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She was a very popular and faithful queen. Catherine was betrothed to Prince Arthur when only three to form an Anglo-Spanish alliance but she had no sons and the king was tired of her. They were married in 1501, but within six months she was widowed. Prince Arthur died suddenly. She was then betrothed to Henry VIII, who always liked her, and when they were married in 1509 it was out of genuine love. Catherine had about fifteen babies, but only one survived and that was Princess Mary. Henry sought to have their marriage annulled, saying it was an unlawful union. The matter eventually led to the break with the Church of Rome.The divorce was finalised in 1533 and Catherine was banished from court. She died alone in January 1536. A sad ending to a lovely queen.
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| Anne Boleyn
She attracted Henry’s attention when
she arrived at his court in 1523. They got married in 1533 in secret. When Henry knew Ann
Boleyn was not going to have a son he began too lose interest in her.
He executed her because she did not have a baby son. Anne was taken to the scaffold on Tower Green a little before noon wearing a robe of black damask. An executioner skilled in the use of the sword was brought over specially from France at her request. by
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Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour became the king’s third
wife in 1536, just 11 days after Anne’s execution. Henry probably loved her the best
of all his wives. Although many consider Jane Seymour to have been Henry’s favourite
wife, sadly she was never actually crowned queen before her untimely death on 24th October
1537.
Jane had a prolonged labour with Edward, finally giving birth by Caesarean section. Complications set in and she died of blood poisoning two weak’s later. by Andrew Parton, Daniel McGrath & Thomas Mitchell
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| Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German princess. Cromwell arranged for her to marry Henry in 1540, to make a link between England and Germany. Holbein was sent to Germany to paint portraits of Anne and her sister Amelia. Henry VIII chose Anne and agreed to marry her on the strength of it. However, he was later very disappointed with her, calling her the `Flanders Mare’. The king found her ugly, so they divorced six months later. by
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Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard was only 20 years old when she married
Henry in July 1540. He was 49. Like Ann Boleyn, Catherine was unfaithful to the King.
Catherine was accused of adultery and conduct unbecoming a queen by Archbishop Cranmer.
She was tried for treason, found guilty, and executed on 13th February 1542. The execution took place at Traitor’s Gate at the Tower of London (formerly known as the Water Gate, so called because it is where prisoners arriving by boat were admitted to the Tower). Catherine was taken there by royal barge from Hampton Court for imprisonment and trial. by
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Catherine Parr Catherine Parr was the daughter of a minor noble, Sir Thomas Parr, who had risen through the ranks of Henry’s court to become controller of the royal household. Catherine married Henry on 12th July 1543, she was already twice widowed. Catherine Parr was Henry’s last wife in 1543. She liked family life and brought the three royal children to live together at court for the first time. She looked after young Elizabeth until her own death in 1548. In 28th January, 1547 Henry VIII died.Catherine Parr outlived Henry even though she was unable to bear him any children. A little while after the king’s death she married Thomas Seymour but died in 1548 after giving birth to a girl. by Amy Burke, Lizzie Sutton & Stacey Ormerod
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