Mary Boleyn
Mary Boleyn was the sister of the famous Anne Boleyn and was a mistress of King Henry VIII.
Henry and Anne Boleyn met at court, once before his affair with her sister (Mary) and again after Henry had discarded Mary. Anne Boleyn's family had sent to her to France after her first meeting with the King, which did not go well, however they recalled her to England after Mary's failure to keep the King's attentions. The Boleyn family, like many at the time, were always trying to gain power and one of the ways to do this was to use their daughters to engratiate the Henry with their family. This was a good stradegy, as Henry was known for giving titles, lands and fortunes to the families of his mistresses.
King Henry VIII only had six wives. He had a few mistresses though. Such as Anne Boleyn's sister, Mary Boleyn and Elizabeth Blount.
King Henry VIII actually had multiple male children. From an admitted mistress, Bessie Blount, Henry fathered her son, named Henry Fitzroy. He was illegitimate, as Henry was not married to Bessie Blount, and thus, he was not a male heir, though he was a male son. Henry also had a son with his third wife, Jane Seymour, named Edward. He would succeed his father as King for a short time before his death as a teenager. In addition, depending on which historian you believe, many think that King Henry also had a male son with Mary Boleyn. It is common knowledge that the King had a brief affair with Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn. During the assumed time period of their affair, Mary birthed two children: Catherine and Henry Carey. While there is no secure evidence for this suspicion, the time-line and the King's extravagant treatment of Henry Carey provide circumstantial evidence for the case.
Anne and Mary Boleyn were sisters. Both were mistresses to King Henry VIII, but Anne became queen. Mary died in her early forties in 1543; Anne Boleyn was executed in 1536.
Both Mary and Anne were mistresses of Henry VIII and it is rumored that the king even fathered two of Mary's children. Both Boleyn girls were also ladies in waiting to Catherine of Aragon, Henry's wife and queen at that time.
Henry had an acknowledged illegitimate son: Henry Fitzroy (1519 - 1536) Duke of Richmond (by Henry's mistress Elizabeth Blount) There may have been other illegitimate children, possibly by Mary Boleyn, (and in particular her son, Henry Carey) another of Henry's mistresses and sister of Anne Boleyn; but they have not been confirmed or acknowledged, mainly because of the timing of their relationship and the date of birth of Henry Carey.
There are many reasons why King Henry never acknowledged Henry Carey. It is possible that King Henry was NOT the father of Mary Bolelyn's son, as he was birthed after the affair ended. It's widely debated as to whether or not Henry was conceived within the correct timeframe to the King's son. (Meanwhile, Mary's daughter, Catherine, was conceived and birthed during their affair-- irrelevant to the question, but food for thought). It is also possible that King Henry never acknowledged Henry Carey because, upon his birth, the King had fallen in love with Mary Boleyn's sister, Anne. Admitedly marrying his own son's aunt could have been quite troublesome for the King's reputation and spiritual wellbeing, which is held to the highest esteem.
While cheating was never tolerated among women or wives, and absolutely not allowed in the royal house, when a man would cheat it was overlooked. as Henry was King his many mistresses were left alone, many of them bore his children and a few carried titles. while married to Anne Boleyn it is possible that he continued his affairs and it is well known that before she was beheaded that the King had already moved on to Jane.
No buther sister Anne Boleyn was Henry's second wife.
There are several main characters in The Other Boleyn Girl 1. Mary Boleyn-the main Character 2. Anne Boleyn- Mary's sister, second wife of Henry VIII 3. George Boleyn-Mary and Anne's brother 4. Henry VIII-lover of Mary-Husband of Anne 5. Catherine of Aragon-first wife of Henry VIII 6. Catherine Carey-daughter of Mary and Henry 7. Henry Carey-son of Mary and Henry 8. William Stafford-second husband of Mary 9. Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk-Uncle of Mary and Anne