WI: Henry, Duke of Cornwall, Firstborn of Henry VIII, Survives?

Henry VIII's first son, born on January 1st 1511, unlike so many of his other children, was born healthy and seemed to be sure to survive. However, he died of unknown causes age 53 days, to the great shock and grief of his parents and the nation. What would have happened if he had lived to adulthood? How would Henry's personality and policies have been impacted? Most obviously, would Henry have broken with Rome if Catherine had sired a surviving son?
 
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One more edit: Catherine bears, Henry VIII sires.
But a surviving son is huge: Anne Boleyn, if she gets pregnant is sent back to Hever and soon forgotten. Young Henry get the pick of princesses, and Mary gets a "normal" life- maybe married to Henry II of France? Obviously there's no break with Rome in the 1530's.
 
I doubt Anne Boleyn happens at all, not where Henry is concerned. She was set on no ringee, no flingee. He's only got a ruination of her reputation for her if he's not going to marry her. And I don't think she'll go for it.
 
I doubt Anne Boleyn happens at all, not where Henry is concerned. She was set on no ringee, no flingee. He's only got a ruination of her reputation for her if he's not going to marry her. And I don't think she'll go for it.
A very fair and valid point. She'd need to be a good lady in waiting and wait for a decent marriage. She'll just have to hate Wolsey from afar, like so many others surely did.
 
My understanding is she did. That could come from a certain movie, but my understanding is Wolsey had a hand in her not marrying Henry Percy. The marriage part is true, the hatred might have been for the storyline. (Anne of the Thousand Days)
 
My understanding is she did. That could come from a certain movie, but my understanding is Wolsey had a hand in her not marrying Henry Percy. The marriage part is true, the hatred might have been for the storyline. (Anne of the Thousand Days)
It is of course possible that her hatred of Wolsey (along with the circumstances leading up to it, and many other things besides) would be altered/butterflied away with this POD.
 
I doubt Anne Boleyn happens at all, not where Henry is concerned. She was set on no ringee, no flingee. He's only got a ruination of her reputation for her if he's not going to marry her. And I don't think she'll go for it.
True, but in this scenario there's no chance of getting king Henry to marry her at all. Could she decide to lower her expectations, maybe, and go for the mistress role?
 
True, but in this scenario there's no chance of getting king Henry to marry her at all. Could she decide to lower her expectations, maybe, and go for the mistress role?

No way. Henry stalked her and, not getting what he wanted, shared his "belief" that he was incestuously married, was getting it annulled, and would wed her instead of anyone else.That was when she agreed to marry and sleep with him (in that order!) - once they were wed. No ringee, no flingee. It wasn't her character. She compromised only after years of waiting AND when Henry had so committed himself he could not back out without looking foolish.
 
I don't see Anne taking a risk: without an actual chance at marrying the King, she'd be foolish to give up a solid marriage - especially with the example of her sister. Anne may have been many things, but foolish was not one of them.
 
She'll go for a marriage. Period. If the heir gives her one, yeah. If all he's offering is what daddy offered (I.e., a compromised reputation) she won't have it. It's not her character. Reputation was everything back then. She prized hers, so, no mistress position for mistress Anne (at least while she's single....rules for fooling around were different for married women - but not by much.)
 
Well, it's possible that you might see the Prince of Wales married to an Imperial Archduchess or a Spanish Infanta if there are any available. Which might be Catherine of Austria as Juana of Castile's youngest daughter. She'd be older than young Hal by about four years. Or if the POD results in a change in King Manuel's younger children by Maria of Aragon, a Portuguese Infanta would be a likely choice. Infante Henrique could very easily be born a girl (Filipa maybe as a nod towards Philippa of Lancaster?) since he's going to be born an entire year after the New Year's Prince. Plenty of wiggle room there.

Mary's more than likely going to marry a French prince if Charles drops the English betrothal for the older Infanta Isabel. She's a tad too old for his eldest son so you'd likely see a French match being on the cards for her.

These are of course marriage prospects but you'd likely see them affect England's alliances. Catherine's going to heavily favor a match with one of her nieces for her son and if she can't have Mary as Holy Roman Empress then she'll fight for the chance to have one of her nieces as Queen of England. You won't see a French match for the Prince of Wales if his sister's going to be married to the Dauphin or Duc d'Angouleme.

It's hard to say what the prince might have been like as an adult given that he died as an infant. But given the amount of influence that Catherine will have on her son we'll likely see the boy growing up as a firm Catholic. The Reformation will likely still make its way into England but it'd be interesting to see just how it manifests. Henry VIII isn't as likely to drop the Church here with a healthy son in Ludlow Castle but if his ego is stroked enough and certain documents are brought from the continent to the English court it's possible that he might get some strange ideas in his head. But I don't think that he'd fully break with the Church here. He might simply advocate for reform within. That or he'll take more fully to his titles of Defender of the Faith and Most Christian King and reject the original calls for reform. Henry VIII can go either way really.
 
Is there any chance Mary might marry James V of Scotland? They are only 3 years apart in age.

Of course a surviving Henry IX likely butterflies Mary as we know her.
 
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