BEDDING HIS BROTHER’S WIFE

Wife No1: CATHERINE OF ARAGON

WHEN his older brother, Prince Arthur, died in 1502 of “sweating sickness" Henry became heir and after taking the throne in 1509 decided to take his sibling's Spanish wife as his own queen too.

Pretty Catherine later claimed to have never had sex with Arthur, and a then-hunky Henry were said to be passionately in love.

But she was six years older than her new husband and although they had a daughter Mary, who later became Mary I, Catherine failed to give Henry a male heir.

Her pretty maid-of-honour Anne Boleyn soon caught his eye – leading to the king's split from the Pope as he tried and failed to get a divorce.

He now maintained marrying his brother’s widow wasn’t proper after all. In the end, the marriage was only annuled after he secretly wed Anne.

Catherine was banished to one room in Kimbolton Castle, Cambs, where she died in 1536 aged 50 after penning a last letter to Henry saying: “Mine eyes desire you above all things.”