My Lady Jane cast: who's who in Prime Video's historical fantasy

My Lady Jane cast
Edward Bluemel and Emily Bader star in My Lady Jane (Image credit: Prime Video)

Emily Bader leads the My Lady Jane cast as the titular noblewoman who ends up ascending to the English throne in Prime Video's wild and saucy alt-history "Romantasy". 

Based on a series of novels inspired by the short life of Lady Jane Grey, who ruled England for just nine days in 1553, the irreverent eight-part series imagines a version of history where she wasn’t executed to make way for Queen Mary. 

Instead, Jane finds herself crowned Queen and facing a swirl of court factions, before embarking upon a mission to save the "Ethians" — a magical people who can turn themselves into animals - from her political rivals. 

Take a look at the stellar cast below... 

Who's who in the My Lady Jane cast

Emily Bader is Lady Jane Grey

Emily Bader plays Lady Jane Grey in My Lady Jane

Emily Bader plays Lady Jane Grey (Image credit: Prime Video)

Know-it-all Tudor noblewoman with a sharp tongue and a warm heart. Likes: books, witty repartee, men who wear black leather and recite poetry. Dislikes: her mother, being told what to do.

What happened to the real Lady Jane Grey? Granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, Jane was named by King Edward VI as his successor before he died in 1553. Edward was desperate for a Protestant to inherit the throne rather than his deeply Catholic sister Mary, however the 17 year-old ruled over England for just nine days and was then deposed by Mary, who had her executed the following year.

What else has Emily Bader been in? The US star has had roles in films such as Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin and Fresh Kills, while also appearing in fantasy series Charmed. 

Edward Bluemel is Lord Guildford Dudley

Edward Bluemel plays Guildford Dudley

Edward Bluemel plays Guildford Dudley (Image credit: Prime Video)

Intriguing scoundrel with a dark secret. Likes: the night, brave quests, women with witty repartee. Dislikes: the day, buried trauma.

What happened to the real Lord Guildford Dudley? Lord Guildford Dudley was just a few years older than Jane when they married in 1553 and briefly dreamed of being King, yet was executed on the same day as his wife the following year. 

What else has Edward Bluemel been in? He's best known for his roles in the Sky One series A Discovery of Witches and the BBC thriller Killing Eve. He's also appeared in hit Netflix series, Sex Education and the streamers Jane Austen adaption Persuasion.  

Jordan Peters is Edward VI

Jordan Peters plays King Edward

Jordan Peters plays King Edward (Image credit: Prime Video)

Beleaguered King. Dreams of true love, derring-do, and not dying of the Affliction. Likes: pretty boys, jellied eels, adventure. Dislikes: being sick, being poisoned, being murdered.

What happened to the real Edward VI? Son of Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, Edward became King at the age of nine, but died of tuberculosis by the age of 15. He was a staunch Protestant, as his father had split with the Catholic church to enable him to divorce his first wife. 

What else has Jordan Peters been in? Peters has appeared in British dramas Blue Story, Everything I Know About Love and Gangs of London.

Rob Brydon is Lord Dudley

Rob Brydon plays Lord Dudley

Rob Brydon plays Lord Dudley (Image credit: Prime Video)

A family man who just wants the Crown for his progeny. Is that a crime? Likes: manipulating, massive codpieces, a jaunty pearl earring. Dislikes: being manipulated, errant sons, office rivals.

What happened to the real Lord Dudley? John Dudley, the First Duke of Northumberland was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death. When Mary I ascended the throne she tried him for treason and had him executed. 

What else has Rob Brydon been in? The Welsh comedian got a BAFTA nomination for his role as Bryn in Gavin & Stacey and has appeared opposite Steve Coogan in The Trip. His other works include A Cock & Bull Story, 24 Hour Party People and Marion & Geoff. 

Kate O’Flynn is Mary

Kate O'Flynn plays Mary

Kate O'Flynn plays Mary (Image credit: Prime Video)

Pernicious princess with daddy issues. Likes: power, murder, reverse cowgirl. Dislikes: the underclass, primogeniture.

What happened to the real Mary? In real life, Henry VIII's eldest child quickly deposed Lady Jane Grey after her younger brother's death in 1553, and went on to rule for five years until 1558. A devoted Catholic, she developed a reputation for executing Protestants, but died childless, meaning her sister Elizabeth inherited the throne. 

What else has Kate O’Flynn been in? Kate is a notable stage performer, but has also appeared in films Up There and Mr. Turner, and television series Kingdom, Landscapers and Death in Paradise. 

Dominic Cooper is Lord Seymour

Dominic Cooper plays Lord Seymour

Dominic Cooper plays Lord Seymour (Image credit: Prime Video)

A ruthless political operato. Likes: powerful women, murder, feeling like a naughty naughty boy. Dislikes: when a plan goes awry, busybodies, irritating children.

What happened to the real Lord Seymour? Lord Seymour is potentially based upon Edward Seymour, the eldest surviving brother of Henry VIII's third wife and Edward VI's mother, Jane Seymour. He was Lord Protector during his nephew's minority, but was brought down by his rivals, imprisoned in the Tower of London and executed for treason in 1549. 

What else has Dominic Cooper been in? The English star is best known for playing Jesse Custer in Preacher and young Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger and the ABC series Agent Carter, among other Marvel productions. He also played Sky in the Mamma Mia film series. 

Abbie Hern is Bess

Abbie Hern plays Bess

Abbie Hern plays Bess (Image credit: Prime Video)

Beleaguered princess with a killer survival instinct. Great things in her future. Right now? Not so much. Likes: keeping her head. Dislikes: being kidnapped, making decisions.

