The Wives
Unfortunately Henry did not want a daughter and he denounced the Catholic Church so that he could divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn. Anne gave Henry another daughter Elizabeth I and he felt that she was cheating on him so she was excuted in 1536, at the Tower of London.
Jane Seymour was his third wife and his favorite wife. She gave him the son he so desperatly wanted in Edward VI but she died during his birth in 1537.
Anne Cleves was his fourth wife and she did not give him any children, divorcing in 1540.
Catherine Howard was his fifth wife and she did not bear any of Henry's children either. He felt that she cheated on him and so she was excuted, like Anne Boleyn, in 1542 at the Tower of London.
His last wife was Catherine Parr and she was spared the ax because Henry died before her, leaving her free to marry again.
All of this plays out like a modern soap opera and it is a very interesting story to tell people who know nothing about monarchy. Just remember that in his day Henry VIII was quite the ladies man, despite those scary pictures you see of him in history books.
