I am slightly obsessed with the wives of King Henry VIII. Stories of their lives, relics they left behind, and places they occupied fill my head. They were each incredible in their own right. I'm astonished that he discarded so many phenomenal women, and yet I know he's not the only man to do so on a whim.

It’s heartbreaking to think about how their intelligence, ambition, and resilience were often overshadowed by their treatment as disposable consorts.

• Catherine of Aragon – Cast aside after failing to produce a son, she was stripped of her title, separated from her daughter, and exiled to die alone.

• Anne Boleyn – Once his great love, she was accused of treason and executed—likely on fabricated charges—leaving behind her young daughter, the future Elizabeth I.

• Jane Seymour – The only wife to bear Henry a son, she died from childbirth complications, valued more in death than in life.

• Anne of Cleves – Trapped in an unwanted political marriage, she was ostensibly discarded for her looks but escaped with a generous settlement, one of the few who lived freely.

• Catherine Howard – A teenage girl forced into marriage with an aging king, she was executed at 18 or 19 after being accused of infidelity.

• Catherine Parr – Outliving Henry, she narrowly avoided execution for her religious beliefs but died shortly after childbirth, never fully escaping the dangers of court.

Anyway, when I visited England the first time, I got to see the musical Six, which is about the six wives of Henry the VIII. It was a visual delight.

https://youtu.be/egqqtAo8WSI

The wives of Henry VIII remind us that even in the face of betrayal and suffering, resilience, strength, and grace can transcend time, leaving a legacy of courage and defiance.