King Henry VIII is most famous today for his 6 wives and the fact he ordered the executions
of two of them Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.
Inside the Tower of London these two had their heads struck clean off their bodies by a swordsman
and axeman, and it really showed the lengths Henry would go to get his own way.
But one of the most serious things he desired throughout his almost 4 decade long reign
was a son and a male heir.
It would be his third wife Jane Seymour who would provide him with this in the form of
Edward VI.
Henry hoped Edward would have a long and prosperous reign which would secure the Tudor dynasty
for centuries to come but this was not the case as the boy king died at a young age.
However Henry did have another son who had a very tragic end to his short and brief life.
Henry the Duke of Cornwall is the forgotten son of King Henry VIII who would have been
King, however he died tragically a matter of weeks after he was born.
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Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon had a rather sad and tragic end to
their lengthy marriage, and the dividing factor between the two was the King’s quest to
take Anne Boleyn to bed.
However Anne would not do this until he had annulled or divorced Catherine which led to
the King splitting from Rome and declaring himself the Supreme Head of the Church of
England.
But ultimately in the beginning the pair were happily married and enjoyed spending their
time together.
Catherine had previously been married to Henry’s older brother Arthur, however shortly after
their wedding Arthur and Catherine were taken ill, and Catherine survived but Arthur who
was also the heir to the throne did not.
Catherine throughout her time as Queen of England would fall pregnant a number of times
but only one of her children would life past infancy, and this was Mary who later went
on the rule England as the infamous monarch Bloody Mary I. Mary was similar to her mother
in the fact they were both staunch Catholics and strongly willed women, but Henry when
Mary was born ultimately was upset with the fact he hadn’t had a son.
But Mary was not their first child, and Katherine had a number of stillbirths and miscarriages
before.
But Henry declared following Mary’s birth that the royal couple were still young and
could try again for a son.
At the time England had never had a Queen who would rule the country solely in her own
right, and many at the time regarded women as second class to men, and with this Henry’s
desire for a son was for the next King and not Queen.
But what isn’t as well known is the fact the Tudor royal couple did have a son that
survived childbirth initially, and this lost and forgotten son could have been and should
have been the King of England.
Henry the Duke of Cornwall is the lost son of Henry VIII, and he was born on the 1st
January 1511 just a few years into the reign of the notorious Tudor King.
He was the first child born living to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and there were
great celebrations across England because of this.
Around Christmas 1510, Catherine heard mass and then hosted a huge banquet for the men
and women of her court inside of her great chamber.
Wine and spices were provided and then following this she took her leave of her officers and
male courtiers, and she retired inside of her confinement chamber and would not be seen
in public until her child was born.
The King was not allowed to see her and enter the chamber, and all items were delivered
to the door and were Brought in by ladies and Catherine’s attendance.
Tapestries adorned this chamber, to bring about good images and vibes, but on New Years
day a son was born.
Henry VIII was incredibly happy with this, and he ordered bonfires to be lit in London
and asked the Lord Mayor to organise for the people of London to be given free wine to
drink and toast the life of the Prince.
Cannons along Tower Wharf fired a royal salute, and things seemed great for the King.
Catherine then watched her ladies wash the child, and then preparations were made for
the boy’s royal household and upbringing.
Five days after the child was born, the Prince was taken by his nurse to the Church next
to Richmond Palace, and he was baptised.
Major courtiers from different lands and ambassadors witnessed the baptism, and the child was then
named Henry after his father and also his grandfather the man who ushered in the Tudor
dynasty.
He was then given the title the Duke of Cornwall, and his godparents were William Warm the Archbishop
of Canterbury, the Ear of Surrey and the Earl and Countess of Devon.
Lavish gifts from King Louis XII of France and Margaret of Austria were sent, and following
the baptism many people retired to Katherine’s chamber to pass on their good wishes.
She then joined her husband at Westminster Palace, and Prince Henry was kept in the royal
nursery at Richmond Palace.
A wet nurse, dry nurse, four rockers and other attendants had the important job of tending
to the royal princes needs, however Henry VIII then planned a huge tournament to celebrate
the birth of his heir and the next Tudor King.
On the 1st February he issued a challenge to his friends and courtiers to face him on
the tiltyard in a joust.
But on the 12th February the largest tournament of Henry VIII’s reign occurred, and his
Queen and her ladies sat with him in a large enclosure covered in gold and purple velvet,
with the initials H and K embroided on.
A huge castle centrepiece was brought in front of the Queen, and it was pulled by a lion
and also an antelope and the ceremony was very impressive.
The King spent a fortune on this, and the jousts that proceeded included the imperial
crown and it was a very special day.
The King was given the challenger’s prize, which pleased him greatly.
However within a couple of weeks of the tournament taking place, there would be a huge royal
tragedy as the Prince passed away.
At the age of 52 days old Prince Henry the Duke of Cornwall died inside of the royal
nursery.
Raising children during the Tudor times was very dangerous as many illnesses and diseases
could afflict mother and child, however it’s believed that the death of the child was very
sudden and it took the royal couple by surprise.
They were not at Richmond for this, and neither were they summoned meaning that the dearth
was shocking.
It’s believed that he may have been taken ill a day or two before, or that he may have
suffered from Sudden Infant Death syndrome.
However the death was a huge tragedy for the royal couple, and the child was buried with
all the honours of a prince.
The King and Queen did not attend the funeral and trusted courtiers went in place of them.
The Prince was buried inside of Westminster Abbey, and the tiny coffin was taken down
the River Thames to Westminster from Richmond on barges draped in black.
The route was lined with candles and prayers were chanted as the body entered the abbey,
and then the monks took possession of the body before it was lowered into a grave.
It’s not entirely known today where Henry the Duke of Cornwalls small coffin was buried,
but it’s believed to have been on the north side of the sanctuary area near to the Chapel
of Edward the Confessor.
It was a very sad end for the royal prince, but if Henry the Duke of Cornwall had lived
he would have gone on the have become the next King of England.
There was much hope for his future reign, however this never occurred.
Ultimately Henry VIII’s quest for a son ruined his marriage with Catherine of Aragon,
but if Henry the Duke of Cornwall would have lived, it is possible that the King would
never have left his first wife, and his tragic love life may never have happened.
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