Lucy Worsley's Royal Myths & Secrets

The year is 1522. Henry is 31 years old, and married to the Spanish Princess, Catherine of Aragon. (soft music) Catherine is exhausted. In the last 13 years of marriage to Henry, she's been pregnant seven times. But six of those pregnancies have ended in tragedy, either miscarriage, or stillbirth, and in one case a baby boy, who lived only a few weeks. (soft music) Henry and Catherine do have a daughter, Mary, she's seven, but what Henry really wants is a son, a male heir. And the longer poor Catherine takes to give him one, the more likely it is that Henry's eye will wonder. Perhaps to somebody else who can do the job instead. (soft music) It's at this point, that a new lady in waiting for Catherine arrives her court. Her name, Ann Boleyn. Ann's older sister, Mary, has already been Henry's mistress. Rumor has it, she's born the king two illegitimate children. (soft music) She is Mary Boleyn's sister, yes? Yes. (soft music) This is the first time that Henry has set eyes on Ann Boleyn. He's clearly inthrilled by this new arrival to his court, but this isn't exactly love at first sight. And Ann herself is not exactly the scheming harlot that people will make her out to be. Henry might not be submitting with Ann right away, but he soon will be.