haven't read the book or seen the film! The Tudors are crazy enough without having to fictionalize them, but Phillipa sells books, so... Oh, I got my On this Day long-sleeved t-shirt in the mail today--I love it!

I barked a laugh so abrupt at the title, it made both of my cats jump! 😆 I will watch anything with Eric Bana at least once, though.

Thanks, thanks a lot for this video! I loved it. I will never understand why a story so extraordinary as Anne Boleyn's life is (born in a modest family, educated in Flanders and Paris, crowned Queen of England and all thanks to her uncomm intelligence and charm) has to be rearrange and changed. It's a general habit (Catherine of Aragon was not a brunette, Elisabeth of York was not a kind of Samantha Jones of the 15 century) but really the Other Boleyn Girl was simply a fictional story based on history. If I may add, it seems that Francis the first not only said that about Mary boleyn but he added that she was a mare that he and his courtisans very much enjoyed to ride. Sorry very brutal for our time, but very normal at the time for a king.

Found your channel yesterday and I’m bingeing. I’ve been in love with history for as long as I can remember and this is the kind of content that I wish there was more of. I’m also dying to know what your tattoo says.

Claire! You have merchandise!! I bought a hoodie! Thank you for the chance of buying it and keeping the price point very reasonable! Keep up your great work! I will be representing in Northern CA!

Thank you for this video Claire. I disputed someone’s assertion that Thomas Boleyn pimped his daughters on another video yesterday, specifically mentioning that “The Other Boleyn Girl” is rather inaccurate.

Thanks for a great video! I love to read historical novels, and then read biographies and other sources from that time to find out what is actual fact, and where the author has taken artistic licence (either because the information isn't there anymore, or because they want their story to go in a different direction) :-)

I absolutely loved the other Boleyn girl! This was very interesting! Ive also watched the show lol 😊Thank you for posting!

I haven't read the book yet but I checked out of the movie when Anne begs her brother to sleep with her so he can get her pregnant. SMH

I’d love to see one of these for the “Tudors!”

I love your videos so much, such a highlight when I have time to watch them. I’m gonna be a little bummed when 2019 is over and we don’t have a daily video. The church bells also are just music to my ears 🎶🎶🎶

I’ve read the other Boleyn Girl and many other books on the Tudor times . This is the reason I love your videos and you ,I know you will give all of us the accurate version.Thank you so much.

Thank you for doing these historical posts about Ann Boleyn and her time. From Santa Ana California. U S A

I’m really enjoying the Phillipa Gregory books at the moment as historical fiction. Definitely taking everything with a pinch of salt. It’s nice to be reading them and then watching your videos and hearing more accurate accounts. But I agree that historical fiction can lead to a further interest in the historical figures, but people definitely have to keep an open mind with this. Thanks for the video, thoroughly enjoyed.

I'll admit even though I don't like the way Philippa Gregory wrote Anne or Elizabeth her books are entertaining in a way .

You should do this for The Tudors show season by season !!!! Loved the video ❤️

Thank you so much for this video, I did enjoy the movie but can't wait to watch your take on it.

Thank goodness for yourself claire who supports anne boleyn. I have encouraged my friend and shared with her about the tudors. First time and shes enjoys it. I set her questions on anne boleyn factual and given her your name to research factual. I have sparked a new interest for her and helps her in this lockdown .

American woman here, coming over to Claire for all the tea after seeing “Other Boleyn Girl.”

I read the book for fun when I was 14. It felt like an exercise in "what if every single horrible rumor was true?" In terms of inaccurate Tudor media I much prefer the Tudors TV series, it's such an unapologetic guilty pleasure show

I just discovered your videos i enjoy them please continue making them

Thank you for another amazing video!

Just saw this film again last night on TV. Thanks so much for all this information and explanation. Have become fascinated with the subject upon discovering ancestry, direct descent from Mary Boleyn/Henry Carey... as are no doubt countless others.

That was wonderful. Thanks Claire. I am amazed by how many people take whatever Gregory writes as historical fact instead of fiction based on historical events.

This was fascinating! I love British royal history especially the Tudor era. Thank you for this!

FYI I say this with great respect for your knowledge and admiration for your passion to share your immensely time consuming work. The bells don't distract me from your speaking. You stopping to talk about the bells do. Thanks you.

I love your videos so much! You’re incredibly smart.

Completely off topic, but I absolutely love your shirt! It’s so pretty 😊

Thank you for a much enjoyed talk. Perhaps someday we might meet on one of your tours. We are putting the gardens to bed for the winter.

I would love to see you cover the Tv show “The Tudors” and talk about the show and it’s inaccuracies (it’s a very good show though) greetings from USA !

I was so relieved to have watched this - there seemed to be rather a good many inaccuracies. I'm not normally a reader of historical novels and expect them to elaborate. This book was one I have actually read, but I couldn't actually manage to the end. I found it far too cringeworthy for my taste. Thank you Claire for pointing out these inaccuracies which I found quite troubling.

When has Hollywood ever let the truth get in the way of a good story?

Hello from the United states I've just watch your video on Anne Boleyn love love the history of the Tudor era you explain things like if I close my eyes I see that time I'll be watching more of you thank you for your video,s. JANET BUTLER

My reaction upon just reading the title: No. The movie shows Mary at court, at Anne's execution, walking off with Elizabeth. LOL what? Never happened.

Another great video, Claire

Many years ago (like 35 or more) I read a book by Phillipa Gregory called Meridian (set in the 1800's)that I found at my local library. An interesting story I really enjoyed about a girl rumored to be from nobility but raised by gypsies. There were hints about something dark about her parentage as to why she ended up with the gypsies but nothing explained really. A year or 2 later I joined Doubleday book club and in it I discovered Meridian was the 3rd book of a trilogy (Wideacre)so I ordered the first 2. OMG not only were her parents siblings but her grandparents were brother and sister. So repulsive. So the Other Boleyn Girl was not her first novel about incest.

