Elizabeth Norton

Henry VIII is famous for his six wives, with the rhyme 'divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived' recalling their largely unenviable fates. In his old age, the king lamented his bad fortune in wives and, throughout his life, he sought to find a bride who could fulfill his exacting requirements.

Henry VIII's search for the perfect bride led to the break with Rome and brought England to the brink of war. It caused the execution of a queen and a disastrous attempt at a diplomatic marriage. It is perhaps no surprise that Henry's sixth wife was rumoured to have said that she would prefer to be his mistress than his wife.

Find out more about Henry VIII's quest for the perfect bride - a search that spanned almost his entire reign, at the home of Henry VIII's favourite warship, The Mary Rose Museum.