Henry never spends the night with Anne, but frequently spends the evening dining and gaming with her and her attendants. It would be a surprise to those who knew the dour Lutheran who first came to England, but Anne keeps a very merry court.
Queen Anne of Cleves
30, female
Henry’s fourth wife. A political marriage to younger sister of William Duke of Cleves, a powerful Prince of the very protestant Schmalkaldic League. Initially she enjoyed little favour at court, but surprisingly Henry made parliament declare his illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy the legitimate child of Queen Anne. This has made her legally the mother of his oldest legitimate son.
Prince Henry Fitzroy Duke of Richmond and Somerset
26, male
Legally the son of King Henry and Queen Anne of Cleves, and the oldest Prince of England. Formerly the bastard son of Henry and his former mistress Bessie Bount. Always a favourite of his father, he was made a double duke by 5, Lord High Admiral of England by 6 and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by 10. Married to Mary Fitzroy.
Princess Mary Fitzroy
26, female
Daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and therefore cousin to many noblewomen at court including Anne Boleyn, Mary Boleyn and Catherine Howard. A keen collector of poetry. She is the subject of significant gossip at court, she has been married to Prince Henry Fitzroy for ten years and never been pregnant. The marriage seems amicable as far as anybody can tell.
Lady Margaret Douglas
28, female. Military.
Niece of King Henry, daughter of his sister, former Queen of Scotland, Margaret Tudor (deceased), and her second husband Archibald of Lennox, Earl of Angus. Officially not part of the line of succession because the act of inheritance removed all descendents of her mother from the line of royal inheritance. A close friend of Mary Fitzroy and fellow poetry enthusiast.
Lives as a Lady in Waiting to Anne of Cleves, formerly kept prisoner of Syon Abbey for getting engaged to Lord Thomas Howard (deceased) without the King’s permission. Unusually for a woman, can directly command military support from Scotland, especially if the war with England is resolved.
Katherine Basset
28, female
Lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves, sibling to Anne and James Basset. Her mother is a prisoner of King Henry’s at Syon Abbey for treason and Katherine frequently visited her; this is where she first became friends with Margaret Douglas. Extremely close to her family, she is almost a second mother to her siblings and is more interested in marrying them off than finding a good match for herself.
Chancellor Thomas Wriothesley
35, male. Privy Councillor.
A university man, the son of a draper come up from the middle classes and promoted by Thomas Cromwell (deceased). Outspokenly Conservative in theology. Formerly the ambassador to the Schmalkaldic League. Presently on the Privy Council as Henry’s Chancellor and head of an ‘investigative council’ which hunts down Reformer heretics within the court – he uniquely has the power to arrest people on the authority of the King. The more prestigious the heretics Thomas finds, the more Henry seems to favour the Conservatives. He has even brought in the Archbishop of Canterbury for questioning. The only thing he hates worse than a Lutheran is a woman expressing an opinion on religion, which is why he gets on so well with Anne of Cleves who seems to know her place in these matters. Henry affectionately calls him ‘my good pig’; it’s unclear why.
Reginae Regis - The Six Wives of Henry VIII 