Divorced, Beheaded, Died: The Ultimate Guide to King Henry VIII's Six Marriages

The romantic history of King Henry VIII, who reigned over England from 1509 to 1547, profoundly altered the course of the nation. His six marriages have been explored in countless books, TV shows, and films, but perhaps the most iconic retelling is also the simplest: 'divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.'

While memorable, this catchy rhyme leaves many questions open. For instance: What were the names of these wives? Here’s a closer look at the legendary Tudor king’s three Catherines, two Annes, and one Jane.

A Chronological List of King Henry VIII’s Wives

1. Catherine of Aragon (Divorced)

Catherine of Aragon was born in 1485 to the Spanish monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon (who were also the patrons of Christopher Columbus) and was married to King Henry VII’s eldest son and heir, Arthur, in 1501. After Arthur’s death the following year, Catherine became engaged to his younger brother, Henry VIII. Due to a prolonged dowry dispute with her father, the wedding was delayed until Henry ascended the throne in 1509, just shy of his 18th birthday, while Catherine was 23. Their marriage was strong—Catherine even ruled England while Henry was away fighting in France—but they struggled to produce a living heir. Only one of their six children, Mary Tudor (later Mary I), survived infancy. Henry’s growing impatience for a male heir led to his petition for an annulment from Pope Clement VII in 1527, citing Catherine’s previous marriage to his brother as grounds for declaring his own marriage unlawful. Catherine insisted that she had never consummated her marriage with Arthur, but the Pope, fearing political repercussions from Catherine’s nephew, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, rejected Henry’s request. As a result, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church, declared himself the head of the Church of England, and annulled his marriage to Catherine, marrying Anne Boleyn instead. Catherine was exiled from court and barred from seeing her daughter. The Church of England formally annulled her marriage in 1533. Catherine spent her final years at Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire, where she passed away in January 1536, likely from cancer, at the age of 50.

2. Anne Boleyn (Beheaded)

The exact year of Anne Boleyn's birth remains uncertain: some historians suggest it was around 1501, while others argue it was closer to 1507. Her father, Thomas Boleyn, was a prominent earl and a knight in Henry VIII's court, and her mother, Elizabeth Howard, served as one of Catherine of Aragon’s ladies-in-waiting. Anne received an education fit for royalty, studying in modern-day Belgium and France. By the time she returned to the English court in 1522, her sister Mary had already become Henry VIII's mistress. Both sisters were ladies-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, and Anne—known for her grace in dance and her captivating French demeanor—quickly attracted the king’s attention. Their courtship began around 1526, sparking Henry VIII's famous efforts to make Anne his second wife. They secretly wed in January 1533, even before Henry's first marriage was officially annulled. That annulment occurred in May, and Anne was crowned queen the following week. She gave birth to a daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth I, in September. Unfortunately, her two subsequent pregnancies ended in tragedy: a miscarriage in 1534 and a stillborn son in 1536. As Henry grew increasingly desperate for a male heir, his advisor Thomas Cromwell orchestrated an adultery case against Anne. She was imprisoned in the Tower of London in May 1536, charged with adultery, treason, and even incest (allegedly with her brother). The trial, lacking any solid evidence, convicted Anne, and on May 19, she was executed by beheading.

3. Jane Seymour (Died)

The day after Anne Boleyn’s execution, Henry VIII became engaged to Jane Seymour, who had previously served as a lady-in-waiting to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon. Jane was known for her piety, meekness, and virtuous nature, once even rejecting a financial offer from Henry, stating that 'she had no greater riches in the world than her honour, which she would not injure for a thousand deaths.' Her strong moral convictions won Henry's affection, and they married on May 30, 1536. Jane’s personal motto was 'Bound to obey and serve,' which she fulfilled in a remarkable way by giving Henry the long-desired male heir, the future Edward VI, born on October 12, 1537. She is also credited with convincing Henry to reconcile with Mary Tudor, who had been removed from court with her mother. Despite their age difference of about eight years, Jane and Mary formed a close bond during Jane’s time as queen. Jane Seymour is often regarded as Henry's 'favorite wife,' and their marriage was filled with love. However, we can never truly know how their relationship might have evolved, as Jane tragically passed away from complications after childbirth just two weeks after Edward’s birth.

