Henry VIII

Henry VIII, the birth of a legend, June 28, 1491

After the slight disappointment provoked by Margaret's birth at the end of November, generated solely by her gender, Elizabeth of York was again pregnant by the New Year.

The place chosen for the birth was the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich. In contrast to her previous 3 births (at Westminster Palace), this one was smaller and cozy, and it was Elizabeth's favorite residence.

Far from busy and crowded London, this palace was perfect for a cool, summer birth.

The Queen arrived in Greenwich at the beginning of June, and on the 28th, she safely delivered a boy, Henry.

Although she and her husband were extremely satisfied by the baby's gender, the baby Henry was only the backup or the spare, and therefore he didn't enjoy much official attention compared to his five-year-old brother, Arthur.

The king turned all his attention to Arthur's education, which proved to be a great success. He was praised for his intelligence and physical skills. Soon after the baptism, Henry was sent to join his sister Margaret at Eltham Palace. As he became more aware and grew up, Henry was constantly reminded of his grandfather's coat of arms, "rose and sun," situated in the Great Hall. He was raised in a predominantly female environment, surrounded by his mother's love and attention. The prince was more attached to her than his father.

The handwriting analysis of Henry's childhood scribbling confirms the similarities to Elizabeth's own handwriting and suggests that she herself taught him.

When Henry was 5, the Queen named Elizabeth Denton to be her children's governess. Also, the queen introduced her relative, Arthur Plantagenet, to her younger son, hoping for a role model. And she was right, as Henry’s personality was more similar to that of his lively York side of the family than his serious Tudor father. As the time passed, Henry described his uncle Arthur as the "kindest soul" and was always distant, reserved, and polite towards his father.