He was England’s most infamous royal bad boy; Henry was a voluptuary, consuming food and women as voraciously as he disposed of those who crossed him. He became obsessed with producing a male heir. This led to the pursuit of many women and the demise of several marriages. Ultimately, Henry had the blood of many on his hands—he was not one to be tangled with.
Katherine left strong impressions on people—so much so that even her enemy, Thomas Cromwell, said ‘If not for her sex, she could have defied all the heroes of History.’
At the court of Henry VII the young orphan became a page to two-year-old Prince Henry, and a close friendship was forged that continued long after the Prince became King.
King Henry VIII
(Jonathan Rhys Meyers)
He was England’s most infamous royal bad boy; Henry was a voluptuary, consuming food and women as voraciously as he disposed of those who crossed him. He became obsessed with producing a male heir. This led to the pursuit of many women and the demise of several marriages. Ultimately, Henry had the blood of many on his hands—he was not one to be tangled with.
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King Henry VIII Images
See All The Tudors GalleriesFeatured Characters
Thomas Cranmer
Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury thanks to ties with the Boleyn family, Thomas Cranmer rose to power from a relatively minor status.
MoreQueen Katherine of Aragon
Katherine left strong impressions on people—so much so that even her enemy, Thomas Cromwell, said ‘If not for her sex, she could have defied all the heroes of History.’
MoreWilliam Compton
At the court of Henry VII the young orphan became a page to two-year-old Prince Henry, and a close friendship was forged that continued long after the Prince became King.
MoreLady Ursula Misseldon
Lady-in-waiting to Queen Jane, the fictional Lady Ursula becomes Henry’s bedside nurse—and mistress.
MoreCatherine Parr
Henry VIII’s sixth and final marriage to the twice-widowed Catherine Parr was also one of his longest, lasting five years.
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