The Kenyan-born English novelist has enjoyed many successes as an author and a few credits as a screenwriter too. Her literary works extend from fairytale children's books to brutal depictions of historical research. Her novels are usually historically-accurate dramatic retellings of British royalty, often based around the Tudors and the preceding War of the Roses; a conflict so dramatically rich that the York-Lancaster war for the crown even inspired the main conflict in George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy A Song of Ice and Fire, also known as its television adaptation, Game of Thrones. It is therefore no surprise that Philippa Gregory's own iterations of these historical characters warranted adaptations in their own right, many of which feature actors that also appear in HBO's aforementioned fantasy series. This list excludes the adaptations of her children's books Florizella and the Wolves and Never Kiss Frogs! which were adapted into episodes of Jackanory in 1993 and 1989 respectively. Here, we break down all other adaptations of Philippa Gregory's literary works, counting down to the best of the bunch.

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7 The Little House (2010)

Rupert Evans and Lucy Griffiths in The Little House
Image via ITV1

Although a rarity for Philippa Gregory novels to be set in the present day, this story is based on her 1993 psychological thriller of the same name. Ruth Clee (Lucy Griffiths), a young reluctant mother, is experiencing post-natal depression, feeling unable to bond with her baby. This vulnerability is then exploited by her manipulative mother-in-law Elizabeth (Francesca Annis), who plots to seize guardianship of the child for herself.

This departure of period and setting allows Gregory to explore new depths of human conscience, freeing her from the constraints of historical accuracy, and in some ways, highlighting the contemporary methods the conniving attitudes of Tudor politics may still be around today. This drama was heralded for its "top-notch cast, a decent script, and clever moody direction", however, being only two parts, it lacks the opportunity for audiences to bond with its characters in the same way they might while reading the book.

6 The Other Boleyn Girl (2003)

The Other Boleyn Girl (2003)
Image via BBC

The lesser-known adaptation of this famous Philippa Gregory novel, this TV movie stars Mad Men and Chernobyl's Jared Harris as Henry VIII, whose wife Catherine of Aragon (Yolanda Vazquez) has failed to provide him with a living male heir. Mary Boleyn's husband agrees to a scheme in which Mary (Natascha McElhone) is to become the King's mistress despite her role as his wife's lady-in-waiting and provide him with an heir in exchange for boosting the family's wealth and status.

Her sister Anne (Jodhi May) falls in love with an already-betrothed Lord Percy (Oliver Chris), a betrothal consented to by the King, so Mary banishes Anne to protect her own relationship with the King. This prompts Anne to seek revenge on her sister, and foil her plans, which results in Anne herself not only seducing the King, but marrying him and becoming Queen. Shot in a controversial way that's unusual for a historical drama, this adaptation utilizes talking-head style video diaries and hand-held cameras prompting some critics to complain, "What's the point?"

5 The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Scarlett Johanssen and Natalie Portman in The Other Boleyn Girl
Image via Universal Pictures

The Other Other Boleyn Girl! Arguably the most famous of all Philippa Gregory adaptations, this Hollywood production stars Eric Bana as Henry VIII as he yearns for a living male heir. Thomas Howard (Britannia and The Walking Dead's David Morrissey) and Thomas Boleyn (Bride of Spies' Mark Rylance) plot for Boleyn's daughter Mary (Scarlett Johansson) to become the King's mistress. When Mary is bedridden during the pregnancy, however, her sister Anne (Natalie Portman) is tasked with ensuring the King doesn't move on to another woman. Mary's child, although healthy and male, cannot claim the throne due to his illegitimacy, and so Anne, jealous of her sister, seduces the King herself, offering him a marriage and a legitimate heir, should he first disown and banish Mary and her child.

Although this adaptation focuses on slightly different details in Anne's motive and often gets critiqued for historical inaccuracies, its more conventional approach to its filmmaking allows for the characters and its stories to shine without distracting its audience. This was made on a budget more than 45 times the budget of the 2003 version, warranting praise for the 2003 version in light of its limitations, however, the 2008 version went on to make an impressive $80 million at the box office and placed the story and its incredible performances on a global stage.

