The Last Four Queens of Henry VIII in The Tudors

Abstract

Media observers understand how impossible it is for even a four-season television series like Showtime’s The Tudors to mirror historical realities, as a monarch’s reign must be squeezed into a few hours. However, Showtime’s distortions arise from reasons other than this need for reduction. Michael Hirst includes gratuitous sexual scenes and seriously alters historical characters, including Henry VIII’s last four wives. A complacent Jane Seymour (Anita Briem in the second season) seems willing to become Henry’s mistress until she discovers the possibility of marriage, but in the third season Jane (Annabelle Wallis) appears as a devout Catholic. The next consort, Anne of Cleves (Joss Stone), finds his ulcerous leg repugnant but agrees to bed down with him after their annulment. Catherine Howard (Tamzin Merchant) represents an early-modern Lolita. Finally, the portrayal of Catherine Parr (Joely Richardson) closely reflects the queen’s life after her royal marriage, but the courtship scenes are Hirst’s creation. This chapter will analyze the consorts’ characters and the actresses’ interpretation of them. It will then provide a brief historical account evaluating these representations.