Henry and Anne of Cleves

I've been reading a book "The other Tudors - Henry VIII's Mistresses and Bastards" and in it the author talks about a child that one of Anne of Cleves servents had (after the divorce) that was rumored to be the Kings.

To expand this more the rumor that went round court was that Henry VIII had slept with Anne and she went to the country to give birth and that it was her and Henry VIII's baby. Now she and the King both denyed this but it did get me thinking.

What if, despite not liking her that much when she first comes to court, Henry VIII takes a deep breath and sleeps with her for whatever reason - England, politics, to prove he still can etc etc.

She gets pregnant and gives birth to a healthy boy - lets call him Henry after his grandfather and father.

What are the ramifications of this?

Henry Jr, will be born late 1540.
So when Edward VI dies our Henry will be 13 - this obviously means a regency council but who will gain de facto control?

My thoughts go with the Duke of Northumberland, who like Anne was of the protestant religion.

Lets say he lives around to his 50's/60's what kind of things will happen in his reign, who will he marry etc.

Any thoughts?
 
There is a theory that Henry had Siphylis, causing Edward to be sickly and reducing the chances of Mary having Children (though that could be from Catherine of Aragon). Suffice to say, even a 7 year reign gets rid of Mary.

Elizabeth is probably married off, the King of Denmark was interested so there's a possibility, Henry may be married to Lady Jane Grey, but a German princess is more likely.
 
So when Edward VI dies our Henry will be 13 - this obviously means a regency council but who will gain de facto control?

Anne would have no say, Henry had already ruled on the matter for Edward and the extant Privy Council for Edward would simply transfer to the new under-aged King.
 
Interesting!
A load of tosh though!

However assuming Anne conceives and delivers a son then no annulment - she stays Queen - so Catherine Howard keeps her head and Catherine Parr gets an earlier desired marriage to Thomas Seymour.

The boy will almost certainly be Duke of York and will be brought up like Edward and Elizabeth in the reformed religion. One further issue to complicate things is that if I remember rightly Anne of Cleves became devoutly Catholic in her later life (which might through a spanner in the works).
Edward VI makes no device for the succession as he will be succeeded by his teenaged protestant brother - Northumberland probably retains power.
Lady Jane Grey keeps her head.
Mary dies as per otl and Elizabeth probably spends her twenties fending off marriage proposals - she was rich enough to be comfortable and if her half brother marries her advantages start to fade.
 
Top