That was what Henry called Kathryn Howard, his fifth wife, and, as I research, I'm finding myself drawn to the same things that Henry himself saw in her.
She entered the court as a lady attending on Queen Anne of Cleves; all accounts imply that the king fell in love at first sight. According to Charles de Marillac, France's ambassador to England, Kathryn was "a young lady of extraordinary beauty" and "superlative grace." Other sources cite her cheerfulness, vivacity, and, of course, youthfulness--she was only about fifteen! Henry liked these things because, as an ill man approaching 50, her sunny personality renewed his own joie de vivre. I like these things because, to me, she sounds like the most popular girl in school. Not the one who's popular because she's mean, exclusive, and fashionable, but the one who's popular because she's pretty, friendly, confident, and actually well-liked.
Henry's marriage to Anne was annulled on July 9th, 1540, leaving him free to marry Kathryn almost immediately on July 28th. The king was totally besotted with his new bride. He could deny her nothing, and Kathryn received many gowns, jewels, and other tokens of Henry's adoration. Kathryn welcomed his affection and returned the attention. Some later denounced her as being ignorant and frivolous, caring only for dancing and parties and courtly luxuries, but Henry indulged this behaviour. He relished watching her dance with the other young men at court, and even the women--she and Anne of Cleves once danced into the wee hours of the night after the King had gone to bed.
She was also quite kind-hearted. The only time she manipulated her power as queen was to help a few people confined to the Tower. The Duchess of Salisbury was an old woman whose blood ties to the Plantaganets, though she had served Henry's court faithfully for many years, still threatened the Tudors' claim to the throne. She had been imprisoned for quite some time without proper clothing or heat, and Kathryn used her own coffer to buy new heavy materials to make the woman warm dresses and underthings. She also freed Sir Thomas Wyatt, a former admirer of Anne Boelyn's, who was often a guest in the tower for various misdemeanors. Wyatt was popular, and Kathryn's aid was welcomed by the people of the court.
That is the rose without the thorn. If Kathryn's transgressions hadn't come to light, her sparkling spirit would have been remembered as the joy of the court. But, alas, she will instead be remembered as foolish, ignorant, and a bit of a slut.
Later, I will show you all those thorns!!
Hearts,
Nicole/Kathryn Howard
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