Sex, scandal and social climbing, this steamy new period drama has it all. Enter: Mary & George, your new obsession.
A seven-episode Sky Original, "Mary & George is an audacious historical psychodrama about a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of its King."
But, in case you don’t want to take the word of the creators (that's very untrusting of you, perhaps you'd make a good courtier)... we think you'll agree after learning about the unbelievable true story behind the series.
Based on Benjamin Woolley's (non-fiction) book The King's Assassin, we dare anyone to suggest George Villiers' life was anything but audacious.
Below, we delve into the lives of Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham and her son George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, the rumoured lover of King James VI of Scotland and I of England.
Who was Mary Villiers?
If you've not heard of Mary Villiers before, your old history teacher will probably forgive you (there's not a tonne out there about her life). But! What we do know is that she was likely born in 1570 and is the woman who went on to be credited as the mastermind behind one of the greatest success stories ever to come out of English court. Spicy!
The daughter of Anthony Beaumont (a descendant of the 4th Earl of Buchan), Mary went on to wed three times in total – and her first husband (and George's father) was a sheep farmer and knight named Sir George (err, yep, everyone has the same names and it is a tad confusing!).
Sadly after Sir George died in 1606, Mary was left pretty much penniless and with four children to take care of. Knowing she needed to find a way to further advance her family's name and income, she decided that her son George was the answer and rumour has it, she hustled hard to get enough money together to send him off for a top-class French education. When he returned, she shipped him straight off to schmooze in court.
Along with George's help, Mary did manage to successfully rise up the ranks of society, amassing wealth, power, and influence along the way, due to falling into favour with England's King James I.
It was all going so well... until George was assassinated. But let's not jump ahead to the end of the story.
Who was George Villiers?
Mary's second son George was born in 1592. His mother was the guiding force in his life, owing to the loss of his father (Sir George Villiers), who died in 1606, when George was just 14. And guide George, she did.
The youngster was sent to French court, where he learned skills that would later serve him in English court. When he returned to England, the handsome and well-educated George interested King James I, who appointed him as Royal Cup-bearer, thus beginning their much-storied relationship.
One good way to gauge King James' affection for George was through the nickname he chose for his confidante. James reportedly called George 'Steenie' after St Stephen, who had 'the face of an angel'.
George enjoyed great power, not least because he was appointed Duke of Buckingham and acted as a mentor to James’ son, who would go on to become King Charles I.
Historian David M. Bergeron suggests, "Buckingham became James's last and greatest lover" (though it's worth noting scholars continue to debate the nature of the relationship, one it would have been difficult for the men to publicly confirm at the time).
What happened to George Villiers?
George and Mary's rise to power was not free from controversy. George's marriage to heiress Lady Katherine Manner, for instance, was said to have come about after Mary forced Katherine’s hand.
What's more, following King James' death in 1625, George was accused of poisoning the King, though the allegations amounted to nothing.
George did, however, pay for his ill-popularity with his life. In 1628, he was assassinated by a soldier named John Felton, as per Westminster Abbey's account.
According to the Abbey's website, Mary "had such a strong presentiment of his death that she was quite calm on hearing of it" and George's father's "ghost was said to have appeared to an old servant just before the murder telling him to go and warn the Duke that he should do something to ingratiate himself with the people or he wouldn't live long."
After his death, George's body was returned to London, where Charles I had him buried in Henry VII's chapel in Westminster Abbey, a resting place previously reserved for royals.
What happened to Mary Villiers?
Mary (who was created Countess of Buckingham in 1618) married twice after the death of her first husband, marrying Sir William Raynor and then Sir Thomas Compton.
Upon her death, in 1632, she was buried in Westminster Abbey.
When is Mary & George released?
As you've probably guessed by now, Mary & George is likely to be one of the steamiest (and most talked about) shows of 2024. Don't believe us? Just check out the trailer. It's also a story about a woman's hunger for power for herself and for her family. Case in point: the epic line Mary (Julianne Moore) delivers in conversation with George (Nicholas Galitzine) at the end of the trailer. "If I were a man and I looked like you, I’d rule the planet."
BRB, screaming! We cannot wait for Mary & George (coming to Sky Atlantic and NOW in 2024).
Amber O’Connor is Cosmopolitan UK’s junior features writer, who covers everything from breaking news, women’s safety and real life features to fitness, travel, and cultural trends. She works on first-person features, reports, and long reads, plus the hottest stories of the day (if you want to know about the latest wellness craze or TikTok trends, she’s your girl).
Amber has previously worked as a reporter and a lifestyle writer, with her work appearing in numerous publications, including The Mirror, Red Magazine, Evening Standard, Indy100, and Yahoo News. When she’s not working her way through her TBR list, Amber loves dancing, running, and going on adventures with her dog.