What happened to the real Bess? Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth went on to succeed her sister Mary and become Queen of England, reigning from 1558 until 1603, and seeing off the Spanish Armada in the process. 

What else has Abbie Hern been in? Abbie's big break came in BBC Cymru drama The Pact and she has also played Mary Bone in Peaky Blinders, before appearing in Enola Holmes 2

Henry Ashton is Lord Stan Dudley

Henry Ashton plays Lord Stan Dudley

Henry Ashton plays Lord Stan Dudley (Image credit: Prime Video)

Foppish nobleman. Human dildo. Wants to be a hero. Will need time. Likes: bossy women, extravagant fashion, telling pointless stories. Dislikes: urchins, brothers who get all the attention. 

What happened to the real Lord Stan Dudley? Lord Dudley had many children, but Stan Dudley seems to have been a creation for this series. 

What else has Henry Ashton been in? Henry is most famous for playing Sandy Hammond in the seventh season of Starz drama Outlander

Anna Chancellor is Lady Frances Grey

Anna Chancellor plays Lady Frances Grey

Anna Chancellor plays Lady Frances Grey (Image credit: Prime Video)

Brilliant and permanently dissatisfied schemer. Likes: pliant men, daughters who do what they’re told, winning. Dislikes: rebels, financial dependence on ancient relatives, hugs.

What happened to the real Lady Frances Grey? The eldest daughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, Frances was frequently at court during Henry VIII's reign. It was through her friendship with Catherine Parr, Henry's sixth wife, that Frances' daughter Lady Jane Grey secured a place in the queen's household. This how her daughter Jane, became friends with Henry's son Edward. After the death of her first husband she married again, yet died at the age of 42 in 1559. 

What else has Anna Chancellor been in? The British star got her breakthrough role as 'Duckface' in Four Weddings and a Funeral and has also won a BAFTA for TV series The Hour. She's also appeared in BBC series Pride and Prejudice, Spooks and Rain Dogs, The Crown and the Epix series Pennyworth

Robyn Betteridge is Margaret Grey

Robyn Betteridge is Margaret Grey

Robyn Betteridge plays Margaret Grey (Image credit: Prime Video)

Homicidal little poppet. Likes: swords, wine, the macabre. Dislikes: basically everything else.

What happened to the real Margaret Grey? Margaret is based upon Mary Grey, the third Grey daughter, who was described as "four foot tall and hunchbacked" by historical sources. With Queen Elizabeth childless, the Grey sisters were the heirs to the throne and thus not allowed to marry without the Queen's permission. Mary married without the monarch's permission and was exiled from court, living most of the rest of her life under house arrest. 

What else has Robyn Betteridge been in? The young star has appeared in Disney series Willow and Prime Video's epic fantasy The Wheel of Time. 

Isabella Brownson is Katherine Grey

Isabella Brownson is Katherine Grey

Isabella Brownson plays Katherine Grey (Image credit: Prime Video)

Obsequious middle sister. Likes: Plato, courtly love, motherly praise. Dislikes: being wrong.

What happened to the real Katherine Grey? A granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary, she emerged as a prospective successor to her cousin, Elizabeth I of England, before incurring Queen Elizabeth's wrath by secretly marrying Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford. Arrested after the Queen was informed of their clandestine marriage, Katherine lived in captivity until her death, having borne two sons in the Tower of London.

What else has Isabella Brownson been in? Isabella appeared in Ridley Scott's Napoleon and Prime Video drama The Devil's Hour

Máiréad Tyers is Susannah

Máiréad Tyers plays Susannah

Máiréad Tyers plays Susannah (Image credit: Prime Video)

Loyal friend. Tendency to take flight when things get tough. Likes: freedom, fighting, muscled young men. Dislikes: haggis, the fundamental inequity at the heart of the Kingdom.

What happened to the real Susannah? Susannah is an original creation for the series. 

What else has Máiréad Tyers been in? Máiréad has starred in Hulu's supernatural series Extraordinary and award-winning movie Belfast

Jim Broadbent plays the Duke of Leicester

Jim Broadbent plays the Duke of Leicester

Jim Broadbent plays the Duke of Leicester (Image credit: Prime Video)

Lecherous and disgusting great uncle of Jane's father. The Grey ladies financial security depends upon his charity. Likes: Women who don't read, fine food. Dislikes: Ethians, gout. 

What happened to the real Duke of Leicester? The Duke is an original creation for the series.

What else has Jim Broadbent been in? On the big screen Broadbent has appeared in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bridget Jones' Diary, Gangs of New York, Paddington, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and The Iron Lady, among many others. On the small screen, he's appeared in Game of Thrones, War & Peace and Any Human Heart

All eight episodes are available now on Prime Video. You can sign up for Amazon Prime for $14.99 / £8.99 per month or $139 / £95 per year and that'll let you stream Prime Video with commercials. An extra $3.99 / £2.99 per month will let you stream ad-free and here's how to remove commercials from your Prime Video account.

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Sean Marland

Sean is a Senior Feature writer for TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week, who also writes for whattowatch.com. He's been covering the world of TV for over 15 years and in that time he's been lucky enough to interview stars like Ian McKellen, Tom Hardy and Kate Winslet. His favourite shows are I'm Alan Partridge, The Wire, People Just Do Nothing and Succession and in his spare time he enjoys drinking tea, doing crosswords and watching football.