ladies-in-waiting

Introduces the ghost of St. Andrews Cathedral, called the White Lady, discussing how she is believed to be Mary Seaton, a lady-in-waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots, before discussing other apparitions known as white ladies.

Regarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry VII's claim to the throne, Margaret Pole, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence and cousin to Elizabeth of York (known as the White Princess who becomes Queen of England upon her marriage to Henry VII)is married off to a steady and kind Lancaster supporter--Sir Richard Pole. For his loyalty, Sir Richard is entrusted with the governorship of Wales, but Margaret's contented daily life is changed forever with the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon. Margaret soon becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the honeymooning couple, hiding her own royal connections in service to the Tudors. After the sudden death of Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret's world is turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the wealthiest and "holiest" woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.

Lady Pamela Mountbatten Hicks is the youngest daughter of heiress Edwina Ashley and Lord Louis Mountbatten. Both of her parents were known for their extraordinary organizational and people skills and both held important posts during World War II and afterwards. As the last viceroy and vicerine of India, her father was charged with the task of transferring power to the newly created independent Indian government and her mother was instrumental in helping to bring about a smooth transition. A bridesmaid in Princess Elizabeth's wedding, she also served as lady-in-waiting to the young princess when she became queen. All of this meant that Pamela had a front row seat to many of the most important events in 20th century Britain.

Sixteen-year-old Mary Seymour, a white magician in Queen Elizabeth's court, has vowed never to fall in love, but her attraction to her darkly handsome cousin Edmund, a black magician who seems to understand her better than anyone, cannot be denied, and she finds her beliefs tested when he becomes involved in a plot against the queen.