Nicknames of Queens: What Did People Call Henry VIII’s Wives?

The six wives of Henry VIII are known not only for their dramatic fates but also for the nicknames and descriptions that history has given them. Some of these names reflect admiration, while others were used as insults by their rivals and enemies. Here are some of the most famous ones:

1. Catherine of Aragon
🔹 "The True Queen" – This is how her supporters referred to her, especially after Henry VIII annulled their marriage. Catherine insisted she was the rightful queen until the end of her life.

🔹 "The Spanish Queen" – A straightforward nickname, given her royal Spanish heritage.

2. Anne Boleyn
🔹 "The Most Happy" – This was the motto she chose upon her engagement to Henry VIII, reflecting her triumph in becoming queen.

🔹 "The Concubine" – A derogatory term used by her opponents, especially Catherine of Aragon’s supporters, who saw Anne as an illegitimate usurper.

🔹 "The Witch Queen" – After her execution, rumors spread that Anne had dabbled in witchcraft, fueled by claims that she had a sixth finger (a myth).

3. Jane Seymour
🔹 "The Beloved Queen" – Henry VIII is said to have loved Jane the most, particularly because she gave birth to his long-awaited son, Edward VI.

🔹 "The Submissive Wife" – Unlike her predecessors, Jane was gentle, modest, and avoided contradicting the king.

4. Anne of Cleves
🔹 "The Flanders Mare" – This insulting nickname was allegedly given to her by Henry VIII, who was disappointed with her appearance upon their first meeting (though historians debate the accuracy of this claim).

🔹 "The King’s Sister" – After their marriage was annulled, Henry granted her this honorary title, as they remained on good terms.

5. Catherine Howard
🔹 "The Rose Without a Thorn" – This is how Henry VIII described her when he was infatuated with her youth and beauty.

🔹 "The Adulterous Queen" – After her execution for adultery, this reputation followed her in historical records.

6. Catherine Parr
🔹 "The Nurse Queen" – She cared for Henry VIII in his final years when he was aging and in poor health.

🔹 "The Scholar Queen" – One of the most educated women of her time, she wrote religious texts and influenced the English Reformation.

History has given these queens many names—some fitting, some unfair. Do you agree with these nicknames, or do you think history has misjudged them?

[shradhachoudhary]

Catherine of Aragon was also called "The Queen of Hearts". It is largely due to her popularity among masses that Anne was so hated

[coralie]

I'll never get over Katherine Howard's story. She was just a kid and Henry manipulated just to marry her when she was 15/17 and then accuse her of adultery (the man she had an affair was a grown man and she was still a child so I refuse to believe she was able to 100% give her consent) and treason before executing her when she was just 17/19 years old.

[indranilovely]

What was Henry's nickname? The wife killer? 🤔

[Totallynotme]

All his wives didn’t deserve such treatment they got from him especially Chathrine of aragon, Anne bolyen, and Cathrine Howard...

[GarliccBread-iy]

I hate how Anne Boleyn is hated so much just because of Catherine of aragon which yes Catherine was treated horribly but so was Anne.

[tiagomadureira]

Could you do a video about the love story of Peter I of Portugal and Ines of Castro? They were pretty much Romeo and Juliet in real life.
Also, Anne Boleyn deserves a new better nickname XD.

[tgm]

He is remembered hundreds of years later with disgust, which he certainly earned. Absolute megalomaniac. I like to think the open sore on his leg that stank was retribution for his soul being selfish and fetid. I wonder what the world would be like if Henry’s elder brother Arthur had lived. Would the Tudor line have thrived and made great contributions to civilization?

[ronaleebhuyan]

Ew. Not to the video creator, but to Henry and the people who believed his lies including today's blinded Jane lovers. If Anne was a concubine, wth was Jane supposed to be, Henry's cousin?💀 God, the way some of you people STILL believe all the lies Henry made up to demean the wife he was the most unjust to is horrifying. And that nickname for Anne of Cleves, ughhhh, give me a break.

[AnastasiaIsabella]

The witch queen And concubine? I am sorely sorry but that would be Jane the ‘beloved queen’ . Can’t believe that people really believe that Jane was his most beloved queen of them all! He would have find a way to get rid of Jane if she hadn’t delivered his boy child.

[Tocabeccagirl]

Anna of Cleves should be called the lucky one

[AaronMahase]

Ann❤ delivered one of England s greatest daughters of all time queen Elizabeth☺️❤️❤️❤️

[aviaroselina]

Anne Is the best! ANNE IS AIN'T A WITCH AND A CONCUBINE

[СаидахонУгланова]

Thanks to the fashion designers, designers, and film producers of the world!

[juanaramirez]

But if they said the odor was despicable how come he had so many wives?

[Birdschirpininthemorn]

Anne, in my opinion is the truth queen, all of these queens are being crowned in the video meanwhile Anne was the only one who was crowned at coronation..making her queen, not to mention her daughter, the greatest Queen England has ever known .. the one who made her mother proud ruling alone as queen, bypassing any traumatic events & struggles her mother went thru as a “queen to a king” WHILE making her father displeased and ending his bloodline cause of what he did to her mother .

[deadlyjesster]

It’s not fair poor Anne was so hated 😢she was the unlucky lady who Henry was determined to marry and set aside Cathrine for because he believed she would give him a male heir since Cathrine didn’t he had other mistress’s before Anne when he was married to Cathrine like Bessie Blount and Anne’s sister Mary Henry was always going to divorce Cathrine or get rid of her some way if not for Anne someone else to me she’s more like ‘the tragic queen’ but through all her suffering in the end she gave England one of the greatest queens in history

[hf]

I will like to see the nicknames of his 2 daughters and his son.

[femtales_ai]

#HenryVIII #TudorHistory #SixWives #QueensOfEngland #AnneBoleyn #CatherineOfAragon #JaneSeymour #CatherineHoward #AnneOfCleves #CatherineParr #TudorDynasty #BritishHistory #RoyalHistory #HistoricalFigures #WomenInHistory #MedievalQueens #HistoryLovers #TheTudors

[GabbyMarsh-pz]

Actually they called Anne Boleyn a word that’s starts with an W that I will not say because…… reasons I feel bad for all of his wives 😢

[femtales_ai]

Do you agree with these nicknames, or do you think history has misjudged them?