How does Elizabeth compare Henry to her father in the novel, The White Princess?

Elizabeth often compares Henry to her father. Sometimes, she even gives the former advice from the reign of the later. It is clear that many people respected Elizabeth’s father, and he clearly believed in himself. During a parade for Henry’s victory, Henry asks Elizabeth how she manages to smile and wave at everyone so easily. She tells him, “My father used to say that you must remember they have turned out to see you, they want to feel that you are their friend. You are among friends and loyal supporters. A smile or a wave is a greeting to people who have only come to admire you” (239). From this we know that Elizabeth’s father was a caring man who focused on the people. It did not matter if they liked him or not; he pretended that they did.

Elizabeth, however, calls it vanity and says, “He was certain that he was chosen by God to be king. He was visible, he showed himself, at the same age, you were in hiding. He was fighting, you were running away” (239). Unlike Henry- whose belief that he was destined for the throne came from his mother - Elizabeth’s father believed in himself. Later in the parade when Henry’s own guard starts a chant, Elizabeth compares the two again. She says, “he had great natural courage and you (Henry) are naturally fearful” (240). Elizabeth’s father was a powerful man who won by his own merits. He fought for his throne and lived with pride, trusting “that everyone loved him and he never had need of guarding" (240).

Henry, in contrast, is a malevolent and paranoid king. Having been raised most of his life in exile with promises from his mother that he would take the throne, he did not develop the social skills of Elizabeth’s father. Henry is also vindictive, and punishes almost everyone who gets in his way. We see this in Cornwall where he defeats the rebels, heavily taxes them, and puts many of their men to death. We also see this attitude towards his own wife. When Elizabeth begs him to spare Perkin, Henry says “I don’t feel generous...When is anyone ever generous to me?” (531). He is not beloved like Elizabeth’s father. He does not have the courage or charisma of a king. This further exemplifies his paranoia as the people dislike him. The more paranoid he gets, the more rash decisions he makes, and the more people that die. It is a vicious cycle that eventually leads to his victory, while building him as a hated King.