CATHERINE CAREY

CATHERINE CAREY ~ WAS SHE HENRY VIII'S DAUGHTER?

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Catherine Carey was born in 1524, the daughter of Mary Boleyn, one time mistress to Henry VIII.

Her 'father' was Mary's first husband, William Carey ~ Gentleman of the Privy Chamber and Esquire of the Body to Henry VIII.

Catherine's Aunt was Anne Boleyn, making her the first cousin of Elizabeth I.

Some historians believe that Catherine was the illegitimate child of Henry VIII, which would also make her Elizabeth I's paternal half-sister too.

It has been said, that Catherine was a witness to the execution of her aunt, Anne Boleyn, in 1536, although there is no concrete evidence to support this claim.

Catherine went on to become Maid of Honour to both Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard, the fourth and fifth wives of Henry VIII.

On 26th April 1540 Catherine married Sir Francis Knollys.

Her husband was named a Knight of the Garter in 1593, and was also Treasurer of the Royal Household.

When not in London, the couple lived at Reading in Berkshire, and Rotherfield Greys in Oxfordshire.

Because they were staunch Protestants, they fled to Germany during the reign of Catholic Queen, Mary I.

When Elizabeth came to the throne, she wrote to Catherine and asked her to return, as Chief Lady of the Bedchamber.

For the first ten years of Elizabeth's reign, Lady Catherine combined the most senior post among the ladies-in-waiting, with motherhood ~ having more than a dozen children.

Catherine's daughter, Lettice Knollys, would go on to marry Robert Dudley ~ Earl of Leicester.

Dudley was a favourite of Elizabeth I, and rumoured to have been her long term lover.

Elizabeth never recognized Catherine as her half-sister, and it was certainly not a relationship that Catherine or Sir Francis ever openly claimed.

At court, Catherine was acknowledged as the queen's favourite, among her cousins.

Catherine died on 15th January 1569 at Hampton Court Palace, and was buried in St Edmund's Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

There is a small commemorative plaque in the abbey, although she does have another, larger monument at Rotherfield Greys in Oxfordshire.

Catherine's epitaph reads:

The Right Honourable Lady Catherine Knollys, chief Lady of

the Queen's Majesty's Bedchamber, and Wife to Sir Francis

Knollys, Knight, Treasurer of Her Highnesses Houshold,

departed this Life the Fifteenth of January, 1568, at

Hampton-Court, and was honourably buried in the Floor of

this Chapel.

This Lady Knollys, and the Lord Hunsdon her Brother, were

the Children of William Caree, Esq; and of the Lady Mary his

Wife, one of the Daughters and Heirs to Thomas Bulleyne,

Earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde; which Lady Mary was Sister

to Anne Queen of England, Wife to K. Henry the Eighth,

Father and Mother to Elizabeth Queen of England.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Carey

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https://ko-fi.com/thetudorintruders

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Main picture~ Catherine Carey

Top picture~ Mary Boleyn, her Mother.

Middle picture~ Anne Boleyn, her Aunt.

Bottom picture~ Elizabeth I, her cousin/sister.