Is Lady Jane Grey A Real Person? Who Amazon's My Lady Jane Is Based On
Lady Jane Grey was a real person, known as the Nine Days’ Queen. She ruled Ireland and England for a short period from July 10 to 19, 1553. Just like in the show, Lady Jane Grey was King Henry VIII's great-niece and ascended the throne after her cousin, King Edward.
At the young age of 16, Lady Jane Grey was chosen as the crown's heir due to her Protestant beliefs. Like in the show, she was married to Lord Guildford Dudley at the time.
Lady Jane Grey was highly educated and spoke multiple languages. She received guidance from King Henry VIII's widow, Katherine Parr, who taught her about cultured living. Despite being portrayed as independent in the show, the real Lady Jane Grey spent much of her youth living with various upper-class families to improve her family's social standing.
How The Real Lady Jane Grey Differs From Emily Hader's Heroine
The most significant difference between the world of My Lady Jane and the real-life story of Lady Jane Grey is the presence of shape-shifting Ethians. These creatures did not exist in reality. In the series, Lady Jane Grey advocates for Ethian rights, causing her alienation. In real life, her religious beliefs made her Edward's preferred heir and ultimately led to her downfall under Queen Mary I, who was Catholic. The show introduces new lore instead of exploring the real religious differences of the era. The show also suggests that Anne Boleyn, one of Henry VIII's wives, was an Ethian.
In My Lady Jane, Lady Jane Grey's death sentence is for treason, just like in real life. By accepting the queenship and embracing royal power, the fictional Lady Jane Grey supposedly acts against the queen, committing treason. However, in the show, Lady Jane Grey is declared innocent after her trial, a change highlighted by the narrator who says, "That’s right. Innocent. I told you we were changing history." When Lady Jane Grey is sentenced to execution later in the series, the Ethians come to her rescue, which didn't happen in reality.
What Happened To The Real Lady Jane Grey
As depicted in the show, the real Lady Jane Grey was not deemed innocent of treason and was sentenced to death. Due to religious differences, she was deposed when Mary became queen on July 19, 1553. While initially spared from execution, she soon posed a threat as a symbol of Protestant power and was sentenced to beheading, along with her husband. Just like in the show, Lady Jane Grey was sent to the Tower of London before her execution.
In reality, Lady Jane Grey was imprisoned in the Tower and convicted of treason months later. Her father, absent from the series, was also present in the Tower. According to Britannica, he was initially pardoned, but Lady Jane Grey's fate was sealed. In early 1554, the real Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Guildford Dudley, were beheaded.
Although Lady Jane Grey's actual fate differed from her fictional counterpart, My Lady Jane acknowledges and pays homage to the real history of the times. The characters and relationships, while exaggerated, remain realistic and central to the story. My Lady Jane offers a unique opportunity to highlight the short and tragic life of a lesser-known historical woman and tell her tale despite historical inaccuracies.
