Why did Henry VIII reject Anne of Cleves?

Anne of Cleves

Why did Henry VIII reject Anne of Cleves?

‘I like her not.’

It was the start of a six-month tantrum which would culminate in the divorce of a queen and the death of Thomas Seymour – Henry’s most powerful advisor.

Of course, Henry piled up the reasons - she was ugly; she was loose of belly and breast; he was suspicious she was not a virgin and had even had a child; she had evil smells around her; she was so dreadful he could not perform in bed. In fact, he made every cruel excuse he could muster in order to cover up the fact that he did not want to marry her and had already spotted Katherine Howard. The only thing he did not say was that she was a Flanders mare.

So what triggered his tantrum?

Anne arrived in England from Calais in January 1540 after travelling across Europe for five long weeks and a rough passage across the channel from Calais. She was described as thin by one of the awaiting ambassadors, which is in contrast to the rounded maid you see in Holbein’s painting, and so maybe she had lost weight on her journey (explaining the looseness Henry claimed about her). She would also have been wearing the heavy damask costume considered appropriate and fashionable in the German courts – and very conservative in comparison with the waist and cleavage promoting female gowns of Henry’s Court. After five weeks journeying through rain, storm and mud with little rest and no time to wash, it is very likely her clothes needed a little freshening. She had learned English from a Mrs Gylman, but her delivery would have been halting and careful – not the pretty, clever ego-building flirting that Henry so loved.

So, was it this that turned Henry’s face away? No. In fact, it was nothing that Anne did wrong – it was the fact that he made a fool of himself playing a silly game of courtly love.

When Anne arrived in England, she began the journey to meet her fiancé. Likely she was expecting to meet the tall, handsome, dashing, red-headed, broad-shouldered prince she had seen in portraits of Henry. Her royal train stopped at Rochester for her to rest overnight before continuing to Greenwich. Maybe, as she watched a bull-bait through the window, she was day-dreaming of meeting her handsome prince in the coming days.

But Henry – being Henry – could not wait. He had travelled south to surprise his bride. As if that were not enough, he decided to play a game of courtly love, in which he believed that a suitor could approach his destined lover in disguise and her love would be so great that she would immediately recognise her soul mate. Henry stuffed himself and his male courtiers into bizarre outfits of marbled velvet and they all burst into Anne’s room.

So, did Anne swoon at the sight of her soulmate and feel the power of courtly love? No.

She was simply bemused that a grossly obese, bald, pale man, dressed in a strange costume, limping badly on an ulcerated leg (which probably gave off a whiff worse than any stale dress) should run into her room shouting. Then surprise turned to concern, when Henry decided to make a grab for her, hug her and kiss her on the lips – customary in the English Court but certainly not in Europe.  Anne, though polite, backed away and went back to the window. Henry, embarrassed and deflated, traipsed out with his entourage.

When he returned minutes later with furs, Anne realised her mistake and did her best to make amends – but the great ego of Henry Tudor was bruised, and the rot had already set in.

They married. His tantrum grew. Six months later, he divorced her – and Anne had her greatest escape.