13 Biggest Changes My Lady Jane Makes To The Book

Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Amazon’s My Lady Jane and the book on which it’s based.

Summary

• Several changes have been made to the source material or My Lady Jane – the eponymous by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows. Here are some of the notable differences:
• Changes like Guildford’s new traumatic background and the scene with the snake help build character arcs.
• My Lady Jane adds sex scenes that age up the story, making it more appealing to an adult audience.

Prime Video’s My Lady Jane makes multiple changes from the book, improving character arcs and adapting the story for the screen. The historical fantasy series twists the true story of Lady Jane Grey, also known as the Nine Days Queen. Rather than making her a 15-year-old victim of the monarchy, My Lady Jane changes the main character’s story, empowering her to take an active role in rewriting history.

My Lady Jane is based on the titular young adult novel by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. While the central events of the story remain the same, the showrunners made many changes to the book. Changes are natural when it comes to show adaptations, because what works on the page won’t necessarily have the same impact onscreen. The creative team behind My Lady Jane did a great job choosing what would remain the same and what would be better changed, with almost every choice having a clear narrative purpose.

13 Jane’s Mom And Lord Dudley Arranged The Marriage In The Show

Jane’s Mom Has More Influence In Amazon’s My Lady Jane

In the My Lady Jane book, Lord Dudley manipulates King Edward into ordering Jane and Guildford’s wedding. The writing only alludes to her mother’s involvement when Jane states her mom has set up multiple engagements for Jane in the past. The fact that Edward chose the match and ordered the wedding creates tension between Jane and Edward.

However, the series changes the story by making the wedding a collaboration between Jane’s mom and Lord Dudley. This gives Jane’s mom a bigger role and character arc in the story. By having Edward sign off on the marriage, the Prime Video show still preserves the conflict that isolates Jane from her closest confidant. Moreover, it maintains Lord Dudley’s scheme by involving him in the decision.

12 Henry The Eighth Is A Famous Ethian In The Book

The Show Removes Henry The 8th’s Ethian Background

One massive change My Lady Jane makes to the book is that the Amazon show removes Henry the Eighth’s Ethian form. In the book, he is called “the lion king” because the famous monarch turns into a lion. He repeatedly uses these abilities against anyone who angers him. However, the show presents him as a Verity who hates Ethians.

According to the Narrator, King Henry the Eighth turns on Mary’s mom when he learns she is an Ethian. This is the driving force in Mary’s all-consuming, unadulterated hatred of the magical beings. They could still theoretically introduce his Ethian form if My Lady Jane gets a second season, but it seems unlikely, given the implications of his Verity form.

11 Jane Meets Guildford Before The Wedding In Prime Video’s My Lady Jane

Jane And Guildford Have A New Meet Cute

The way that Jane and Guildford meet in the My Lady Jane book and series are vastly different, changing how the characters interact and think about each other. In the novel, Jane goes over to meet Guildford, but he’s in his horse form. Rather than tell Jane, Guildford’s family allows her to believe he’s out galavanting with women. However, she doesn’t actually meet him until the wedding.

The series introduces Jane and Guildford at a pub without them knowing each other’s identity. Jane perceives him as someone who drinks and behaves rudely, while he thinks she’s pedantic and annoying. Their prior interaction shades their perception of one another when they meet at the wedding. This change helps set the viewers’ expectations of their dynamic early on.

10 Edward Is Gay In The Amazon Show

Edward No Longer Has A Romantic Subplot With Jane

The best change that the Amazon show makes to the source material is Edward’s sexuality. In the book, he isn’t gay. Instead, he and his cousin Jane have romantically loved one another since childhood. This creates an awkward and painful-to-read dynamic, which creates unnecessary drama between Jane and Guildford. The latter gets jealous, reading into everything Jane and Edward say and do.

This was undoubtedly the worst part of the book. Luckily, Edward’s sexuality change removes this subplot entirely, creating a best-friend dynamic between Jane and Edward. Additionally, Amazon’s My Lady Jane show adds a compelling queer romance in the not-so-historical romance genre. The show treats King Edward and Fitz just like every other romance, giving them sexual tension and a steamy making-out scene – a refreshing choice since LGBTQ+ sexuality is still somewhat taboo onscreen.

9 Guildford Wants A Cure For Being An Ethian In The Show

Guildford Internalizes The Hatred Of Ethians

Within the book, Guildford may not openly admit to being an Ethian, but he isn’t ashamed of that fact either. His issues are with how Ethians are treated, not the fact that they exist. This is changed in Prime Video’s My Lady Jane, where Guildford seeks a cure for his Ethian form. He has a deep-seated shame that harms his self-esteem.

Guildford’s desire for a cure also drives a wedge between him and Jane in a way that isn’t present in the original story. The book presents the two as agreeing that Ethians deserve safety and protection. However, Guildford sees Ethianism as an aberration in the show, while Jane wants to embrace it as a normal genetic deviation. Jane loves him – horse form and all.

8 Amazon’s My Lady Jane Replaces Grace With Fitz

Fitz Has A Better Romance With King Edward

King Edward’s romantic interest in the book is an Ethian Scottish woman named Grace. She also serves as one of the leaders of the Pack, the group of Ethians who raid and pillage the Verities. Prime Video’s My Lady Jane replaces Grace with an Ethian named Fitz, who isn’t a leader in the Pack but is a part of the group.

