Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr
By Linda Porter
This meticulously researched and accessibly written biography shows that Henry VIII’s final wife did much more than merely survive …
All that most people know about Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth wife, is that she ‘survived’. She has often been dismissed as a matronly figure who nursed Henry as his health declined and made little impact in the drama-ridden Tudor court. The truth, however, is much more interesting.
Katherine was only thirty, and already twice widowed, when she married the king. Beautiful, passionate, radical and highly intelligent, she almost became the third of Henry’s wives to lose her head. She was saved only by her quick wits and the old king’s affection. After Henry’s death she hastily and secretly married her old flame, the rakish Sir Thomas Seymour — believing she had at last found true love. But her happiness was brief. Rumours spread through the court about Seymour’s open flirtations with Katherine’s own step-daughter, the young Princess Elizabeth. Tragically, with the scandal still at its height, she died giving birth to her only child.
In the first full-scale biography of this fascinating woman, Linda Porter paints a vivid portrait of a woman who until now has been unaccountably neglected and misunderstood, despite being one of the most intriguing and influential queen consorts in all English history.
This highly intelligent but very accessible book is perfect for anyone interested in Tudor history.
Praise for Katherine the Queen:
‘Linda Porter has done a marvellous job in bringing Katherine Parr to life. In so doing, she evokes the whole terrifying and exciting world of the Tudor courts, packed with intrigue and danger’ — A.N. Wilson, Reader’s Digest
‘[A] nuanced picture of family allegiances and intellectual background’ — Jenny Uglow, Financial Times