To Henry VIII, a son - by Anne of Cleves

There is a theory that the main reason for Henry's non-consummation of the marriage - apart from his own medical, er, difficulties - was that he was having second thoughts abaout a long-term alliance with her brother.

So, suppose he is still minded on an annulment, but Anne is discovered to be pregnant. Then he remembers he was a little too rash on New Years Day in Richmond. :rolleyes:
 
Knowing Henry, as soon as the Prince of Wale's 'spare' half-bro got delivered, Henry would likely trump up a story of Anne starting an affair with the royal physician the moment the younger prince was delivered -and have her executed for adultery BUT not have their marriage annulled so as to keep the 'spare' as a legit heir then seek about comforting himself as a widower.
P.S. It's interesting that while he had Anne Boleyn beheaded AND the marriage annulled, her cousin Catherine Howard was still technically his Queen when their marriage ended under the executioner's axe.
 
Henry was not exactly that kind of man... Give him a legittimate male son and his mother will be Queen until his or hers natural death... He wished the marriage with Anne of Cleves annulled because he wanted marry the beautiful Catherine Howard this is true but he also wanted a Duke of York from Catherine... If Anne gave him his Duke of York she will remain Queen and Henry will have again his mistresses and maybe a favorite or official mistress but he will never divorced or executed the mother of his son

And Henry had also the marriage with Catherine Howard annulled before her execution... She, like her cousin Anne, was the former queen at the time of her beheading...
 
Isabella,
OK, sorry I erroneously stated there was no annulment re Catherine Howard.

However; I wouldn't put it past Henry framing 'the Flanders mare' for adultery in such a way that even her brother wouldn't have objected to her execution too much. BTW, there IS evidence that the 'Flanders mare' tag may not have been as insulting as it may sound as England imported quite a few horses from the Low Countries noted for their calmness and docility AND for being good breeders!:cool:
 
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