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Born in 1520 Catherine Howard, the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and the granddaughter of Thomas Howard who was the 2nd Duke of Norfolk.
Her father was quite poor, so Catherine lived with her grandmother Agnes (the widow of the 2nd Duke).
Catherine met Henry VIII at the home of the Bishop of Winchester (Steven Gardiner).
Twenty nine years Henrys junior, Catherine caught the Kings attention. Still ‘technically’ married to Anne of Cleves, with whom Henry had a disastourous sex-life (to put it in a nut shell) lol, he didn’t take ‘that much’ persuasion to listen to his Court advisors, when they encouraged the courtship.
After his divorce from Anne, the couple were privately married at Oatlands in July 1540. (Oatlands, was a Palace of Henrys and subsequently Elizabeth 1st. I am still trying to find out what the palace was called – obviously, it is no longer standing).
Before Catherine’s marriage to the King, she had had, several lovers. Amongst them were: Henry Mannox a musician (she was a ‘groupie’ - ? – shock, horror lol), Thomas Culpepper her cousin and Francis Dereham, to whom she become betrothed to.
After becoming Queen, Catherine had occasionally met Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpepper and in November 1541, Thomas Cranmer the Archbishop, informed Henrythat his Queen’s past life, had not been ‘stainless’ . . .
Thomas Cranmer had obtained his knowledge from an old servant of the Duchess of Norfolk.
Francis Dereham confessed his relations with Catherine and after some denials, the Queen herself confessed it was true, but denied that she had, been betrothed to him or that she had ‘misconducted’ herself since her marriage to Henry.
Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpepper were executed in 1541 and their accomplices were punished, but, Catherine was released from prison in the Tower.
However, some ‘fresh’ information came to light showing that she had, been ‘unchaste’ since her marriage.
A bill of ‘Attainder’ was passed through parliament and on 13th February 1542.
The Queen was Beheaded.
Queen Catherine, the 5th wife of Henry VIII is buried in The Tower of London.
