Elizabeth Woodville enters the narrative as a widow; her first husband, Sir John Grey, died fighting the House of York, fueling her deep grudge against them. She deliberately approaches Edward IV, wielding her remarkable beauty—blonde hair and blue eyes—to captivate him, driven initially by vengeance. Their secret marriage becomes a strategic element in her plot to undermine the York dynasty, concealed behind her facade as queen consort.

Her personality is defined by cold-blooded pragmatism and a strong will. She views her children with Edward—Edward V, Richard (Duke of York), and Elizabeth (nicknamed "Beth")—primarily as political "trump cards," openly admitting her lack of maternal love. Upon Beth's birth, Elizabeth expresses disappointment that a daughter cannot inherit the throne, reinforcing her instrumental view of motherhood. This strains her relationship with Beth, who later prefers her nickname to distance herself.

After Edward IV's death, Elizabeth's vendetta intensifies upon learning Richard III (formerly Duke of Gloucester) was directly responsible for her first husband's death. She orders Richard's arrest. In response, Richard and Buckingham orchestrate a Woodville family purge, culminating in Elizabeth's forced confinement within a convent to eliminate her political influence.

Even in exile, Elizabeth schemes relentlessly. She collaborates with Lord Hastings to regain power and later uncovers Richard III's intersex condition through his mother, Cecily Neville. Elizabeth weaponizes this secret, spreading it publicly to incite dissent and contribute to Richard's downfall. Her pursuit of vengeance remains the driving force throughout.