How did Henry V Die? The True Story Behind Timothee Chalamet’s ‘The King’

Yesterday Netflix dropped the first trailer for The King, a lavish medieval drama starring Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, Lily-Rose Depp as Catherine of Valois, and Robert Pattinson as a long-haired Dauphin. The King is David Michôd and Joel Edgerton’s take on William Shakespeare’s Henry V. Shakespeare’s version of historical events is considered a masterpiece, though modern adaptations often highlight the young king’s heroism over his inherent paranoia. This version, full of the gritty grandeur of Game of Thrones, seems like it might be a more nuanced look at a young man thrust into power. But what is the true story behind Timothée Chalamet’s The King — and how did the real Hal, Henry V, die?

The real Henry V was a member of the illustrious Plantagenet line of English kings. These rulers had ties to both England and France, thanks to Henry II’s powerful French wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Back then, France was not a complete nation, but a collection of territories, and the leading French rulers, the House of Valois, naturally took umbrage with the Plantagenet claim to their lands. A series of major conflicts played out between the English Plantagenets and the French Valois between 1337 and 1453. This period of time is known as the Hundred Years’ War, and the Battle of Agincourt is considered to be one of the most important battles — and it was Henry V’s finest hour.

In The King, Timothée Chalamet plays the young Henry V. Before he took his father’s throne, Henry went simply by “Prince Hal” and he was known for being something of a wild child (though historians actually dispute this). Nevertheless, Shakespeare depicted him as basically a frat bro who liked to party with his funny older friend, Falstaff (played in The King by co-writer Joel Edgerton). This image of the young Hal has basically become canon — and The King seems to be depicting a flashback of this period of time in the trailer. In both Shakespeare’s play and real life, Hal sobered up quickly upon becoming king of England…and with good reason.

To understand why Timothée Chalamet looks so stressed out and nervous in the trailer for The King, you need to understand that his own father, Henry IV (played by Ben Mendelsohn), actually seized the throne from its rightful king, Richard II. The coup worked in large part thanks to a noble class of lords who was growing in strength. Even during Henry IV’s reign, there were further rebellions from within. As a teen, Hal fought in multiple wars to secure his father’s throne. Upon his own ascension to the throne, Henry V had to be keenly aware that his greatest enemies might be in his own court.

Henry V therefore looked to France as a way to create a common enemy — and a chance for glory. His main adversary would be the old, mentally unstable Valois king’s eldest son, known colloquially as “the Dauphin.” Henry V invaded France and destroyed the French at the famous Battle of Agincourt. Then, in parlaying for peace, he agreed to marry French princess Catherine of Valois. (So you can see why Lily-Rose Depp’s Catherine seemed less than thrilled to be paired with Hal in the trailer for The King.)

Even though Henry V was incredibly successful in his foreign campaigns, he would die young. Some say of dysentery, others of heatstroke. But he fell ill and passed away at the age of 35. He left behind an infant son, Henry VI, who would spend his life as the pawn of nobles. In fact, eventually, the York clan would turn on this king and spark the bloody civil war known as the War of the Roses. So Hal’s paranoia about his lords? Totally justified.

If you want to learn more about the Plantagenets, a good place to start for the story of Henry V is a recent BBC/PBS retelling of Shakespeare’s The Hollow Crown cycle, in which Tom Hiddleston plays Hal. If you want to know more about what happens next, Starz’s The White Queen tackles The War of the Roses from the female POV.

The King will have a limited run in cinemas starting October 11, and will premiere on Netflix on November 1.