Catherine Howard is one of the narrative characters in The Boleyn Inheritance and the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Katherine was an impoverished member of the great Howard family and cousin to Queen Anne Boleyn. She grew up in unruly the household of her step-grandmother and lost her virtue at a young age. She is brought to court by her uncle Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk where the king becomes besotted with the young girl and divorces his fourth wife to marry Katherine. Henry is uncommonly affectionate towards Katherine and loving calls her his "Rose without a thorn". However Henry's age and failing health make it exceedingly difficult to beget an heir to secure Katherine's position. Under the advice of her uncle Thomas Howard and cousin Jane Boleyn, and following her own desire, Katherine begins an affair with courtier Thomas Culpeper. the discovery of this affair and of her past relationships lead Katherine to her death.
The Boleyn Inheritance[]
Katherine's mother died when she was an infant and her penniless father all but abandoned her, leaving her to be raised by her step-grandmother in Sussex, then her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk in Lambeth. In Sussex, when Katherine was eleven, her virginals tutor Henry Manox effectively forced her into a relationship, but later breaks it off out of fear of Katherine's step-grandmother. The novel begins on Katherine's fourteenth birthday at Lambeth. Katherine believes herself in love with a gentleman of her grandmother's household, Francis Dereham. Under the influence of the other girls of the household, Katherine has learned the art of flirting, and other, arguably bad habits. Katherine dreams of going to court and having fine clothes, dancing and flirting with the court gentlemen. Katherine becomes Francis' lover and the couple have a betrothal ceremony, which Francis claims means they are as good as married. Not really understanding, Katherine goes along with it.
However, when Henry VIII decides to take another wife, Katherine's uncle offers to get her a position as the new queen's ladies-in-waiting. Katherine jumps at the opportunity, vowing to be well-behaved from now on and ending her relationship with Francis. Katherine loves court life, quickly gaining the attention of many men, including Thomas Culpeper. She finds the new queen, Anne of Cleves, a bit of a disappointment, but became her friend and tried to advise her on pleasing the king. It was soon found, however, that Katherine herself had caught Henry's eye and he began courting her.
Knowing the king wanted out of his marriage to Anne, the Duke of Norfolk began plotting for Katherine to become his new wife, seeing it as a prime opportunity to put his family in power again. Katherine, naive and easily lead, went along with it, with her kinswoman Jane Rochford acting as an adviser. After divorcing Anne, Henry married Katherine. She adored her new life as queen, inviting many of her girlhood friends to be her ladies-in-waiting and reveling in the riches and attention she received. However, she found constantly having to please her husband - who was over thirty years her senior - exhausting; she was also disgusted by his obesity and other health issues. She confided her troubles in Lady Rochford, who convinced her to begin an affair with Thomas Culpeper, hoping to get Katherine pregnant and pass it off as the king's child to secure Katherine's position as queen. Katherine felt happier after she began her relationship with Culpeper, feeling loved and desirable, but having little realization of the potential dangers of betraying the king.
Eventually, Katherine's past came back to haunt her, with one of her former peers at Lambeth spreading rumors of Katherine's previous relationships. Archbishop Cranmer launches an investigate, arresting Katherine, Lady Rochford Francis (who had joined Katherine's household as her secretary) and Culpeper. Katherine was frightened, but believed the king would forgive her. After trying, unsuccessfully, to talk her way out of it, she decided to confess, assuming she would be forgiven. However, she was instead transported to the Tower of London by her own uncle, to be executed. Katherine was understandably horrified by this, even attempting to escape from the guards. She was also horrified when she realized that Culpeper and Francis had both been executed and saw their heads stuck on spikes on Tower Bridge.
At the Tower, Katherine requested to have the executioner's block brought to her cell, so that she could practice laying her neck across it. On the day of her execution, Katherine went to her death as bravely as she could, but fainted on the way and had to be half-carried up to the scaffold. Katherine tried to plead with the crowd, but ultimately accepted her fate - fortunately, she died quickly. She was only sixteen years old.
Physical Appearance[]
In The Boleyn Inheritance, Katherine was described to be an extraordinarily beautiful and seductive young girl, with long golden-brown hair, grey eyes, and a slim voluptuous figure.
As a noble lady and later as a queen, Katerine has a vast wardrobe.
She has a small gold chain from her long-dead mother, which she keeps in her special jewelry box, sadly empty except for that chain.
She has three dresses, one of them new. She has a piece of French lace sent by her father from Calais. She has half a dozen ribbons of her own.
Also a new French hood that she plans to wear for Francis Dereham.
Francis Dereham promises to buy her a blue silk dress, but she prefers "Tudor green. The king likes green better."
