Jane Seymour: Henry VIII's True Love | Interview with Dr Elizabeth Norton

The argument of which of Henry VIII's six queens was the most 'important' or 'suffered' the most is an ongoing one; there is always going to be a comparison drawn between the six wives of Henry VIII. However, one argument or label remains unmoved by historians and history lovers alike and that is the title of the King's one 'true love' which, undoubtedly in the King's mind, belongs to his third wife; Jane Seymour.

Jane Seymour is, in both Henry's eyes and ours, Henry's true love for the simple reason being that she was the one to provide the King with his long-awaited son. You could argue that Catherine of Aragon briefly achieved this with her son's birth in 1511, however his short-life means that, in the King's eye, she did not truly achieve his ultimate goal whilst Jane, whose son becomes the future Edward VI, did.

However, despite providing the King with his long-awaited son, Jane is still very much overlooked in Tudor history. Her tragic death just twelve days following the birth of her son appears to be the one thing people focus on rather than other aspects of her life such as serving both her predecessors and surviving one of the most tumultuous periods of Henry VIII's reign. Jane was so much more than the plain, obedient wife that she is remembered as today and that is why I am so excited to welcome back today's podcast guest, the incredible Dr Elizabeth Norton to discuss Jane Seymour and why we should remember her as more than just the wife that gave birth to the King's long-awaited heir.

Elizabeth Norton is known for her work on popular history magazines such as BBC History magazine, All About History magazine, History Revealed magazine as well as her television works such as Bloody Tales of the Tower (National Geographic) but she is also a respected author who has written biographies for many famous women in Tudor history! Some of her novel include The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women; The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor; Bessie Blount, Mistress to Henry VIII; and Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s Obsession.

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