Was Henry VIII really catfished b...

Was Henry VIII really catfished by Anne of Cleves?

Tudor History with Claire Ridgway by Claire Ridgway
E1190
Jul 29, 2026
26:20

Episode notes

It's one of the most famous stories surrounding Henry VIII's fourth marriage. Hans Holbein the Younger was supposedly sent to Cleves to paint Anne's portrait, produced an image that made her look far more attractive than she really was, and Henry agreed to the marriage - only to be bitterly disappointed when he finally met Anne in person.

But is that actually what happened?

In this podcast, I'm going back to the evidence from 1539 to investigate what Henry VIII really knew about Anne of Cleves before they met.

Keywords

Tudor History
Henry VIII
Anne Of Cleves
Six Wives
Tudors