Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for only nine days, from July 10 to 19, 1553, aptly earning her the moniker, the Nine Days' Queen.
A quick history refresher: Jane, the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII, was proclaimed queen after the death of her first cousin, King Edward VI. But soon after she took the throne, support for Edward's half-sister Mary (the soon-to-be Queen Mary I) grew, and Jane was thrown in the Tower of London, convicted of treason, and executed in February 1954.
A new TV show, My Lady Jane, is reimagining her story. Per Prime Video, "Gird your loins for the tragic tale of Lady Jane Grey, the young Tudor noblewoman who was Queen of England for nine days and then beheaded in 1553... F*ck that. We’re retelling history the way it should have happened: the damsel in distress saves herself. This is an epic tale of true love and high adventure set in an alt-universe of action, history, fantasy, comedy, romance, and rompy-pompy. Buckle up."
Here's everything we know about My Lady Jane:
It's based on the book of the same name.
My Lady Jane is the first in a series of six young adult books, The Lady Janeis, by co-authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. The books reimagine the lives (and fates) of famous historical figures, from Lady Jane Grey to Mary, Queen of Scots.
"The tone of the book is so wonderful and sharp and witty, and effervescent. It was inspiring in all of the most wonderful ways," co-showrunner Meredith Glynn told Cosmopolitan. "It was such a privilege to be able to use it as inspiration for this incredible show." Her co-creator, Gemma Burgess, added "We always wanted to pay homage to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Princess Bride. These are our touch points."
The cast features a mix of newcomers and stars.
The cast is as follows:
- Emily Bader as Jane Grey
- Edward Bluemel as Guildford Dudley
- Jordan Peters as King Edward
- Dominic Cooper as Lord Seymour
- Anna Chancellor as Jane's mother, Lady Frances Grey
- Rob Brydon as Lord Dudley, Guildford's father
- Jim Broadbent as the Duke of Leicester, Jane's uncle
- Henry Ashton as Guildford's brother, Stan
- Isabella Brownson as Jane's sister, Katherine Grey
- Robyn Betteridge as Jane's sister, Margaret Grey
- Kate O'Flynn as the King's sister Princess Mary (a.k.a. Queen Mary)
- Abbie Hern as the King's sister Princess Bess
- Máiréad Tyers
- Joe Klocek
- Michael Workeye
My Lady Jane premieres on June 27, 2024.
All eight episodes will drop on Prime Video at once.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.