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Henry VIII is famous for marrying six times in his quest for a male heir
to secure the Tudor succession.Was there any room for romance in the
lives of these women, who were under immense pressure to provide
him with an heir and mindful of the consequences should they fail?
Explore their story through this collection of portraits of the wives of
Henry VIII.

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Catherine of Aragon had been betrothed to Henrys older brother, Arthur,
since she was three. She survived a perilous three-month sea voyage in order
to marry him, only to be widowed five months after the wedding.
Catherine's fortunes improved when in 1509 the newly succeeded Henry VIII
acquired a dispensation from the pope allowing him to marry her.
The couple enjoyed some affection in the early years. She was appointed
Regent while he fought in France. Catherine guided English troops to victory
at the Battle of Flodden Field, which earned Henrys admiration and they
were happy to be reunited upon his return.

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Henry and Catherines marriage lasted over 20 years. But Catherine was
unable to produce a male heir. Six pregnancies produced only one surviving
child, Mary.
Convinced his marriage to Catherine was cursed, Henry asked the pope for an
annulment. The pope refused, so Henry cut ties with Rome, declared England
a Protestant country, and had his marriage annulled.
In this painting Catherine throws herself at Henry's feet appealing to his
sense of honour not to go through with his plans.

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While Henry was plotting the end of his marriage to Catherine, he became
enamoured with her lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn.
This painting shows Anne Boleyn being courted by Henry VIII. The couple
married in secret, early in 1533, when Anne was already pregnant with
Henry's child. In June Anne was crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey.
In September Anne gave birth to a daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth I.
Hopes were high that this was the first of many children for the new royal
couple, and that the new princess might soon gain a brother.
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Even though Henry VIII had moved mountains in order to marry Anne Boleyn,
their marriage was not to last. After giving birth to Elizabeth, two later
pregnancies ended in miscarriages.
Still desperate for a male heir, Henry began searching for a way out of his
marriage. With the help of his principal secretary, Thomas Cromwell, he found
one. In 1536 Anne was arrested on charges of adultery and beheaded at the
Tower of London.