Joel Ridgway | February 22, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd February 1540, twenty-four-year-old Marie de Guise, or Mary of Guise, queen consort of King James V of Scotland, was crowned queen at Holyrood Abbey. Did you know that Henry VIII was keen on making Marie de Guise his fourth wife? She declined, saying that her neck was small! […]
Joel Ridgway | November 30, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1601, sixty-eight-year-old Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous Golden Speech to the House of Commons. In this final speech to Parliament, Elizabeth spoke of her position as Queen and her love and respect for her realm, her people, and for her members of Parliament. It was a […]
Claire | June 27, 2019
King Henry VIII has gone down in history as the king who had six wives and who executed two of them, as well as having three of his marriages annulled. He had quite the marital history! But did you know that Henry was just thirteen when he broke one of his wives’ hearts for the […]
Claire | June 23, 2019
On this day in Tudor history, Saturday 23rd June 1509, seventeen-year-old King Henry VIII and his first wife, twenty-three-year-old Catherine of Aragon, processed from the Tower of London to Westminster in preparation for the coronation at Westminster Abbey. The citizens of London must have been excited about seeing the new king and his bride, and […]
Claire | June 11, 2019
On this day in history, 11th June 1509, seventeen-year-old King Henry VIII married twenty-three-year-old Spanish princess, Catalina de Aragón, or Catherine of Aragon, in the Queen’s Closet at Greenwich Palace. Henry had come to the throne on 21st April 1509 following the death of his father, King Henry VII, and although he had previously repudiated […]
Claire | June 11, 2017
On this day in history, 11th June 1509, King Henry VIII married for the first time. His bride was his brother Arthur’s widow, Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Henry was nearly eighteen years of age and Catherine was twenty-three. The wedding was a low-key affair, as […]
Claire | June 27, 2016
On this day in history, 27th June 1505, Henry, Prince of Wales, the future Henry VIII, renounced his betrothal to Catherine of Aragon, his brother’s widow, claiming that it had been contracted without his consent. The couple had been betrothed since 25th June 1503 and, according to the terms of the marriage treaty negotiated between […]
Claire | June 25, 2016
On this day in history, 25th June 1503, Henry, Prince of Wales and eldest surviving son of King Henry VII, became betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, and the widow of Henry’s elder brother Arthur, at the Bishop of Salisbury’s palace in Fleet Street, London. […]
