Emma Holbrook
Representations of mistresses during Anne Boleyn
(Cover image – © Pinterest) The list of Royal mistresses throughout British history is a large one; there is a reason that there were so...
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Emma Holbrook
Apr 25
Mistress Shelton; two sisters, one who might have been the King’s mistress?
Mary, Lady Heveningham, by Hans Holbein the Younger As you might expect from our previous post on Henry VIII’s interest in a ‘very...
Emma Holbrook
Apr 7
A very handsome young lady - the first threat to Queen Anne Boleyn?
The Borgias – © Pinterest Throughout history, there are a mere handful of Kings who have remained faithful to their loyal wife and Queen,...
Emma Holbrook
Aug 18, 2023
Debunking myths and theories about Henry VIII's mistresses during his first marriage
(Cover image – © Pinterest) ‘I choose what I believe and say nothing. For I am not as simple as I may seem.’ - Catherine of Aragon...
Emma Holbrook
Jul 19, 2023
Mary Boleyn – victim of abuse from her manipulative, power-hungry male relatives?
Mary Boleyn – portrait – © Unknown artist – The Royal Collection Trust When the name of Boleyn is mentioned anywhere, almost the first...
Emma Holbrook
May 26, 2023
Representation - the mistresses during Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon
(Cover image – © Pinterest) One of the benefits of Henry VIII having so many mistresses or women who were alleged to have been the...
Emma Holbrook
Mar 3, 2023
A laundress lucky enough to sleep with the King - Joanna Joanna ‘Joan’ Dingley (Dobson)
Mistress aesthetic – © Pinterest So far on The Ill-Fated Wives of Henry VIII, we’ve taken a closer look into the lives of twelve women...
Emma Holbrook
Feb 10, 2023
Mary Berkeley; mother to two of the King’s illegitimate sons?
Book aesthetic – © Pinterest Being the mistress of the King of England seemed to be a growing trend during Henry’s complicated and...
Emma Holbrook
Jan 20, 2023
The scandalous Boleyn sisters; Mary (the girl beneath two Kings) and Anne (the future Queen)
Mary Boleyn – portrait – © Unknown artist – The Royal Collection Trust Anne Boleyn – portrait – © Unknown Artist – The National Portrait...
Emma Holbrook
Dec 9, 2022
Elizabeth Amadas; noble lady turned social disgrace?
© Unknown artist – Pinterest If you thought that Mary and Anne Boleyn were the most scandalous and ‘disgraceful’ women who were ever...
Emma Holbrook
Nov 18, 2022
Henry VIII's alleged peasant mistress; Agnes Blewitt
Book aesthetic – © Pinterest It seems like the notion of producing and giving birth to an illegitimate child to the King was becoming a...
Emma Holbrook
Oct 28, 2022
Another alleged mistress of Henry VIII; Jane Pollard whose son claimed to be the King's bastard
Mistress aesthetic – © Pinterest To cut right to the point, the only reason why this next mistress is an alleged mistress and not a...
Emma Holbrook
Oct 28, 2022
Nameless Mistress Parker; one of Henry’s mystery lovers?
Book aesthetic – © Pinterest Now, it isn’t often that I can say that I was desperately searching for answers for days on end about an...
Emma Holbrook
Oct 7, 2022
Elizabeth Carew; the wife of a dear friend turned royal mistress?
Mistress aesthetic – © Pinterest What I love about this next alleged mistress is the mystery behind her story and the arguments for and...
Emma Holbrook
Oct 7, 2022
Childhood tutor turned mistress - Jane Poppincourt; a scandalous woman?
Book aesthetic – © Pinterest This week’s post focuses on another of Henry’s alleged mistresses and although this post will be a...
Emma Holbrook
Sep 16, 2022
Bessie Blount; the mistress who bore the King a son
© Unknown artist – WordPress If you want to talk about a woman whose name was uttered with hushed tones and inspired gossip wherever she...
Emma Holbrook
Aug 26, 2022
Étiennette de la Baume; one of Henry's many war-time affairs?
© Pinterest – sadly there are no existing portraits or images of Étiennette de la Baume There is no secret that the lustful gazes of...
Emma Holbrook
Aug 26, 2022
Anne Stafford; Henry's first mistress?
© Ambrosius Benson – Saint Louis Art Museum Since the dawn of time, Kings have been allowed and even encouraged to take a mistress early...
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