Wives of Henry VIII

Catherine of Aragon

Jan 1, 1509

24 Years
A Spanish Princess, once married to Henry's brother. She brought friendship with Spain. She was clever and popular. All her male babies died but she had a daughter called Mary who survived. Henry thought Catherine was old and boring when she reached the age of 40. He divorced her.

Anne Boleyn

Jan 1, 1533

3 years
Young, sexy and very fashionable. Made Henry wait for sex until he married her. Had a daughter, Elizabeth. Henry sulked weeks because he wanted a boy. Miscarried a baby boy in 1536. Henry accused Anne of having sez with four men and her brother ( yes, her brother). Despite having no evidence, she was beheaded in 1536.

Jane Seymour

Jan 1, 1536

1 Year
Calm, gentle and caring. She tried hard to be friends with Henry's daughters. Made Henry wait for sex until he married her.
Had a son, Edward. Henry was delighted - a boy at last. Jane died of an infection a few days after the birth

Anne of Cleves

Jan 1, 1540

6 months
Cleves was an area now part of Germany, close to Flanders and France. Henry married Anne because it brought friendship between England, Wales and the powerful European region. She was serious and unfashionable. Henry had seen a painting of her and liked what he saw. However, when he saw her for real, he described her as a fat mule from Flanders.

Catherine Howard

Jul 1, 1540

2 Years
Young, lively and very pretty. She flirted with lots of men... and Henry found out. She once finished off a letter with a lover with the words "Yours as long as life endures." Henry found out that she was flirting with several boyfriends. She was executed.

Catherine Parr

Jan 1, 1543

4 years
Married Henry at Hampton Court in a small wedding attended by only 20 people. The marriage ensured that Edward would grow up as a Protestant as Ctherine was a devoted Protestant and supervised his education. Catherine was very intelligent and wrote the first book published by an English Queen under her own name. Henry died in 1547.