Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of The Constant Princess.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
Introduction
Katherine of Aragon (also known as Catalina) has known her destiny since
childhood: to wed Prince Arthur of England. The daughter of Queen Isabella and
King Ferdinand of Spain, 16-year-old Katherine leaves behind her beloved home to
forge a new life in a foreign land and take her place as Princess of Wales and,
ultimately, Queen of England.
To Katherine's surprise, her marriage to Arthur is a passionate love match as
well as a political union. As the Prince and Princess of Wales, they eagerly
plan for their future reign -- until tragedy strikes five months into their
marriage. Arthur falls ill, and before he dies the young prince extracts a vow
from his wife. She is to marry his brother, Harry, and become Queen of England.
She is to rule England in Arthur's stead, fulfilling their dreams and her
destiny. But to take the throne, Katherine must deny her true love and tell the
world that she and Arthur never consummated their marriage.
The Constant Princess is the story of a young girl who was raised to
be a queen, the lengths to which she goes to fulfill a deathbed promise, and the
crucial lie that changed the course of history.
Questions & Topics for Discussion
- The novel opens in Granada, Spain, as five-year-old Catalina witnesses her
parents, Isabella and Ferdinand, conquer the last stronghold of the Moors in
Spain. What does this chapter reveal about Catalina, as well as about her mother
and their relationship? In what ways did having this portrait of Catalina as a
child help you better understand some of her later decisions and motivations?
- "I did not expect [Arthur] to be so handsome! He is so fair and slight, he
is like a page boy from one of the old romances" (34). Why does Catalina's
romantic view of Arthur disintegrate after their wedding? How does their journey
to Ludlow Castle -- and their first evening there when Catalina acquaints Arthur
with some of the customs of her homeland -- become the turning point in their
relationship?
- On his deathbed, Arthur asks Catalina to marry his brother and rule
England in his place. What prompts Arthur to ask this of Catalina? Does Catalina
promise Arthur for his sake or for her own? How does she justify telling the lie
that makes it possible for her to wed Harry?
📖
Get the full reading guide
Join BookBrowse free to unlock all 18 discussion questions, author background, themes, and more for The Constant Princess.
Join free — it takes 30 seconds
Already a member? Log in →
- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Touchstone.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.