Hi!
I'm checking out The Tudors season 4 since I've been quite interest in the topic. In this season, is shown how Henry while married to Kathryn Howard return to Anne of Cleves' bed. I wonder if there is some sort of prouf on the subject, or, is it one of the more historical "arrangements" to spice up the series?
Thanks
I think there was some speculation after Katherine Howard's death that he would remarry Anne of Cleves but as far as I know, it was not based on any rumors that they slept together and Henry never seriously considered a remarriage. He liked her and respected her but it was completely platonic.
ReplyDeleteThere is no proof that Henry VIII return to Anne of Cleve bed. However there is also no proof that he did not. Henry VIII was friends with his former wife and queen. He use to visit her often,and she was also invite to court often. So a lot of people speculate that Henry VIII would return to Anne of Cleve after Katherine Howard was gone. Even Anne's own brother thought Henry VIII would return to Anne. However that just wasn't in the his future. Henry VIII married Katherine Parr.
ReplyDeleteI think it's most unlikely. Whilst Anne seems to have forged a good relationship with all the royals after her divorce (including Katherine Howard as well as Henry and his children) there's no evidence that she and Henry were ever more than on friendly terms with each other. There was certainly surprise & disapproval that Henry should put aside a lady of Anne's rank and status for the sake of Katherine Howard as well as a certain amount of salacious gossip in relation to Henry's assertion that his marriage to Anne was never consummated (and as far as I recall, there is evidence of rumours after the divorce that Anne was pregnant- probably because she had put on weight and generally looked more 'womanly') but it didn't amount to more than what would now be termed tabloid gossip.
ReplyDeleteDuring Katherine's marriage to Henry, rumours arose periodically suggesting that Anne of Cleves was pregnant or had given birth. Henry was desperately eager to dispel these rumours and those who were found to be spreading such talk (innocently or otherwise) were punished, though the matter never appears as anything too severe in contemporary writing. It was seen as simple, yet embarrassing, gossip. In any case, no child apears in any records and we have nothing to indicate that Anne ever was pregnant or gave birth.
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