I came across this on the C J Sansom Appreciation Society (https://www.facebook.com/groups/15046129703/) as posted by one of its members. It made me smile and I hope that you enjoy it as well – and the C J Sansom Appreciation Society has some lovely posts.
The caption is Henry VIII’s wives if they hadn’t married him – they certainly look different when smiling.
Two posts in one day. Â I’m sorry if I seem to be going slightly overboard. Â However, as other folks have pointed out I’ve not really begun to scratch the surface of Henry and his spouses, not that this is even taking me beyond the veneer. Â It’s more of a trip down memory lane. Â I couldn’t resist this image. Â I recognised it from a text book I used at school.
Of course there’s the rhyme about the wives as well:
Divorced, beheaded, died.
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
There’s also the mnemonic: All boys should come home please.
The first letter of each word equating to -Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard and Parr.
Having got that out of my system I intend to look at each wife in more detail, or some of the key people around them over the next few weeks. Â I also intend to use some of the wonderful Tudor related images that are available from Holbein to more contemporary interpretations. Â Here’s one to be going on with from the Guardian. Â Double click on the image to open a new window and access the Guardian’s two part guide to the kings and queens of England printed in 2009. Â I still have my paper copy in the proverbial safe place.
