C16th makeups: Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr (1512—1548) was the sixth wife of Henry VIII of England; it was her own third marriage. During their marriage she was Queen Consort of England and Ireland. She was the most-married English queen, as she had four husbands.

That Catherine was his last wife and already twice widowed seems to blind film-makers to the fact that she was only thirty one when she married Henry – and only thirty six when she died. Clare Holman and Joely Richardson were both over forty when they played Catherine and Rosalie Crutchley was fifty.

The movies

Henry VIII (2003): This was a low budget Granada mini-series which like BBC version of The Other Boleyn Girl left you wondering why they had – sort of – bothered. It’s main focus was the relationship between Henry and Anne Boleyn. Clare Holman portrayed Catherine Parr. Liz Tagg was the makeup designer.