4. Anne of Cleves (Divorced)

Henry VIII soon became concerned that the Holy Roman Empire and its ally, France, were conspiring against England, which led him to seek a marriage that could secure some powerful allies. Thomas Cromwell selected Anne of Cleves, a member of the influential German Protestant House of Cleves, as his bride-to-be. Court painter Hans Holbein was dispatched to Germany to create her portrait, which Henry approved. In January 1540, the 24-year-old Anne met her 48-year-old future husband in England. Although Henry was less impressed with her appearance in person, he proceeded with the marriage for political reasons. However, the marriage was never consummated, and when the threat of war dissipated, Henry decided to divorce her. Their annulment was finalized on July 9, 1540. Anne accepted the annulment without protest, a wise choice that allowed her to live the remainder of her life in luxury, free from the pressures that had undone Henry’s previous wives. Henry provided her with a generous yearly allowance, two houses in England, and additional properties. Anne maintained a cordial relationship with Henry, even referring to him as her 'brother,' and she became friends with Queen Elizabeth I. Although Anne was just 41 when she died in 1557, she outlived Henry by a decade, making her the only one of his wives to be buried at Westminster Abbey.

5. Catherine Howard (Beheaded)

For his fifth wife, Henry VIII chose Catherine Howard, one of Anne of Cleves’s ladies-in-waiting. Catherine was a niece of the influential Duke of Norfolk and a first cousin to Anne Boleyn. The exact year of her birth remains uncertain, but it is thought to be as late as 1524, making her likely still a teenager when she married the middle-aged king on July 28, 1540, shortly after his annulment from Anne. In her youth, Catherine had been sexually abused by her music teacher—she later recounted that she 'suffered him at sundry times to handle and touch the secret parts of [her] body'—and she had relationships with her grandmother’s secretary, Francis Dereham, and one of Henry’s courtiers, Thomas Culpeper. Thus, Catherine entered her marriage to Henry not as a virgin and is believed to have continued her affair with Culpeper during their marriage. In October 1541, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer informed Henry of Catherine’s past, leading the king to launch an investigation. Catherine eventually confessed to the allegations, was stripped of her title, and was executed by beheading at the Tower of London on February 13, 1542. Historians today note that Catherine's young age and the powerful men involved in her past relationships make it difficult to hold her fully accountable. Still, both Culpeper and Dereham were executed for treason a few months before her death.

6. Catherine Parr (Survived)

Born in 1512, Catherine Parr was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, one of Henry VIII's advisors, and Maud, a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon. She was even named after the queen. By 1543, Catherine had already been widowed twice and was working in the household of Mary Tudor, anticipating a marriage to Thomas Seymour, the brother of the late Jane Seymour. However, Henry VIII had his sights set on her, and understanding that becoming queen would be advantageous for her family, Catherine reluctantly agreed to the marriage. They wed on July 12, 1543. Catherine, just a few years older than Mary Tudor, developed a close bond with her, and also proved to be a loving stepmother to Elizabeth and Edward. A devout student of theology, she even published *Prayers or Meditations* in 1545, the first book written in English explicitly credited to a female author. Her strong Protestant faith was considered radical for the time, and in 1546, English conservatives sought to have her executed for heresy. Fortunately, Catherine was able to convince Henry of her innocence, and he dismissed the charges. Following Henry's death on January 28, 1547, Catherine married Thomas Seymour. However, their marriage quickly became scandalous when Thomas unsuccessfully attempted to court the young princess Elizabeth. After giving birth to a daughter in late August 1548, Catherine succumbed to puerperal fever and died within a week.