4 The Spanish Princess (2019-2020)

Charlotte Hope as Catherine of Aragon in The Spanish Princess
Image via Starz

The most recent of Gregory's adaptations to date, this series follows a teenage Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope) as she travels to England for the first time, to meet Arthur, Prince of Wales (Angus Imrie) with whom she has been set to marry since she was a child. With their marriage arranged to bring peace between Spain and England, Catherine is to be Arthur's Queen, but when Arthur dies, Catherine must set her sights on Arthur's arrogant brother Henry (Ruairí O’Connor) to maintain her intended position.

This series, based on Gregory's novels The King's Curse and The Constant Princess not only explores the unenviable position Catherine finds herself in within royal politics, but also shows everything through the lens of a fish-out-of-water, as she also must adapt to the strange cultural differences she can't help but find alien.

3 A Respectable Trade (1998)

Warren Clarke and Emma Fielding in A Respectable Trade
Image via BBC

Gregory herself adapted this novel into a four-part TV miniseries, which broadcasted on the BBC in 1998 and on PBS in the US the following year. This powerful story takes place during the slave trade in Bristol in 1787. Dock trader Josiah Cole (Warren Clarke) benefits from an arranged marriage to Frances Scott (Emma Fielding) who trades her social contacts for Josiah's protection, making the marriage mutually beneficial.

Frances' fortune is dependent on the trade of sugar, rum and slaves, among whom is Mehuru (Ariyon Bakare). Frances finds she has more in common with Mehuru than she does with her husband and falls for the slave. To make matters tenser, Mehuru and his fellow slaves prepare to fight for their freedom. Much of the series was filmed on location in Bristol, in the former home of real-life slave owner John Pinney, making this poignant work of fiction grounded in reality. A Respectable Trade was nominated in multiple BAFTAs, winning one for its striking historical costumes.

2 The White Princess (2017)

Jodie Comer as Elizabeth of York in The White Princess
Image via STARZ

A direct sequel to 2013's miniseries The White Queen, this show picks up right where it left off. This eight-part drama follows Free Guy and Killing Eve's Jodie Comer as "Lizzie", Elizabeth of York. After having defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, calling an end to the War of the Roses, King Henry Tudor (Jacob Collins-Levy) is set to marry Lizzie, joining the warring houses of Lancaster and York. There is, however, the war at home still to fight. The two despise each other, and so Lizzie plays the part of dutiful wife and mother, meanwhile she and her mother Elizabeth Woodville (Essie Davis) plot against the Tudors from under their noses.

Game of Thrones' Catelyn Stark, Michelle Fairley plays Margaret Beaufort, the King's mother. Both matriarchal figures, Beaufort and Woodville, play much larger roles in the previous series, The White Queen, along with Anne Neville, whose great aunt Cecily is played by Caroline Goodall, the only actor to appear in both shows. As well as being an adaptation of the Philippa Gregory novel of the same name, it also draws somewhat from its sequel The King's Curse. This show's success also warranted its own follow-up with The Spanish Princess, based on the aforementioned King's Curse and her Catherine of Aragon novel The Constant Princess.

1 The White Queen (2013)

Rebecca Ferguson in The White Queen
Image via Starz

Based on Gregory's historical series The Cousins' War which comprises The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker's Daughter, this show focuses on the women involved in the War of the Roses which lasted from 1455 to 1487. In 1464, when young Elizabeth Woodville (Dune and the Mission: Impossible series' Rebecca Ferguson) is widowed and loses her claim to her husband's Lancastrian property, her mother (Ozark and The Menu's Janet McTeer) encourages her to attempt a relationship with the Yorkist King (Max Irons). She soon marries King Edward IV and became Queen, much to the chagrin of Edward's mother and the Court.

Woodville is the protagonist of The White Queen novel, but this adaptation also follows the respective protagonists of the other two books in the series, Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale) and Anne Neville (Faye Marsay). Rounding out the cast are Rupert Graves (Sherlock's Lestrade) as Beaufort's husband Lord Stanley, and Aneurin Barnard (1988, and recent Doctor Who recruit) as Richard III. This show was such a success that it garnered three Golden Globe nominations, four Primetime Emmy nominations, and was nominated for a People's Choice Award.