General Chat

I'm currently reading 'The Other Boleyn Girl' by Philippa Gregory. It was made into a drama by BBC. It's about Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's sister. Apparently she was Henry VIII's mistress before he married Anne, and she had two children by him, Catherine and Henry Carey (given the surname of Mary's husband, William Carey). Mary went on to marry William Stafford after the king tired of her, and her first husband had died. My question is, how many people believe the rumour that Mary's two children were fathered by Henry VIII? Chloe

Chloe Since it can't now be proved unless somebody digs up their skeletons and does a DNA test, I neither believe nor disbelieve. Henry certainly did father children out of wedlock so its quite possible.

I would not put it past him, he certainly seemed to enjoy life!! Maybe some of his descendants are GR members!!!

Hi Chloe Definitely don't believe - Henry was extremely proud of his natural son Richmond and if the Careys had been his he would have treated them the same. I'm pretty sure that most serious historians dismiss the theory as they do with Sir John Perrott and others. What do you think? David

Sir John Perrott? Richmond? Do you mean Bessie Blount's boy, Henry? Or Edward VII? He wanted a legitimate son, he may have fathered bastards, but they could not become the heir. That's what I think anyway. It was around the time they were trying to get Katherine of Aragon off the throne. The book does not portray him as uninterested in his son, but his focus fell on Anne.... she was a very calculating woman. I don't know. I like the idea (sadly not descended from the family though). It's like Charles II and his illegimate children, I'm sure he must have had more that he didn't acknowledge. I am not descended from anyone important like that.... I just have a keen interest in them. I love to learn about their lives, it's nice because there's very little on my ancestor's lives, just that they lived, married and died! They were poor. Not a speck of ownership anywhere! Chloe

Sorry Chloe - should have read the book before commenting! :) I did mean Henry Fitzroy who was later Duke of Richmond. John Perrott was a bloke who was said to resemble Henry and claimed to be his son in Elizabeth's time. I don't think Mary was still Henry's mistress when her children were born and he was too wrapped up in Anne then as you say but I also like the idea:) David

Chloe I'm nearly old enough to remember Edward VII! (A total lie, but I can remember one of his daughter-in-laws!)

But Henry VIII wasn't wrapped up in Anne for that long. I think he started fancying her in 1528 or something like that. Mary and him were supposed to have an affair before that. If you look at genealogy sites etc, there is the question mark by people's trees who are descended from Henry or Catherine Carey (Mary's children) whether or not their father was Henry VIII or William Carey..... another mystery! I do believe that the Boleyn family were extremely sinister in their plotting to get to the throne though. Don't believe in the incestuous relationship that the book implies was between Anne and her brother George though. The book explains that the reason why Henry Fitzroy was given the surname of Fitzroy and not his mother's surname because his mother was not married. Mary Boleyn was, she was Lady Carey. It is rumoured that the title given to the Boleyns and the Careys (died with William Carey) were because of Mary's relationship with the king and the fact she bore him children! I don't know!! Chloe PS OOps!! I meant Edward VI. Doh!! I remembered Edward VIII from his abdication in 1936 but I couldn't remember another Edward.... makes sense though, otherwise how would we have had the Edwardian period in the 20th century without him.... doh!

it's widely known that mary bolyn was henry the 8th misstrss before he went on to anne, now if mary's children were henry's then he would of aknowledged them after all he gave his son by bessie blount a title, so my gues is that mary's husband is the father of the children. the clarify all the edwards, edward 6 henry 8 son, edward 7 queen victoria's son, edward 8 edward 7 son and george 6 was edward 8 brother. the name of henry 8's illigitamate son was henry fitzroy duke of richmond,(the title was henry 8's dad's title before he became henry 7)