Fitz helps introduce King Edward to the Pack and encourages him to fight for his throne. Unlike Grace, Fitz isn’t threatened or bothered by Edward’s role as a monarch, seeing this as just another facet of his love interest. This acceptance makes Fitz and Edward’s romance in the show stronger than that of Grace and Edward in the book.

7 The Amazon Prime Series Includes Lots Of Sex

The Sex Scenes Add A Raunchier Element To My Lady Jane

While sexual tension abounds between the main characters of the My Lady Jane book, there are no sex scenes, with the book only briefly alluding to Jane and Guildford having intercourse at the end. Additionally, the character Jane has almost no theoretical knowledge of sex, calling it a “very special hug.”

The authors likely avoided sex scenes to make it more acceptable as a YA novel. However, the Amazon series ages up the characters and maturity level, establishing the raunchiness and steaminess from the start. My Lady Jane includes a surprisingly high number of risqué scenes. Moreover, Jane jokes and talks about sex, proving that she’s knowledgeable despite her inexperience. This feels more realistic than the chaste depiction of the character and world in the book.

6 Guildford’s Mom Wasn’t Murdered In The Book

Guildford’s Mom Tells Him He’s Getting Married

Guildford’s mysterious backstory in Amazon’s My Lady Jane shapes his self-hatred, but it remains a mystery for most of season 1. Jane eventually learns that his first transformation occurred on the day his mom died, and he blames his Ethian form because he’s not sure what actually happened. This backstory, while compelling, was created for the show. In the book, Guildford’s mom is divorced from his dad but is very much alive.

Guildford’s mom comes over to the estate so she and his dad can tell him about his impending marriage. Ultimately, the Prime Video series likely killed her for two reasons. Firstly, she’s an unnecessary character, only appearing in the one scene. Secondly, Guildford’s dead mom creates a deeper and more complex backstory for the My Lady Jane character.

5 Prime Video’s My Lady Jane Adds The Snake Scene

Bess Brings A Snake Into Jane’s Room

One scene created specifically for My Lady Jane involves Bess bringing a venomous, deadly snake into Jane’s room. She does so at her sister Mary’s insistence, but immediately regrets the decision, preventing the animal from attacking Jane. This scene helps establish Bess’s morality and relationship with her sister and Jane.

In both the book and series, she has a strong sense of right and wrong. She would never harm her cousin or even let Mary do so. Even though they aren’t siblings, Bess treats Jane like a sister and has a contentious relationship with Mary, but she cherishes her whole family. Unfortunately, because of their division, she’s forced to take sides. While the snake scene doesn’t occur in the book, that version of Bess certainly would’ve acted similarly in that situation.

4 King Edward’s Grandmother Wants To Commit Genocide In The Show

Edward’s Grandmother Has A Nefarious Personality

King Edward’s grandmother plays an important role in both the My Lady Jane book and show, but the two versions of the character have vastly different personalities. Her Ethian training in the book is kind, patient, and compassionate. She also doesn’t harbor hatred for the Verities. In the show, she’s cruel, manipulative, and abusive. Moreover, in one of the most bizarre changes, she wants to commit genocide of the Verity people.

Edward’s grandmother excitedly explains the prophecy for which she wants him to be the chosen one – a person rising up to kill every Verity in existence. She’s quite disappointed to find that Edward won’t fulfill the prophecy. There’s no clear logic for this change other than to maybe show an example of extremism.

3 The Amazon Show Removes The Books And Apples Scene

Jane And Guildford Bond In A Different Way

Prime Video’s My Lady Jane removes one of the cutest scenes between Jane and Guildford early in their relationship. When they’re on their honeymoon, Guildford (in his horse form) and Jane sit under a tree, where she reads to him, and they eat apples. They do this every morning for a few days, and then Guildford admits to Jane that he could understand her the whole time.

They both confess that Jane reading to Guildford has become their favorite part of every day. This part of the book was likely removed because it would be repetitive and slow. Instead, the pair bond in the show when he implies that he married her for her brains. They also spend less time on their honeymoon, getting into the main plot sooner.

2 Jane Isn’t An Ethian In My Lady Jane Season 1

Jane Is A Ferret Ethian In The Book

In the My Lady Jane book, Jane discovers that she’s an Ethian after Mary orders her and Guildford to be beheaded. This event provides enough stress that it triggers her latent gene. Jane’s Ethian form is a ferret. Like Guildford, she can’t change her form at will, only gaining the ability when she wants to be with Guildford more than she wants the freedom of being an animal.

However, this part of the story doesn’t occur at the end of My Lady Jane season 1. It’s worth noting that the season ends right after Jane escapes from the Tower of London, which is around the time she discovers her Ethian form in the book. As such, it’s plausible they’ll still introduce Jane’s Ethian form in My Lady Jane season 2.

1 My Lady Jane Season 1 Only Covers Half The Book

The Ending Leaves Plenty Of Story For A Possible My Lady Jane Season 2

Many storylines are missing from the My Lady Jane book but aren’t worth noting because they occur in the second half. The events of My Lady Jane season 1 only cover half of the book, ending at the midway point. This is when the novel transitions from altered history to completely fabricated fantasy.

The choice to end there makes sense because there’s a tone and narrative shift after the book’s Midlogue. Moreover, drawing the story out gives the show a better chance of getting a second season. The story is far from over. Edward still needs to get his throne back. However, just in case My Lady Jane doesn’t get renewed, the season ends on a happy note instead of ending on a cliffhanger.