Main content

Catherine Howard and Henry VIII

A portrait of Catherine Howard comes to life in a gallery and she talks to the night time security guard about her life. While Catherine was the lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII took a shine to her and sent her gifts and love letters. Once divorced from Anne of Cleves, Henry married Catherine, despite the fact that she was a Catholic and Henry did not like Catholics. However, Catherine was secretly seeing a previous boyfriend, Thomas Culpepper. Henry took Catherine all over the north of England. When they got back, Archbishop Cranmer built a case against her as she had previously been engaged to another man. Her previous boyfriends had been arrested and tortured at the Tower of London. Henry Mannock was released but Francis Dereham was hung, drawn and quartered and Thomas Culpepper was beheaded. On 13 February 1542, Catherine Howard was herself beheaded. She had only been Queen for 18 months.

Release date:

Duration:

5 minutes