Children of Henry VIII facts for kids
Henry VIII of England was a famous King of England who lived a long time ago. He had several children, but the most well-known are the three who became rulers of England after him: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. These three were his "legitimate" children, meaning they were born within a marriage that was recognized by the church and the law.
King Henry VIII had six wives during his life. His first two wives, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, had several pregnancies. Sadly, some of these babies were born too early, or did not survive long after birth. Henry also had one son, Henry FitzRoy, whom he officially recognized as his own, even though Henry FitzRoy's mother was not one of his queens. Historians believe Henry VIII might have had other children with different women, but it's not certain.
It's a bit of a mystery why Henry VIII had trouble having many children who survived. His last three wives, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr, did not have any children with him. Interestingly, Catherine Parr did have a child in her next marriage after Henry died.
None of Henry's children who survived, whether legitimate or not, had children of their own. This meant that after his daughter Elizabeth I died in 1603, there were no direct descendants left from Henry VIII to take the throne.
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His Royal Children
King Henry VIII had three children who grew up and became monarchs of England. They each ruled in turn after their father.
Queen Mary I
Mary I was born on February 18, 1516. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Mary was the only child of Catherine and Henry to survive infancy. She became Queen of England in 1553. In 1554, she married Philip II of Spain, but they did not have any children. Queen Mary I died on November 17, 1558.
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I was born on September 7, 1533. Her mother was Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth became Queen after her half-sister Mary I died in 1558. She never married, and so she had no children. Queen Elizabeth I ruled for a very long time and died on March 24, 1603.
King Edward VI
Edward VI was born on October 12, 1537. He was the son of Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour. Edward was the only son of Henry VIII who survived childhood. He became King when his father died in 1547, but he was very young, only nine years old. King Edward VI died unmarried at the age of 15 on July 6, 1553. He did not have any children.
Other Legitimate Children
Before his three famous children, Henry VIII and his wives had several other pregnancies. Sadly, many of these babies were either stillborn (meaning they were born without signs of life) or died very soon after birth.
- With Catherine of Aragon:
- An unnamed daughter, stillborn in 1510.
- A son named Henry, Duke of Cornwall, born in 1511 but died when he was almost two months old.
- Another son, also named Henry, Duke of Cornwall, born prematurely in 1513 and lived only a few hours.
- An unnamed son, stillborn in 1514.
- An unnamed daughter, stillborn in 1518.
- With Anne Boleyn:
- An unnamed child, stillborn or a false pregnancy in 1534.
- An unnamed son, miscarried in 1535.
- An unnamed son, miscarried in 1536.
- With Jane Seymour:
- An unnamed child, miscarried in 1536.
- With Catherine Howard:
- An unnamed child, miscarried or a false pregnancy in 1541.
Henry VIII had no known children with his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, or his sixth wife, Catherine Parr.
Henry FitzRoy: His Only Acknowledged Son
King Henry VIII officially recognized only one child born outside of his marriages: Henry FitzRoy.
Henry FitzRoy was born on June 15, 1519. His mother was Elizabeth Blount, one of Henry VIII's mistresses. The King gave Henry FitzRoy the important title of Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Henry FitzRoy married Lady Mary Howard, but they did not have any children. He died on July 23, 1536, when he was only 17 years old.
Other Suspected Children
Historians believe Henry VIII might have had other children with different women, but this is not certain. Some of the people suspected to be his children include:
- Thomas Stukeley (born around 1520)
- Richard Edwardes (born around 1523)
- Catherine Carey (born around 1524), whose mother was Mary Boleyn, the sister of Queen Anne Boleyn.
- Henry Carey (born 1526), who was Catherine Carey's brother.
- Ethelreda Malte (born around 1527)
- John Perrot (born 1528)
No Direct Heirs
It's interesting to note that none of Henry VIII's children, whether legitimate or his acknowledged son, had children of their own. This meant that when his last surviving child, Queen Elizabeth I, died in 1603, there were no direct descendants left from Henry VIII to inherit the throne. The crown then passed to his cousin's family, the Stuarts.
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