Henry VIII’s quest for a male heir plunged England into great religious turmoil and had
a huge effect on the population.
Henry is remembered for being a King who had 6 wives, two of whom met their ends inside
the walls of the Tower of London being beheaded.
Henry greatly wanted a son, and despite getting his wish when Edward VI was born to Jane Seymour
his fifth wife, he had actually produced a son before.
Despite being illegitimate, Henry Fitzroy the King’s son was shrouded in great titles
and affection from the King, and some actually believe that Henry VIII was actually preparing
his illegitimate son to become his successor.
However tragically he died at a young age.
Today we look at the Tragic Death of Henry VIII’s Illegitimate Son - Henry Fitzroy.
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Henry Fitzroy was born in June 1519 and was the son of Henry VIII and his mistress Elizabeth
Bessit Blount.
His mother was one of the ladies in waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, and the King
had an affair with her during his marriage to Catherine.
He was given the title Fitzroy meaning ‘son of the King,’ which had been used for illegitimate
children.
His child was conceived when Catherine was apparoaching her confinement with one of Henry’s
children, a daughter who was born stillborn.
Bessie Blount was described as beautiful and was a skilled musician and danger, being a
frequent player at court.
But during her pregnancy to avoid scandal she was sent to a priory.
When Henry was alerted to the news that he had a son, despite being illegitimate the
King was over the moon and ecstatic with this.
He visited the young boy a number of times, but his mother would never return to court.
Henry organised the child to be christened, and Cardinal Wolsey was present and was named
Fitzroy’s godfather showing how high profile the King’s illegitimate son’s birth was.
Henry then abandoned his discretion, and proudly showed off his newborn son to everyone at
court, and he acknowledged the child as his own and was very proud of the child he had
conceived to his mistress.
This was very different as previous kings had shunned their illegitimate children, but
Henry went against the grain.
Fitzroy had a rather affluent upbringing and was part of the royal nursery it’s believed,
and he was also present at court.
It’s assumed Henry visited him regularly, and he lived in different household.
At the age of 6 he was made a Knight of the Garter by the King, and was also elevated
to the peerage with Henry Fitzroy becoming the Duke of Richmond and Somerset, and also
the Earl of Nottingham.
He was give these in a huge ceremony, where he arrived by urge and came with a group of
knights and gentleman in the procession.
The 6 year old child knelt before his father the King, and it was the first time in 400
years an illegitimate child had been elevated to the peerage.
The huge ceremonies and offices held by Fitzroy showed Henry’s faith in him and love for
him.
It was unheard of for an illegitimate child to be given all of this, and it’s considered
that the King believed he could possibly have Fitzroy instilled as his successor to the
throne.
This would have disinherited Mary I, his eldest child at the time.
The title the Earl of Richmond had even been held by Henry vii and his own grandfather,
showing the ties that the illegitimate child had to the history of the nation.
IT’s believed Henry may have done this to possibly strengthen the claims he had to the
throne.
He was raised like a royal prince, being described as ‘a most handsome, urbane and learned
young gentleman, very dear to the King on account of his good manners,’ and he was
said to have looked like his father.
He was even made the lord Leftenant of Ireland in June 1529, and it was even considered to
make him the King of Ireland, but this was eventually rejected.
The debate as to who Fitzroy would marry was taken extremely seriously, and it was suggested
in a bizarre twist that he should marry his half sister Mary I to strengthen his claim
to the throne and to create a super Tudor successor, however this would have led to
a significant amount or royal inbreeding.
Henry considering this even appealed to the pope to give his consent and permission, and
they agreed for this to go ahead with the half-siblings possibly getting married.
However at the age of 14, Fitzroy married Mary Howard the daughter of Thomas Howard
the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, which was arranged by Anne Boleyn Henry’s second wife, as a
way of establishing her own family with links to the throne, and also with Anne gaining
more favour for the Duke of Norfolk.
Their marriage was never consummated, and the young boy had everything.
It was even said that inside the walls of the Tower of London, Henry Fitzroy had been
sent as a witness to witness the gruesome and bloody beheading of Queen Anne Boleyn.
As Anne stood on the scaffold to make a speech, Fitzroy stood and listened before he with
his own eyes saw Henry’s second wives head be struck off by a swordsman.
It’s believed though that despite the big titles and prestige he was given, he was a
rather sickly child.
It was written that before he died, Fitzroy had become sick for some time, and that he
was ill with consumption.
This condition today is linked to tuberculosis and issues with the lungs.
It was noted though that public appearances months before he died did not show any sign
of ill-health for Henry Fitzroy.
Henry VIII who dreamed of having a healthy and strong son was beginning to come to terms
that his illegitimate boy was becoming rather ill.
On the 22nd July 1536, Fitzroy died at St James Palace where he had been made comfortable
and attended on by the royal doctors.
There have been several theories put forward about his death.
Some historians believe that he may have died from the same condition that killed his uncle
Prince Arthur, Henry VIII’s eldest brother who also suffered with the sweating sickness
and coughing issues.
Arthur also died at a young age, and he was the heir apparent, and it’s considered that
they may have had the same genetic condition that led to their young deaths.
It’s also been suggested the at the time in Britain there was a bout of the pneumonic
plague spreading quickly across the nation, and because Henry Fitzroy was buried extremely
quickly, it’s considered that to avoid the plague spreading he was interred quickly to
prevent the spread.
It’s clear however that there was significant lung problem that killed Henry Fitzroy.
The King was gutted by the loss of his illegitimate son, and he handed over control of the funeral
to the Duke of Norfolk.
As mentioned Fitzroy was buried quickly and there was no state funeral, and today he resists
inside St Michael’s Church in Framlingham, and his wife was interred in the tomb too
later when she died.
Fitzroy was only 17 when he died.
The death of Henry Fitzroy is an interesting one, and it’s compelling to consider whether
the King actually wished for his successor to become the illegitimate son.
If Edward VI had not have been born, then it’s possible that Henry would have named
Fitzroy as his successor and this would have changed the face of English history forever.
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