Whom where when and how did Catherine Howard marry?

Answer 1

On July 28, 1540, in a religious ceremony at Oatlands Palace Catherine Howard [c. 1521-February 13, 1542] married King Henry VIII [June 28, 1491-January 28, 1547] of England. It was the King's fifth marriage. It was supposed widely to be the first marriage for his young 'rose without a thorn'.

But the young Queen may have gone through the equivalent of a previous wedding ceremony. She was said to have had an adolescent affair with Francis Dereham [d. December 10, 1541]. The affair may have taken place in 1538-1539. Their intimacy was said to have been accompanied by greeting each other as 'husband' and 'wife'. Catherine also was said to have acted as a wife in handling Dereham's money in his absence.

The affair may have ended with a trip to Ireland by Dereham. But it also was said that the two intended to marry upon Dereham's return. If such was the case, and the couple agreed to a precontract, their affair instead would have amounted to a marriage. Such most definitely would have been the case if theyed vowed their intent to marry before their affair began.

It was considered treasonous for the young Queen to have been intimate with anyone other than her royal husband. Before the marriage, she was supposed to have provided her future husband with a full and complete report of all such involvements. She didn't do so. Her previous actions and the lack of their timely disclosure were what the King used to divorce and execute his young bride.