Katherine Parr. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

Katherine Parr

Katherine (also Catherine) Parr (1512–48) was the sixth and last wife of the Tudor king Henry VIII and has gone down in history as the wife who 'survived'. Katherine was twice-widowed when she married Henry in 1543, and after the king's death in January 1547 she married Thomas Seymour. In 1544 Katherine became the first queen of England to be published when copies of her prayers and reflections on the Psalms were produced by the king's printers. Katherine was sympathetic towards Protestant reformers and in the summer of 1546 was almost executed for her faith. In 1546 she began a personal testimony, <em>The Lamentation of a Sinner</em>, which was published after Henry's death in 1547. On 30 August 1548 Katherine gave birth to a daughter named Mary with her fourth husband, Thomas Seymour, but Katherine died a few days later of puerperal fever

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Video podcastKatherine Parr: life of the week. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A young Katherine Parr, by William Henry Mote.

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Portrait of Katherine Parr

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Tracy Borman at Hampton Court Palace

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Explore Hampton Court Palace with Professor Tracy Borman. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Replicas of necklaces belonging to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's fourth wife (Photo by Angela-Treasures For A Queen - Etsy)

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Queens of bling: the importance of jewellery to Henry VIII's six wives. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Snape Castle

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Snape Castle: Katherine Parr’s prison. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Six wives: Katherine Parr. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Katherine Parr: Political powerhouse. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A portrait of Katherine Parr in a jewelled head dress and finery

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Q&AWhat happened to Katherine Parr’s daughter, Mary Seymour, after her mother’s death?

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Katharine Parr: secrets of a Tudor survivor. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Rye House in Hertfordshire, which became the Parr family home in 1517, when Katherine was around five years old. (© James Schutte/Alamy Stock Photo)

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8 places associated with Henry VIII’s wives. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A 19th-century depiction of the first meeting of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

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History quiz: Christmas with Henry VIII and his wives. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Suzannah Lipscomb & Dan Jones discuss Henry VIII's final two wives: Catherine Howard & Katherine Parr

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Dan Jones and Suzannah Lipscomb on 'Henry VIII And His Six Wives'

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Did Henry VIII love his last wife Katherine Parr?