Thanks for all your hard work and giving us the truth!

I cant stand Philippa Gregory's books. She makes the Boleyns sound like the Kardashians.

Thank you for your insight and research and for sharing them with the public. I have never read the book, but I have read other books by Philippa Gregory. I think I'm going to throw them all out. I am a direct descendant of Sir Nicholas Poyntz, who King Henry and Queen Anne visited in August 1535 at Iron Acton and stayed at his house which he had built specifically for their visit. So, I am a Tudor "nut" myself. Patsy Lee Wood Lovell (Virginia, USA)

Thank you for clearing that up for me Claire

Hi Claire! What it boils down to is that there are so many missing details about Anne and Mary's lives; and these blank spaces have enticed some historical novelists to fill in the blanks with whatever. And it hasn't mattered too much whether those filled-in blanks are verifiable or not. It all seems to fall under the heading It Could Have Happened This Way, with emphasis on could. Don't we all wish these folks had written things down and dated those writings! Thanks for the video -- cheers!

Golllllly! (as Gomer Pyle would have said) All that and nobody in the novel was a lesbian???? That seems to be the number one thing in history revisionism. There has to be at least one lesbian. I have Julia Fox's book on Jane Boleyn because Claire recommended it. It is a really good book and maybe the best source to learn all we can about Jane Boleyn. What most of us have a hard time understanding about Tudor times is that people, especially nobles, had much less freedom than we do today. What little freedom there was was restricted by religion and legal strictures. Many times, why people did what they did, has to do with ancient twists in law that we cannot begin to imagine today. I think Jane's apparent actions can be clearly understood in the correct context.

Love this video! I haven't read this book, but I have read The Sunne in Splendour (about Richard III), and found its value is that it gives possible explanations for Richard's motivations and actions on the matters in which Henry VII and Shakespeare so thoroughly trashed his memory later on. It would be nice to read actual history supporting the conjecture in that book. On the other hand, I've also read "Mademoiselle Boleyn," which really, really needs to be taken with a tiny grain of salt.

Lovely info. I adore watching videos with Tudor era info . My maiden name is Boleyn and I meet so many distant “ cousins” in the comments. Thank you.

I just watched the Tudors It seem they took some of the things from the other Boleyn Girl too. I wrote a paper about Ann when I was in 12th grade and I got a A+ on it. My Dad was So proud he put It on his refrigerator. It' s a good little memory of my dad thanks to Ann Boleyn. she was a very interesting subject to write

Can you ever talk about your house? I just love the background and the passthrough.

I still have the novel "The Concubine" by Norah Lofts that I read many years ago. It is historical fiction, but since I've been reading nonfiction books about and doing a lot of research on the Tudors for decades, I find that novel much closer to what I imagine Anne experienced in her life at court and later as queen, given a reasonable amount of literary license and speculation. I recommend it if you can find it.

I love that movie. Inaccurate as it may be.😂😁

I enjoy Phillipa Gregory's stories, but that is exactly what they are....stories. They are based on certain historical facts, but like all authors, she has taken liberty of putting "a flair" to the facts. What these books have done for me was to make me interested in the Tudors and that is why I subscribed to your channel to know the truth.

"The Other Boleyn Girl" is my favorite book. I got it the summer before my first year of high school, when I had just turned fourteen. I remember I always had my copy with me, to the point where I was reading it so much and it literally fell apart on me. I've had to buy two copies since then, funnily enough.

The premise of Phillipa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl" was "what if there WAS some sort of basis of truth to the charges against Anne Boleyn? How would that have played out? What sort of people would act that way and what would motivate them to do so?" The historical consensus is that the charges against Anne and George Boleyn were baseless and contrived so as to give the king the grounds to execute Anne. Then he could marry Jane Seymour and their children would have no shadow of illegitimacy over them cast by a still-living ex-wife. There were no witnesses put forward to corroborate the charges of incest or that Anne had ever been unfaithful to the king except those obtained by torturing poor Mark Smeaton. Particularly telling is the contrast in King Henry's behavior in the matter of Anne Boleyn and in that of Catherine Howard, where there was evidence of Catherine having had the opportunity to commit adultery and the consistent accounts of multiple witnesses of Catherine having had relations with men before she married the king. During Anne's trial, King Henry was relaxed, unconcerned and focused on Jane. Neither Anne nor George ever confessed to any of the charges and they energetically defended themselves. During the investigation into Catherine Howard, which was never allowed to be heard in open court, the king was distracted, emotional and visibly grief-stricken. He didn't want the charges against Catherine Howard to be true but they were. Catherine also confessed. He wanted Anne to be found guilty and to be dealt with and the verdict was a forgone conclusion irrespective of the actual testimony and evidence.

I love this video! I have so much trouble with fiction about Anne, I much prefer nonfiction.

This would be a great series if you talked about movies/books and the inaccuracies! I love historical fiction, ad though I understand an author's right to change a bit to match their vision-theme of their work, sometimes it can be a bit much. You should try songs from Six the musical! Fantastic musical, but has a lot of old inaccuracies and myths.

I loved the Other Boylen Girl, the book, not the movie. I had no interest in that particular time in history until i read that book. In the back of the book she listed a lot of historical books written by historians, david starkey, allison weir, etc. I read a lot of them and my interest in this period has never waned. I still read everything i can about Anne. I just read a historical fiction book about the French Revolution and i am immersed in that. Historical fiction can spark an interest in so many things that you never knew you'd find interesting.