My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane is inspired by the real figure of Lady Jane Grey, who lived from 1536 or 1537 until her execution in February 1554. As in the book, the real Lady Jane Grey was Henry VII’s great-granddaughter through his youngest child, making her cousin to the Tudor monarchs Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

The authors take inspiration from elements of the real Lady Jane’s life. She was incredibly well-read, having received an elite humanist education. She was a pious Protestant who engaged keenly with religious texts. She was married to Guildford Dudley (Gifford in the book) in 1553, a younger son of Edward’s closest advisor at this point, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Shortly after this, a dying Edward wrote his will to override that of his father, Henry VIII: He bypassed his two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth (Bess in the book), to give the throne to Jane and her male heirs. Edward was a devout Protestant like Jane, and during his reign he had strengthened the Church of England’s position as the state religion, work that his Catholic sister Mary would undo. As in the book, the real Jane’s reign was short-lived.