This first episode gave Showtime its highest numbers for a premiere in three years.
While plotting against the king, the Duke of Buckingham claims that he is a direct descendant of Edward II. Steven Waddington, the actor portraying Buckingham, played Edward II in the film, Edward II.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers's frequent shirtless scenes afford us the opportunity to see a scar on his stomach. This is from surgery he had in 2003 for a stomach ulcer.
Michael Hirst was approached to develop a soap opera based around the Tudor dynasty because he had effectively already done his homework and research following his screenplay to Elizabeth (1998).
In the pilot episode, Henry asks his wife, Catherine of Aragon, "Since when are you a diplomat?" In the years between Catherine's marriage to Henry's brother Arthur, and her eventual marriage to Henry, Catherine did in fact serve as an ambassador of Spain in England.