Mary, reduced to little more than 'the other Boleyn girl', can only stand by and watch her sister's irresistible and ruthless rise. But beyond the court, there is a man who can offer Mary a life ...

A sumptuous and sensual tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in European history: two beautiful sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary Boleyn ...

But ahead of the curve this century was Philippa Gregory whose 2001 novel The Other Boleyn Girl alighted on the lesser-known, almost forgotten figure of Mary Boleyn, elder sister of Anne.

Anne Boleyn was the second wife of Henry VIII and ... Anne's father arranged for her to be a lady-in-waiting at the French court to Queen Mary, King Henry VIII's younger sister.