The Courtship of Anne Boleyn

The painting depicts a scene from Tudor England, during the reign of Henry VIII. The king is shown publicly courting Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting to his first queen Catherine of Aragon.^{[citation needed]}

The king, at the left, is seeing courting Anne, who he presumably already plans to make his future queen. His wife, Catherine of Aragon, seen at the right, dressed in dark clothing, looks down, apparently saddened to what is happening. Her mantle is carried by two pages. Two ladies-in-waiting of the queen stare concerned at the scene. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey looks from her right, with a more nuanced look, since he was a supporter of the kings divorce. Other members of the court watch the scene, with different reactions. A jester is seated at the bottom left, with an amused look. A nobleman, dressed in black, bows to the queen, as a sign of respect for her royalty.^[2]

• Angus, Caroline. Henry VIII's Children: Legitimate and Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Tudor King. Pen and Swordz 2023.
• Dockray, Keith. Henry VIII: The Evolution of a Reputation. Fontill Media, 2017.