Arthur Tudor was the Prince of Wales, and the first born child of Elizabeth of York and King Henry VII and the first heir of the House of Tudor. Named after the mythical King Arthur that brought a time of prosperity to his people, Arthur's birth heralded the end of the Wars of the Roses that had torn England apart and was flesh and blood symbol of the unity between the rival houses of York and Lancaster.
The Constant Princess[]
Arthur is first introduced as he meets his betrothed Catherine of Aragon for the first time in 1501 at Dogmersfield Palace, Hampshire. Unlike his father, Arthur is approving of the public reaction to Catherine's progress through England and of her Spanish fashions (opinions that make him a "fool" in his father's eyes) Catherine is at last presented looking “ far more beautiful” and “a million times more haughty” than Prince Arthur had imagined. To his astonishment she is impertinent and cool towards King Henry who is equally as curt and rude towards her as the three of them dine together. The meal is formal and uncomfortable with King Henry’s rudeness bringing out Catherine’s pride though Arthur sees through this to see the nervous young girl in a strange land she truly is and softens towards her. When Arthur privately apologizes for their dragging her from her tent, Catherine tells him that she is proud and fearless (though in truth she was frightened and used her determination to be princess of wales to calm her nerves). Over the course of the meal, King Henry admits Catherine is prettier than her portrait (finding her intriguing and still arousing) and Catherine tells them of her rough sea voyage to England. Arthur clumsily admits that his parents forced him to write his letters of courtship to Catherine which earns him a scolding from his father. King Henry requests Catherine to dance for them and finds himself increasingly irritated that such a sensual girl should be put in Arthur’s bed where he thinks his scholarly son's timidity and lack of experience will make Catherine unhappy.
Three Sisters, Three Queens[]
Shortly before Arthur's wedding, He and his sister Margaret discuss Catherine. Margaret is jealous of her and thinks her to be overly proud whereas Arthur defends Catherine, demonstrating his kind nature. Margaret feels as though Arthur was closest to her and as such she is particularly unpleasant and cruel towards her younger siblings Henry (Harry) and Mary.
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