After being chosen as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, Kitty has new dresses, with three new matching hoods, which are very pretty, but none of them are adorned with anything but gold lace, unlike many of the ladies of the court who have pearls and even precious stones on their hoods. Good gloves and a new cloak and a muff and a pair of lace collars. She considers that it is not a very extensive wardrobe for a girl who expects to be much looked at and much talked about. Nor can she say that she is too indulgent in her choice or quantity of clothing.
After catching the King's attention, he gives her a gold brooch. Her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, gives her money for a new dress. Which she would wear to the ball, pinned to the dress, as obviously and conspicuously as possible, is my new gold brooch given to me by the King of England himself.
At the wedding of the King and Anne of Cleves, she wears a new dress, trimmed with silver thread, the most expensive I have ever owned. It is a very pale blue-grey and suits her eyes.
At the play for the wedding celebration, she is wrapped in a white muslin cloth, which might represent sea foam, and she has accidentally let it fall so that one beautiful shoulder is visible, as if she were emerging naked from the sea.
At a dinner party where the king is upset, she sports a new (another!) dress that is cream-yellow, and is gathered under the bust so that her breasts are on display in the most dazzling and shameless way.
When the King comes to dine in Queen Anne's chambers, Kitty Howard's cap is pushed so far back on her head that she might as well do without it altogether, and she is wearing gold chains strung with tiny pearls. She has diamonds dancing in her ears and pearls coiled around her neck. Anne of Cleves thinks she must have received some money from somewhere. For she has never seen her wear more than a small chain of fine gold before. In a new dress of pink silk with a dark pink petticoat. Anne of Cleves believes all this adornment has come from the King.
On being sent back to Lambeth, Kitty mentions having half a dozen dresses, paid for by her uncle, most of them new, and matching hoods.
At her wedding she wears a lovely dress of grey-green silk that changes colour when she moves, and a new hood, and at least her pearls.
On her wedding night, Lady Rochford puts her in a beautiful new nightgown with a matching cape. There are small pearls embroidered on the bows, and a little train on her nightgown. It is also laden with pearls.
On becoming queen, she has eight new dresses already made and another forty in the making. A diamond necklace with matching diamond and gold cuffs and a matching set of earrings. Sable furs, like those the king gave Anne of Cleves, but better than her own, thicker and of a brighter fur.
Her Christmas and New Year's gifts from the king, are two pendants made of twenty-six table diamonds and twenty-seven ordinary diamonds, so heavy that I can hardly hold my head up when they are around my neck. I have a pearl necklace with two hundred pearls as big as strawberries.
One of her new dresses, is a very pale pink to celebrate the end of Lent, and she wears it with her Christmas pearls.
On arriving at Lincoln; the king ordered that she and all her ladies should dress in Lincoln green.
A yellow dress, which she has worn no more than three times, and will remain in her wardrobe until she has worn it more.
At Syon Abbey, Kitty says she has six gold-trimmed French hoods. She has six pairs of sleeves, six plain skirts, six dresses; they are navy blue, black, dark green, and grey. She has no jewellery, no toys. She doesn't even have her kitten. Everything the king gave her has been taken from her rooms by Sir Thomas Seymour.
She has a crucifix (very plain, no jewellery) and a prie-dieu.
When she is informed that she is condemned to death, she wears a dull dress.
Waiting for the barge, from very early in the morning. Certain that they will come with a royal pardon, she tries to look her best. She chooses a black dress, but wears it with dark green sleeves and a dark green hood that will symbolize her penitence and her love of Tudor green to those who are interested in such things. It also makes your eyes look beautiful, which is always a good thing.
Personality[]
Katherine is portrayed as a flirtatious, fun-loving girl, though very naive and unworldly. She is not exactly stupid, merely young and lacking in life experience. Katherine can be vain, materialistic and rarely thinks of the long-term consequences of her actions. This, coupled with her naivety, means she is easily manipulated by people older than herself. Katherine thinks of herself as being a mature and sophisticated woman, though her behavior and way of thinking strongly suggest otherwise. Katherine gets bored easily and longs for excitement and companionship. She finds the glamour of court life much to her taste and enjoys being the center of attention, but has little idea of the potential dangers and intricate workings of the court. In spite of her flaws, Katherine has a certain charm and love of life that endears her to many people.
Historical Figure[]
In the novel, Katherine is depicted as being only fifteen when she marries the king and very beautiful. In reality, Katherine was said to be only "moderately beautiful" though "youthful" looking. Katherine's exact birth-date is unknown, but her age at the time of her death is estimated to be between 16 and 21.
Trivia[]
- Katherine's fate is an ironic reversal of her cousin's downfall. Anne Boleyn was executed for adultery though she was innocent of the charge while Katherine was executed and guilty of the charge.