Catherine of Aragon (16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) Spanish: Catalina de Aragón, Queen of England from June 1509 until May 1533 as the first wife of King Henry VIII.

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The daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, Catherine was three years old when she was betrothed to Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the English throne. They married in 1501, but Arthur died five months later. She subsequently married Arthur's younger brother, Henry VIII, in 1509.

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By 1525, Henry VIII was infatuated with Anne Boleyn and in 1533 the marriage to Catherine was declared invalid and Henry married Anne on the judgement of clergy in England, without reference to the Pope.

 

Catherine refused to accept Henry as Supreme Head of the Church in England and considered herself the King's rightful wife and queen, attracting much popular sympathy. After being banished from court by Henry, she lived out the remainder of her life at Kimbolton Castle.