Katheryn Howard was born in ca 1520. She was the daughter of Jocasta Culpeper (c.1480-1531) and Lord Edmund Howard (-1539). Her maternal grandparents were Isabel Worsley and Sir Richard Culpeper. Her paternal grandparents were Elizabeth Tilney and Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. From her mother's first marriage to Ralph Legh in 1496, she had the following halfsiblings: Isabel Leigh, Margaret Leigh, Joyce Leigh, John Leigh and Ralph Leigh. Katheryn's parents were married in ca 1514. Her siblings included: Mary Howard, George Howard, Henry Howard and Charles Howard. Her mother, Jocasta Culpeper died in 1531. Katheryn was raised by her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, at Lambeth Palace. In 1536, Henry Mannox was hired to teach her lue and the virginal. The music teacher soon began a seduction of his young pupil. According to Katheryn Howard; "At the flattering and fair persuasions of Mannox being but a young girl I suffered him at sundry times to handle and touch the secret parts of my body which neither became me with honesty to permit nor him to require." In 1538, Katheryn moved with the Duchess of Norfolk to London, where she soon fell in love with Francis Dereham. She later confessed; "Francis Dereham by many persuasions procured me to his vicious purpose and obtained first to lie upon my bed with his doublet and hose and after within the bed and finally he lay with me naked and used me in such sort as a man doth his wife many and sundry times but how often I know not." In revenge, Mannox sent an anonymous note to the Duchess of Norfolk, and she discovered the couple together. They were parted, with some understanding of marriage when Dereham returned from Ireland. Her father, Lord Edmund Howard died on 19 March 1539. Katheryn moved to her uncle's house where she met Thomas Culpeper. He was a gentleman of the King's Privy Chamber. Katheryn soon fell in love with him and forgot all about Dereham. Henry VIII, King of England (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) married Anna of Cleves (22 September 1515 - 28 July 1557) on 6 January 1540. Katheryn Howard arrived at Court as a Lady in Waiting to the King's fourth wife. The faith of Anne Boleyn (1502 - 19 May 1536) had taught her family to tread carefully about the King, but Henry VIII soon publicly favored Mistress Howard. She was given lands on 24 April 1540. In May 1540, she received an expensive gift of quilted sarcanet. The marriage between Anne of Cleves and Henry VIII was officially ended on 13 July 1540, by Parliament. Katheryn Howard and King Henry VIII were married on 28 July 1540, at Oatlands Palace, in Surrey. Katheryn was never crowned Queen of England. She chose as her motto, "Non autre volonte que la Sienne" (No other wish but His or No other will than his). The King consulted his council on creating a new succession should the blessed event occur, pushing his daughters Mary and Elizabeth further from the throne. His advisor, Thomas Cromwell had championed the Protestant cause and the union with Anne of Cleves. The King's disappointment, and the endless conniving of Cromwell's enemies, led to his arrest and execution on the day Katheryn and Henry VIII were married. Within a few months, the King openly lamented the loss of his "most faithful servant". In the spring of 1541, Henry VIII fell ill with fever and Katheryn was sent away. Around this time, she began her affair with Culpeper. In August 1541, Dereham became her secretary. When Henry VIII recovered, he took Katheryn on a Royal progress through the north of England. The northern progress ended on 1 November 1541, and the Royal couple settled at Hampton Court Palace. Then John Lascelles went to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury with the rumours of the Queen's infidelity. Thomas Cranmer passed Henry VIII a letter with the charges on 2 November 1541. The King immediately believed the letter was a forgery. He ordered Cranmer to keep the matter private and began an investigation. Dereham and female servants were arrested and sent to the Tower. Under torture Dereham confessed his earlier relationship with Katheryn and named Culpeper as her current lover. Culpeper was then arrested, tortured, and confessed. After confronted with the confessions, Henry VIII left Hampton Court on 5 November 1541, for Whitehall Palace. Katheryn Howard was arrested on 12 November 1541. She was taken on 14 November 1541, to Syon House. She was interrogated by Cranmer. Katheryn Howard was demoted from her position as Queen on 22 November 1541. She was formally indicted on 24 November 1541. Dereham was hung, drawn, and quartered, disemboweled and castrated on 10 December 1541. Culpeper was beheaded on 10 December 1541. Their heads were fixed on spears atop London Bridge. The House of Lords passed an Act of Attainder on 21 January 1542. Henry VIII made it clear in a speech on 6 February 1542, that the new Act could punish those who intended to commit treason, or adultery, since adultery in a Queen was treason. The Duke of Suffolk arrived on Friday, 10 February 1542, to take Katheryn Howard to the Tower of London. On Sunday night, 12 February 1542, she was informed that she would be executed the next day. Around 7 o'clock on Monday, 13 February 1542, privy councilors arrived as escort. Weak and frightened, Katheryn Howard had to be helped up the steps to the scaffold where she made a quiet speech. Katheryn Howard was executed on 13 February 1542. She was interred at the Chapel of St. Peter and Vincula.
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