‘The Serpent Queen’ Preview: Henri Returns From War With A Shocking Surprise

Prince Henri is back from war, but he’s not alone. Catherine and Diane go to greet the prince, and they get a surprise neither of them ever expected in this EXCLUSIVE preview of the September 25 episode of The Serpent Queen. “I’ve missed you both so much,” he says to both of them before introducing a new woman in his life.

Filippa, Prince Henri’s new mistress, walks forward holding a baby. “This is our daughter,” Henri explains. Catherine and Diane are absolutely stunned. Given the difficulties Catherine has had in getting pregnant, this is a tough blow.

“I named her Diane after you, madam,” Henri tells Diane. Not wanting to come across as offended, Diane says that was “very thoughtful” of Henri.

Catherine can’t hide the shock that’s written all over her face, but Henri is completely oblivious to it. “I thought it would be fun for you to have someone to speak Italian with,” Henri admits. Catherine doesn’t say a word. Henri is rushed away by his father. A stunned Catherine turns to Diane, who quickly walks off.

Catherine may be down, but she’s not out. In the episode, Catherine resorts to extreme measures to produce an heir.

HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Liv Hill, who plays younger Catherine, and she stressed that Catherine’s “biggest challenge is survival. But in order to survive, she has to produce an heir. For many reasons, that proves very, very difficult. I suppose my episodes focus on how does she secure her place when she hasn’t got a baby to secure her position?”

Henri and Catherine’s marriage wasn’t exactly a love match at first. However, Catherine has been trying to make things work with her husband while fighting fires at every turn. “I think for me, even though she’s been emotionally and physically abused her whole life, the most painful thing is that unrequited love from Henry, which I think is quite common,” Liv said. The Serpent Queen airs Sundays on STARZ.