Claire | July 22, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd July 1536, Henry VIII’s son by his former mistress, Elizabeth Blount, died at St James’s Palace. Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, was just 17 years of age at his death, and the death of his only son was a huge blow to the king. In the […]
Claire | June 15, 2018
This date in history, 15th June 1519, is the date traditionally given for the birth of Henry VIII’s recognised illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Fitzroy was born at the Priory of St Lawrence, in Blackmore, Essex. His mother, Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount, had been sent away from court to the prior’s house […]
Claire | July 22, 2015
Today marks the aniversary of the death of Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, at St James’s Palace, London. The seventeen year-old duke was the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, by his mistress Elizabeth (Bessie Blount), and the husband of Mary Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. It is thought that […]
Claire | February 25, 2014
Thank you so much to author and historian Elizabeth Norton for writing this guest post on Margaret Skipwith. Over to Elizabeth… Henry VIII’s love life was notoriously complicated although, unlike most of his royal contemporaries, he tended to marry women who would otherwise have been only his mistresses. The death of Jane Seymour in October […]
Claire | July 22, 2013
On the 22nd July 1536, the seventeen year-old Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, and Henry VIII’s illegitimate son by Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount, died of some sort of pulmonary infection at St James’s Palace. He was buried at Thetford Priory and then, when the the priory was dissolved, moved to St Michael’s Church, Framlingham. […]
Claire | June 15, 2013
The 15th June 1519 is the date traditionally given for the birth of Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, in Blackmore, Essex. Richmond was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Henry VIII by his mistress Elizabeth (Bessie) Blount. Bessie had been sent by Cardinal Wolsey to reside at the prior’s house of the Priory of […]
Claire | March 16, 2012
Today we have a guest post by author and historian Elizabeth Norton who kindly offered to write us a guest article after her book caused such a stir in the media. I have written a review of Elizabeth Norton’s book, “Bessie Blount: Mistress to Henry VIII”, over at our reiew site – click here to […]
Claire | January 9, 2012
Following on from my article regarding The Daily Mail’s article on Henry VIII being the father of Bessie Blount’s daughter, Elizabeth Tailboys, I just wanted to let you know that Elizabeth Norton will be writing a guest article for us on this issue and she has pointed out that the salacious angle of the newspaper’s […]
