Today it is an absolute pleasure to welcome author Wendy J. Dunn to History…the Interesting Bits, to talk about her latest book, Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life. Wendy is an award-winning historical novelist but Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life is her first foray into historical non-fiction. It is a fascinating investigation into the life and paternity of Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and … well, that’s the question!

Over to Wendy…

There’s a question I am answering a lot since the publication of Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life.

Why did I decide to write a nonfiction book about Catherine Carey?

Well, the answer is a story in itself, and it all began when a commissioning editor for Pen & Sword Books approached me on twitter and asked me if I would be interested in writing a book for them. After spending some time googling her and establishing she was, in fact, who she claimed to be, I asked her to tell me more, and she offered me three projects to select from. One project was about the life and times of Catherine Carey. The teenage Catherine was my point of view character in The Light in the Labyrinth, my second Anne Boleyn novel —so I was well and truly already fascinated by Catherine’s story that pointed to her being the unrecognised daughter of Henry VIII. The opportunity to discover more about her and life was too tempting and too good an opportunity to pass up.

What makes her fascinating?

For me, it is because she is yet another important Tudor woman whose life story should be better known. The fact we know so little about her – even the year of her birth is a mystery —intrigued me.

 Catherine was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second queen. She was born during Mary Boleyn’s marriage to William Carey — a man of good birth but not high in the Tudor hierarchy who closely served Henry VIII in his private chambers. The years put forward for Catherine’s birth are also years when Mary was sexually involved with Henry VIII. 

We don’t know when or where Catherine was born. A strong possibility is for her birthplace is Chilton Folist, Wiltshire, the place where William Carey was born. Hever Castle is also a possibility, when you consider it was usual for Tudor women to give birth to their children supported by their close women kin, and Mary’s mother and grandmother lived at Hever Castle. As for her birthyear, what little information history provides for us seems to point to early 1524.

William Carey died early in Catherine’s life. Mary Boleyn returned to Hever Castle at this time — and I believe she returned with both her children. Henry, her son, soon left her care as six-year-old and her sister Anne Boleyn took over as his guardian.

As a well born Tudor girl, Catherine would have received her first training from the adult women in her family. Catherine belonged to the Boleyn family — a family that believed in educating their daughters – and that points to Catherine receiving a good education. We also have Elizabeth’s heartfelt ‘Cor Rotto’ letter to her cousin Catherine (and, I believe, also her half-sister) in 1553 that supports this. Elizabeth is writing to someone with intelligence, someone who understood Latin and also mythology.

When Catherine was eight or perhaps ten, Mary married William Stafford for love and ended up in her family’s bad books and cut off financially. A big question lingers over where Mary and William lived after their marriage, but Catherine had reached the age to be ‘put out’ to another household by this stage. I suspect the Boleyn family placed her either in the household of Anne Boleyn, or her Uncle George Boleyn. Anne was already looking after Mary’s son, Henry, so why not her daughter too? That there are many gaps in the household records of this time could explain the non-mention of Catherine’s name as part of either her aunt or uncle’s household.

 There’s no doubt in my mind that Henry VIII sired Catherine. Writing True Daughter has now made me believe the king also was the father of Henry Carey. What evidence do I have to support this? I will share some of what other historians have put forward — as for the evidence I have put forward in True Daughter— well, I am hoping people will buy my book to find out.

First and most powerful bit of evidence is that Mary Boleyn was in a sexual relationship with Henry VIII – something that Henry admitted and also used to annul his marriage with Anne Boleyn just days before her execution. Henry VIII’s involvement with Mary lasted for years – and throughout the years put forward as possible birth years for Catherine Carey.

Even before Catherine’s birth, we are provided with smoke about the possibility of Mary’s pregnancy when the king named one of his ships in Mary’s honour. After Catherine’s birth, William Carey received several grants from Henry VIII – and the money provided from at least one of these grants continued to go to Mary Boleyn after his death.

While Henry VIII lived, it appears he was more than simply an interested bystander in Catherine’s life. Before her marriage, Catherine gained a very sought for position as one of Anne of Cleves’ ‘Maid of honours, despite the fact she was the niece of Anne Boleyn. The Boleyns, by this time, were a family no longer favoured by Henry VIII. When Catherine Carey married Francis Knollys, the king granted them ownership of property in both their names.

What to know more about Catherine’s story?

For that, you need to read ‘Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life’.

About the author:

Wendy J. Dunn is an award-winning Australian writer fascinated by Tudor history – so much so she was not surprised to discover a family connection to the Tudors, not long after the publication of her first Anne Boleyn novel, which narrated the Anne Boleyn story through the eyes of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder. Her family tree reveals the intriguing fact that one of her ancestral families – possibly over three generations – had purchased land from both the Boleyn and Wyatt families to build up their own holdings. It seems very likely Wendy’s ancestors knew the Wyatts and Boleyns personally. Wendy is married, the mother of three sons and one daughter—named after a certain Tudor queen, surprisingly, not Anne. She is also the grandmother of two amazing small boys. She gained her PhD in 2014 and loves walking in the footsteps of the historical people she gives voice to in her novels. Wendy also tutors at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

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My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out Now! Women of the Anarchy

Two cousins. On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Coming on 15 June 2024: Heroines of the Tudor World

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops or direct from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. 

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

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©2024 Wendy J. Dunn and Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS.