Did Henry VIII Regret Anne Boleyn's Execution? Unravelling the Enigma

[@jessa87]

I don't believe Henry VIII regretted anything he'd done. In my opinion he may have believed the ends justified the means. All the lies, betrayals, and tyrannical behaviors and actions were justified in his mind, so long as he had his heir and control of his kingdom and the church. He was a monster in my opinion.

[@theresalaux5655]

I agree 💯 percent! Couldn't have said it any better. 😊

[@timefoolery]

💯 percent psychopath/malignant narcissist. He thought he was just below God and therefore if he thinks of something, God surely put it in his head and so he will pursue it quite single-mindedly. 🙄

[@--enyo--]

Yeah, he would have believed himself totally justified.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I agree.

[@ClaudiaX2]

Well, I bet he regretted jousting.

[@Nightbird1914]

No regrets on his part. He believed every decision he made was from his conscience and infallible.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think so.

[@marciaspiegel5280]

Agreed.

[@percysowner]

I agree that I don't think Henry regretted much of anything he did, or at least, not in a take responsibility way. He probably "regretted" not reading Leviticus more closely when he married Catherine of Aragon. As he said with Cromwell, he regretted losing a really good servant, not killing the man. He probably regretted not looking into Katherine Howard's background more, but not killing her for her previous actions. Henry just doesn't strike me as an introspective guy and certainly not one to self blame. To him, bad things happened TO HIM. He had nothing to do with them happening, it was always someone else's fault. He was forced, FORCED I tell you to kill people because they had done bad things to him. I'm not a Henry fan, although I think he was a fascinating character and certainly he shaped English history and in many ways European history with his drive to have a son.

[@melaniegentry2042]

I believe he was a narcissist.

[@l.plantagenet]

I'm a Ricardian so you know what I think of the Tudors except QEI, of course. I studied the Tudors most of my life and read several books on them including one of Claire's. I like listening to Claire. She seems well balanced not making them spotless like the terrible David Starkey will. Anyway, I don't really like Anne Boleyn, but I like most people believe she was wrongly accused.

[@peachygal4153]

Leviticus also gave a provision for brother-in-law marriage for a widow without an heir for her late husband. A man was not to take his brother's wife in adultery. A widow is no longer a wife.

[@mellie4174]

Typical narcissistic abuse. That's always what they say. I wouldn't have to do this if you behaved better. I wouldn't have to abuse you if you would just do as your told.

[@tru2harris998]

psychopath

[@kellyburns5032]

Henry VIII surely didn't express very much remorse about so many things. It’s quite sad that he appeared to have it all, yet was such a seemingly selfish, self-indulgent, cruel person.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes.

[@Phyllida-r7n]

There is so much information lost, misplaced or deliberately destroyed, we cannot be really certain of his true feelings. I doubt he was the sort of man, or as most men, he would write of his actual remorse (if any) or in incriminate himself in any way. 16C thinking was not exactly as breast beating and self-indulgent as in the 21st century.

[@Phyllida-r7n]

It cannot be right to impute feelings and sensibilities onto fragmented information, from 500 years ago. By definition, such action would be inaccurate, unfair and possibly dangerous as a reflection of contemporaries……all of whom deserve some accuracy. Mud sticks, and historians should know better than to impugn characteristics, put together a picture (this despite all the research in the world being unable to corroborate). Leave it to students of history for personal assumptions and conjecture. Only well sourced facts should be acceptable.

[@hellothedang9395]

@@Phyllida-r7n ...You seem to have an admiration for acts of barbarism speaking as though you are playing devils advocate .

[@irasoso32]

IMO, Henry was simply incapable of admitting he did something wrong.

[@TheVioletMagic29]

All narcs can't

[@Phyllida-r7n]

How do you know? What do you know that we don’t.

[@elanabethfariss117]

Judging by his efforts to erase her memory, and the careless treatment of her body after the execution, not even a proper casket, if there were any feelings of guilt or remorse Henry probably thought it was indigestion and dismissed it. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine that he didn't have an ounce of guilt. Anne was his queen that he fought so long and hard to possess, then executed under his authority which was a first in history. At the end, whatever his true feelings were, he went through with it, and immediately replaced her.

[@tru2harris998]

Do you think someone else took her place on the scaffold?

[@Shane-Flanagan]

Thank you Claire ☺️ A great question, a nice thought but probably wishful thinking. Henry was a King of his time and acted like one. Self righteous, not one to accept blame or be the one in the wrong but rather be the injured party himself. Divorcing Anne Boleyn would have been like admitting he made a mistake marrying her and was wrong in setting aside Catherine of Aragon. Henry and his pride would not allow that. Better for Henry to set Anne up, bring her down and send her to her death to make him look like the poor innocent husband who was cheated on and plotted against. If Henry had any internal regrets about Anne's downfall or anything else, he would likely bring them to the grave with him.

[@anneboleynfiles]

No, I don't think he ever accepted responsibility for bad decisions.

[@rycoli]

Agreed

[@AshleyMartin-f3x]

I don't think he was ever cheated on

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@AshleyMartin-f3x Catherine Howard maybe but I wouldn't blame her

[@maryw246]

I really believe that Henry did not give it a second thought about sending Anne and the others to the scaffold. His needs for an heir superseded everything else.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I agree.

[@cherylreed7523]

I agree with you Claire & even if he did regret anyone's treatment..He was past speech anyway & no one could know...Great question though...love a Tudor debate!! 😁 Thanks Claire as always 😊

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@crystalalcairo3751]

Considering the way he treated Elizabeth and I'm talking about how seldom he visited her because it seems she reminded him too much of Anne, I think Henry felt some guilt even if he never expressed it or any remorse.

[@deborahbrottmiller2948]

I wonder if Henry 7th would be horrified at the kind of king his son turned out to be.I completely agree with you the on the reasons for Anne’s demise.

[@carolrondou6161]

Henry VII would be appalled and how his son wasted so much money.

[@annhenriques3520]

I actually believe Henry did have some regrets regarding Anne on his deathbed, though the information written by this friar is probably embellished. Henry, at this point, believes he is facing divine judgment, and probably was expressing repentance in hope of receiving mercy. He probably regretted her execution, when he could have accomplished the same results by forcing/blackmailing her to join a nunnery and renounce the wedding. Henry did everything he could to erase Anne from history, but he could never completely erase her from his thoughts, so if he spent any time looking back on his life, most of his thoughts would be of Katherine of Aragon and Anne.

[@Suza-w1z]

Thank you Claire for covering it so thoroughly. I was hoping it was true, but your excellent points bring up more than enough doubt.

[@janvan113]

Another fascinating video Claire. I tend to agree with your detailed assessment, unlikely that Henry regretted the death of Queen Anne. It seems to me he was all about expediency in regard to his wishes. Unfortunately too many people had to perish in order for Henry to have his way as quickly as possible. Historians such as yourself, and amateurs such as myself, can speculate and hope that possibly he saw the deeds in a different light on his deathbed. But ultimately, it is difficult to imagine such a callous man as himself admitting to anyone that he made a mistake. Barring any conclusive, reliable evidence, my feeling is that he did not spend a moment regretting, or apologizing, for Anne's death.

[@graphiquejack]

Based on the evidence of this one man, I agree the theory that Henry regretted Anne’s death in his final hours is shaky. But there may have been other people who said this or wrote it down somewhere, but those source documents are now lost. That’s conjecture at best, I grant you, but considering he wasn’t likely to have even been in England, where did he get this second hand information and why would he have lied about it, specificly? I guess if he was know for exaggerating the truth or out and out lying, it’s definitely possible, but why would a Catholic priest try to rehabilitate Anne Boleyn’s image when most Catholics believed her to be an adulteress, homewrecker and heretic?

[@carolynnr.6409]

I think king Henry was in total denial that he ever did wrong for he was ordained by God and made himself leader of the church in England, was his attitude.

[@suziemartin3587]

Henry enjoyed inflicting any maner of hurt, he enjoyed hurting people, he was a pig

[@kennethlivingstone2965]

King Henry justified all he did because of his “divine right.” No capacity for guilt nor concept of shame. His personal priorities (male heir) meshed with those of England (until the queens regnant -if not past regent or consort- shattered the myth of females being unfit to rule) Henry once loved Anne obsessively, and changed the course of his country for this, so he must have suffered some passing regret. Obviously he knew the six executions were based on lies, the ends justifying the means. As Claire points out, there was so much blood on his hands, that a well-established conscience should have caved in with guilt and shame. Narcissist seems an accurate posthumous diagnosis. Personality change due to the jousting mishap may be a factor. Being the ruler and superior to everyone gave a carte blanche to dispense with friend and foe, when convenient or when their use expired. Anne’s age has been disputed, but i believe she was nearer to 36 than 29 (born circa 1501, not 1507) because Henry was concerned that her childbearing capability was waning, and those “lost” 6-7 years would have made a difference. Perhaps if Anne was not yet 30, he may have reconsidered her fate. He had moved on though, there was Jane. Banishment to a nunnery or elsewhere was not an option, because he needed to silence Anne and her cause and her closest male friends and allies forever and so they went overboard - the king and his minion(s)-to close her chapter in history for good. Thanks to you, Claire, for not allowing that to happen and for giving Anne back her voice and her true character and identity, and her legacy, dispelling lies, unjust defamation, myth and misogyny. She remains a fascinating woman, nearly 500 years after her unjust demise. I hope your diligence and devotion to her story brings forth forgotten or concealed details to illuminute the life of Queen Anne, of 1000 days (and then some...)

[@CraigFox-lt6lt]

Greetings Claire! First, I noticed your Royal Doulton ANNE WITH LUTE FIGURINE!!! I have almost the whole collection!!! WOW *** Loved your scholastic interpretation here, as ALWAYS!!! THANKS!!!

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you! That was a gift from my friend Jean.

[@Shane-Flanagan]

@@anneboleynfiles I can't read the words 'Royal Doulton' without thinking of Hyacinth Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances lol 😂

[@flowerchild2657]

@Shane-Flanagan That's the first thing that came to my mind when I read the comment 🤣!! I couldn't help picturing the many funny instances of when the poor clumsy "Elizabeth" would be summoned to Hyacinths dreaded daily coffee sessions 😂

[@anneliesevandenbroeck8132]

Can one still buy those figurines? I am not from Britain, I live in Belgium.

[@anneboleynfiles]

@@anneliesevandenbroeck8132 I've seen them for sale on eBay.

[@BlackCatMargie]

I think the only real answer to this question is that we don't know. I agree with the questionable legitimacy of the only early source that even mentions such a regret. Nothing we know of Henry gives any impression of a man capable of introspection, self-doubt, or self-guilt. Indeed, everything that ever went wrong or displeased him seems to have been somebody else's fault. He did restore both his daughters to the succession, so maybe that is some indication that he regretted his treatment of both their mothers, but it's circumstantial, so we'll never know.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think he restored his daughters to the line of succession because he wanted his children to be monarchs over anyone else. I just wish he'd made them legitimate again, but he would never have done that.

[@annalisette5897]

There was a report that Princess Elizabeth once said Anne of Cleves was beautiful and that her father corrected her, indicating that her mother -- unnamed -- was very attractive. Maybe another unfounded tale. I have thought long and hard about why Henry Norris paid such a price. Allegedly Anne said what she did & he replied as he did. What else could he have done? What should a loyal subject have done if he heard something vaguely treasonous?

[@anneboleynfiles]

Do you know the source of that as I haven't come across that comment. Interesting.

[@annalisette5897]

I heard it in a video, not one of yours. Here is a more complete rendering from my memory. Princess Elizabeth said Anne of Cleves was beautiful. Her father's reply was that Anne of Cleves was not beautiful and, "your mother was such a one." I always try to select high quality information and have watched a lot of different videos. Some have been interviews with authors and historians like Gareth Russell. I try to avoid fiction and authors of fiction unless I just want a diversion. I cannot remember who said what I remember, man or woman. It may have been a Tudor podcast. @@anneboleynfiles

[@taxingtime]

Beautifully laid out 👏👏

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you! 😊

[@pamelamorgan7354]

Excellent video! I totally agree with you. I doubt Henry could ever admit to a mistake. After all, wouldn’t he consider himself infallible? I do wonder why he couldn’t have sent her to a nunnery instead of executing her.

[@susanmilos6251]

I think Henry feared the strength & determination of savvy Anne. Even as devoted & loyal as Queen Catherine was to Henry & the Crown itself she still was a threat as she sought support from the Pope, Charles V & ambassadors. Whether Henry sent Anne to a nunnery or exiled in Europe she would’ve remained a threat bc of Elizabeth. *And* if the others incl her brother were still executed I can only imagine Anne’s fury. Also, if exiled she could (& def would!) make powerful friends & remarry someone terrifying to Henry😂 Overall I believe Anne was an enigma to Henry; irresistible, uncontrollable then loathed. Kept alive she’d be someone to fear even after Henry’s death.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I agree. He admitted that Cromwell was a mistake, but took no responsibility.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, and leaving her alive would have had some questioning the validity of his marriage to Jane.

[@pamelamorgan7354]

@@anneboleynfiles Thank totally makes sense! Thank you, Claire. I’m enjoying your channel…as always! Your followers have asked some great questions. Thanks for opening up to this opportunity!

[@paulawakefield7869]

Your video just popped up and I'm glad it did 👍. Excellent. Succinct and interesting analysis of sources 👏👏👏

[@greybeardcanadian1036]

Your videos are just great. You weigh both sides, dig into sources. It is always enjoyable and informative to watch them!

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

"Anne had magical powers to.". I'd laugh if it wasn't so tragic.

[@jumaris28]

I will give anything to had meet Queen Anne always a fascinating lady !!

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes!

[@dianetanner1880]

lol. Well, she is living in Vancouver today. And so is her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I. We briefly met and it was a shaman that told 'Elizabeth' who her mother was back then. She was told not to tell her because she had to find out on her own. She did find out on her own. And thus, 'Elizabeth' had a very interesting conversation with 'Anne'. Of course, I cannot give out their current names for obvious reasons. But 'Anne' lived in England. Speaks French fluently. Loves France and visits the country often. There are parallels with that life and this life.

[@alayneperrott9693]

Henry signed the warrant to summon the Calais swordsman before Anne's trial. So her death was clearly premeditate. He also had an advanced capacity for believing his own lies and exonerating himself. I don't believe he regretted executing her.

[@raumaanking]

So curious were did you get that Anne Boleyn doll from in the background I want to buy one

[@anneboleynfiles]

I had it as a gift. I'm sure you'd find one on Ebay though.

[@1234cheerful]

seems to be a Royal Doulton figure.

[@raumaanking]

@@anneboleynfiles would you ever consider doing a video on what if Cathrine Howard was sent away and lived rather than being executed just like you made a video on Anne Boleyn

[@EarlyMusicDiva]

Of course we'll never in this life know for sure, but I really don't think he did. Love can turn to hate so quickly - he had Anne executed while he was in the heat of that hatred - and by the time he'd had the time to cool off a bit from that, he'd had a son by Jane and felt vindicated for all that he had done before to Anne. One thing I do wonder, however, is whether Henry regretted Thomas More's execution. More had been his great friend and a faithful and effective servant, and I wonder - after Anne's inability to give Henry a living male heir had turned him against her and convinced him that this marriage was cursed - whether Henry had any second thoughts about having had More executed in order to remove opposition to his marriage to Anne. (More's support for the validity of Henry's marriage to Catherine would have been moot as soon as Catherine died.) Again, we'll never know for sure in this life, but it's kind of an interesting speculation.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, and I'm not sure he even really loved her. It was more like obsession.

[@nonchalantmuse1]

The death knell for Thomas Moore was his refusal to acknowledge King Henry as the head of the church. Moore was a staunch supporter of the Catholic faith and recognized only the pope as the head of the church. This of course was problematic for Henry's own self interests, as he could only get a marriage annulment from Catherine if he granted himself one. Moore's famous last words before being executed were: I die the King 's good servant, but God's first.

[@pbohearn]

His ultimate betrayal, prosecution and execution of his good friend, Sir Thomas Moore, because he would not bend to the king because of his faith, I believe MARKED the first line he crossed into psychopathy. Over and over in the comments, people talk about Henry’s lack of remorse for his actions. Lack of regret is a cardinal symptom of psychopathy. No guilt no remorse ever.

[@rycoli]

Fantastic video Claire.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@MariaPerryMohan-s6h]

It sounds like pure speculation to me. Great video as usual, Claire.

[@FAMarlowe]

I'd expect Henry regretted his treatment of his first wife, Katherine before he'd regret Anne's death.

[@darlenefarmer5921]

I totally agree with your assessment. Thank you.

[@makinapacal]

The notion that Thomas Cromwell was responsible for Anne Boleyn`s fall and death goes back to the tried and true notion that if the King or Queen does something wrong it is because of Evil Advisors around the monarch. An old, notion that has provided many a ruler with the ability to set someone up as a scapegoat for their own actions. Thus we get a plenitude of Historians talking about Thomas Cromwell`s policies and his efforts to make England Evangelical and Protestant. And all that was Thomas` not Henry`s policies. The surprising thing about all this is how little evidence there is for this. It is ussually simply assumed that these policies were Thomas' and not Henry's. THis goes back to the notion of the King / Queen being manipulated and controled by Evil Advisors. The idea of Henry VIII being manipulated by court factions and controled by Advisors who are implementing their own policies should strike anyone with even the vaguest understanding of the time period has just silly. A really good book about Henry's religious policy which makes a very good case for Thomas Cromwell being basically the King's tool, implementing the King's policy, is The King's Reformation, by G. W. Bernard, Yale University Press, New Haven CONN, 2005. What Bernard emphasizes is the lack of evidence for Thomas Cromwell pursuing his own rather than the King's policy. This being the case the notion that Thomas Cromwell was responsible for the fall of Anne Boleyn and manipulated events and the King to achieve it is just inane. (We know how dangerous Henry was to his Advisors. Thomas Cromwell would have been a colossal idiot to risk it.) To me it is obvious Henry was responsible for Anne's fall and certainly aspects of it like before the execution annulling his marriage to Anne on specious grounds and bastardizing his daughter Elizabeth are characteristic signs of the man's vindictive cruelty.

[@anneboleynfiles]

That's an excellent book and I also love J J Scarisbrick's biography of Henry VIII.

[@deborahbrottmiller2948]

I absolutely agree with you Claire.

[@dianetanner1880]

You are correct. Henry did not regret his actions in that life. However, in his re-embodiment in his present life, he did have regrets. He tried to marry the woman who was Anne in the past life in the 1500s in 1970 He met Anne again in Britain. She spurned him in a similar fashion as before. As he was married in this life and Anne in this life was much younger. It's a very interesting story that has been verified by others. Anne was not guilty of the charges, either.

[@Tessa-dg4no]

Anne did not do anything wrong the king just. Wanted to kill anne. Beause anne did. Not. Give. Him a. Son. Henry. Just. Wanted anne out of the way. So sorry for her .

[@brenmanock]

He may have had that tattoo which says "no regerts "

[@octavianpopescu4776]

I like to think it was: "Sorry, not sorry." See? He said he was sorry. 😀

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes!

[@cherrytraveller5915]

Like off the ad. Clever

[@pbohearn]

Anne Bullen had it in French, “j´ne regrette.”

[@avalonkerr8332]

I would never say a person wouldn't express regret in conversation for, well, anything. Maybe this was a fragment of recalled conversation; passed from person to person like in a game of telephone. In any case, it's fascinating to think about!

[@gonefishing167]

Great video Claire, thank you 🙏🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@ChristopherMarshburn]

The Anne stans probably won’t like this but Henry came to regret almost immediately Cromwell's killing and later accused his ministers of bringing about Cromwell's downfall by "pretexts" and "false accusations"; over important issues and policies, he had always been liable to be "bounced" into a hasty decision by the intrigues of the factions within his court.

[@annhenriques3520]

I have no doubt Henry regretted Cromwell’s execution, but that was because he missed how well Cromwell handled the administrative duties for the monarchy. For the rest of his reign he never found a quality administrator to rely on, and complained about the group of ministers that took on Cromwell’s duties. He didn’t miss Cromwell as a person.

[@cherrytraveller5915]

He probably only missed Cromwell because of the revenue he brought in. Henry had no trust in the gentry as he knew they were loyal to their own estates and had money of their own. He liked people who had nothing because they would be loyal to him alone as he was their source of money

[@earm2804]

I read somewhere (don't remember where) that near his death Henry VIII admitted that he regretted it and that Ann was the wife he loved above all others. Any truth to this?

[@serahloeffelroberts9901]

He wanted to be buried next to Queen Jane.

[@karigirl3569]

I believe it went beyond Henry, although it ultimately came down to him. I think the nobles knew full well that the Boleyn clan as a whole would have been a nightmare for them and the country in a regency situation had anything happened to Henry. I firmly believe they were giving Henry his way and removing a significant threat to them and their power all at once.

[@cathryncampbell8555]

Another fascinating video, Claire: Thank you! I believe that Henry VIII, like his children, believed that his *anointed* status made him answerable only to God. Edith Piaf had a lovely song that translates as "No, I regret nothing," and Henry would have agreed fully with that sentiment.

[@pbohearn]

“Never complain, never explain.”

[@dalestaley5637]

H8 had no regrets. For all the reasons you listed. H8 had no regrets over anything he did. No narcissist does.

[@AndriaBieberDesigns]

Exactly!

[@sixeses]

Thanks again Claire.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Thank you!

[@klhaldane]

The blame has to lie on Henry. Nobody would have dared to accuse the Queen of any charge without his approval.

[@davideyre3756]

I think one aspect of Henry’s reign that is not considered is how tenuous his hold on the crown was. The royal court contained the country’s most powerful elite who would only have allegiance to the king for their own self promotion, but allegiances could easily shift if it suited . Henry learned from his farther, you keep your enemies close and It’s only through fear you keep them subdued . The royal court would of been a hotbed of plotting and gossip . If strong rumours persisted and began to grow around the court that undermined the king or made him look weak, then Henry knew he had no choice but to act, wether there was substance to the allegations or not . For to do nothing would be weakness indeed.

[@cindyrobinson3077]

Thank you for this!

[@dirgniflesuoh7950]

I always think that he felt Anne's death was a nessecity. Necessary to make his next marriage impeccable, and future sons definitely legitimate. Nobody would call Jane a concubine or his longed for, beloved son a bastard, with both first two wives anulled and dead.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes.

[@camhamster3891]

In the words of Lord Acton, absolute power corrupts, absolutely. I wonder what kind of king Arthur would have been.

[@chewyourmilk]

I always wonder that as well.

[@octavianpopescu4776]

I never agreed with that saying. Power doesn't corrupt, power is light, it reveals what was already there. People who are corrupt while in power were already corrupt before they got into power, it's just that for the public it's all news. But if you look in their past, you'll see traces of the corruption. For example, Nixon wasn't corrupted by being vice-president and president, he was corrupt before that. When he was a lawyer, a judge once told him he should be disbarred for his dishonest tactics. What he did later was merely a continuation of who he'd always been.

[@anneboleynfiles]

I think power can corrupt if you're already a person that is that way inclined.

[@martyal]

Henry did not look back to consider the effects of his actions. Anne was a bump in the road and nothing more.

[@SafetySpooon]

Could be that even henry KNEW that Anne's death out of all the others had no justification whatsoever. But probably not.

[@anneboleynfiles]

There were so very many that had no justification. His deeds were truly awful.

[@SafetySpooon]

@@anneboleynfiles You have a point. But I was thinking of the fact that he KNEW she was innocent.

[@michelleadams4728]

Clearly it was not her fault but the idiot that Henry was ...if he had not had the accident she would have given him a son...poor Anne, history will always remember her with love...him..not so much

[@alancumming6407]

Many thanks Claire for another interesting broadcast. I believe responsibility rests with Henry and I doubt he regretted any of his actions, preferring to label them as ' God's will'. It's also hard to imagine Henry would have voiced any regrets on his death bed regarding the fall of Anne Boleyn as it paved the way for the Seymour marriage and the longed for male heir.

[@leticiagarcia9025]

I think believe that he didn’t erred on his judgment and decisions. The man had traits of a narcissistic personality disorder. He was the God anointed King so there are no regrets. I do hope he remembered the 3 wives who died before he did.

[@christinesuccop1812]

Thanks Claire. I don't think he regretted anything.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Me neither.

[@AndriaBieberDesigns]

The only person he said he regretted killing was Cromwell. And he was a narcissist. He didn’t regret Anne because she didn’t hold up her end of the bargain.

[@MazMedazzaland]

Even as deep into ego and paranoia he was I don't think he thought she was guilty. He got Edward out of it, so surely third time lucky for understanding what God wanted? I think he might have regretted marrying Anne (I see him thinking 'if only she had been my mistress!), but I don't think he regretted killing her.

[@sg-ft4lr]

One of the best refutations story of this story i've ever heard.

[@Sabrinajaine]

I'd like to think that he had some conscience and felt some remorse for judicially murdering a woman he once loved, but realistically I doubt he did. He doesn't strike me as someone who would take any personal responsibility for anything.

[@Story-Voracious66]

Consciences were for *other* people in Henry's world. "No. I don't regret a thin!" He would have sung if he had somehow heard the strains of Edith Piaf drift through a crack in time. Thanks Calir. 💛

[@bctrissel]

The charges against Anne were absurd. Poor lady. She conducted herself with such courage and grace at the end. And no, I don’t think he had regrets until possibly his death bed.

[@UniqueInterpretations]

I think that by the time he died, Henry VIII had built up a pretty strong narrative in his head as to why the execution of Anne Boleyn was justified. If he did indeed come to believe that she had deceived him with witchcraft, then any positive memory of her would have become skewed anyway. He was probably never truly in love with her, but rather infatuated by what she had promised (an heir), and her failure to provide him with that heir probably left him feeling lied to and betrayed. Let's face it - Henry VIII would never have moved Heaven and Earth to be with Anne Boleyn if Catherine had given him at least one living son. And Anne Boleyn did indeed play a tactical game. She purposely resisted the King to make herself more interesting. It was a gamble she took, and it cost her her life. Had she slept with him, she might have given him a son like Bessie Blount did, and having the security of a spare bastard son and not being motivated by Anne to leave his wife, he might have stayed with Catherine until she died, only then marrying another princess. At the end of the day, Anne Boleyn was simply a "carrot" for Henry VIII, a carrot that literally didn't deliver. .

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, and he never took responsibility, did he?

[@cplmpcocptcl6306]

Excellent comment.👍🏻

[@aryaunderfoot2007]

I agree. Henry VIII was too caught up in his "divine right of kings" to think anything he did was unjust. His statement that God would forgive worse than he had done, really speaks to that, as does his blame of the privy council for Sir Thomas More's execution.

[@The_Leftysaurus]

I do wonder sometimes if he missed in particular Katherine (of Aragon) and Anne because I always felt like they were the ones he actually loved at some point. The others always seemed much more like either infatuation or convenience. You would think that there might have been moments at least where he might have hesitated or regretted them being gone forever, if only for a moment. Overall though, I would say I'm much more cynical and believe Henri was very much a man convinced of his own righteousness, which was probably also a product of his station and frankly the way everyone treated him from cradle to grave, but I can't help think that it must've also been part of his personality.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I think he loved both of them until the point that they defied them, then he seems to have been able to turn off his love.

[@BeeKool__113]

I don't think he regretted anything. As you said, he was God's anointed gold boy. He felt he was untouchable. And, everything he did, he did for the good of the realm. The dude was a narcissistic turd who felt he was without reproach. A great topic for a fantastic video!! ❤👑

[@nancyfleming8038]

malignant narcissist not capable of empathy unless it is for themselves. poor anne!

[@My2Monkeeys]

I don't believe for one millisecond that Henry regretted having Anne executed! Like you said Claire, "God" gave him the son he was so desperate for with Jane Seymour, so I am willing to bet the $3 dollars I have in my wallet, that Henry believed that he was right and justified having her executed!

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, me too!

[@dgcaz1]

I think that H8 wanted to cast her aside like his 1st wife, but did not want to go through the long drawn out process of divorce again. Especially with the humiliation of failing to get a son on Anne. Trumping up false allegations and executing her was much more expediant and permanent. Anne of Cleves dodged a bullet only because she was amiable to his demands and she came from a powerful family in her own right.

[@Thunderwing69]

Claire- could you do a video on the name Boleyn verses Bullen??

[@anneboleynfiles]

Here you go - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXS5i2BvotiMfMU

[@cheryllochhead4714]

I would just love to know where you got the lovely figurine of Ann Boleyn in your book unit behind you?

[@anneboleynfiles]

A friend gave it to me.

[@marysunflower2185]

Someone as arrogant and egotistical, and probably narcissistic, as Henry VIII seemed to be, probably never regretted anything. He probably had a rationalization for everything he did. I agree that he probably never really regretted anything he did. He felt he had God on his side, since he was king.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I think he truly believed that as God's anointed sovereign, he was doing God's will.

[@cherrytraveller5915]

Henry was in love with the idea of love and not the reality of an actual marriage. He was raised on tales of his grandparents and was in love with that idea of romance and being the shining knight come to save the woman in distress. You see it all through his reign. Even when he meet Anne of Cleves he was dressed as Robin Hood

[@elizabethsands4470]

Yes he did! She was his one and only true love. Too much passed between them. Sadly Queen Anne Boleyn did not give King Henry a live son but being both young, there was time. I think of Queen Anne Boleyn with sympathy, sadness and sorrow. She was a wonderful lady and did not deserve the fate bestowed upon her 😂😂 🥀🥀

[@deborahbrottmiller2948]

Did Henry actually do anything for his people?

[@octavianpopescu4776]

Yes, he did. He greatly expanded the Navy. He's seen as the father of the British Navy. He also took some measures to improve healthcare, but to be honest, for a guy who had a 38 year reign, that's just not enough. It's not even close to being enough. We talk about him so much today because of his wives, his break with Rome (also connected to his wives, he wouldn't have done it otherwise, it's not like he did it because of his deeply held beliefs and principles diverging from Catholicism) and his giant ego. If it weren't for his wives, we'd probably think about him as much as we think of Henry III.

[@anneboleynfiles]

He passed the throne on to his son successfully and without there being civil war.

[@cherrytraveller5915]

He brought a time of peace and the end of the wars of the roses

[@jenniferseals3642]

Henry died with no real regrets. I think he honestly loved Anne in the beginning, but then she was in the way at her death. I think he may have regretted losing her, but not killing her. Henry was a disturbed man. He had issues with women in his youth. His mother was very young, hid him for years, and constantly pumped up his ego and self esteem. So long story short, no regrets.

[@gypsydonovan]

I think he was dealing with depression and impotence at the time of the Cleves marriage, in addition to the leg wound and a probable tbi. We can't know what he was thinking but I think everything about the 1540 debacle to me suggests that 1536 & 1537 had caught up with him at a minimum at a subconscious level. The loss of his son & probably heir, the loss of his loyal wife/first love whom he knew he'd done wrong, the orchestrated murdered of Anne which was Cromwell's project but Henry went with it because it benefited him. Then a horrible accident leading to a permanent disability (an entire psychological adjustment anyone today would be given counseling to handle). Then the great joy he'd waited for, the birth of a healthy legitimate son, followed by the death of the mother. That would just feel like being mocked by fate. I think we forget the he went through all that, among other things, in a very short span, and psychological toll it would take on anyone. I wouldn't expect him capable of entering another serious relationship. Hence the failure of the Cleves marriage, followed by a stupid marriage to a perfect mistress. The Howard marriage never should have happened but her youth & lightness probably alleviated his depression & distracted him in a way a more serious marriage couldn't. Then, he killed her for being who she was when they met. I think he did start to recover while he was with her, I just wish she'd been a mistress. I think he was human. As much as he believed he was anointed by God he frequently questioned if he'd lost favor. I don't know if he had moments of regret & contemplation, but I do think he privately regretted what he'd done to both Catherine and Anne.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I think 1536 was an awful year for him.

[@Elizabeth-hc3mi]

I think the only person he regretted executing was Cromwell, and that's just because he realized he actually had to do stuff himself now.

[@jessiewhyte9729]

On his deathbed, Henry asked the archbishop if Christ could forgive even his sins. Therefore he was aware that he was a sinner. so yes I do think he regretted what he had done, and not just to Anne Boleyn. Henry was no worse than any other late medieval king.

[@vindictivetiger]

Did Anne Boleyn really have a choice in marrying Henry VIII? A subject couldn't deny their king, so she was pretty much painted into a corner--one in which she felt her only out was to demand to become queen instead of another mistress. One would think that demand would stop Henry in his tracks, being he had a living queen as a wife with no good Catholic reason to put her aside.

[@123canadagirl]

I think we will never know. If he felt bad he probably would’ve stopped executing so many people especially his wives. So I believe if he’d had regrets then Katherine Howard would not have been executed. So I don’t really believe it. But who knows only God.

[@JaneEasterbrook-bn3ux]

King's were supposed to never make errors so I doubt Henry would never admit he'd been wrong. I expect he would think that otherwise he would be seen as weak??

[@ladyv5655]

I think Henry was what we would now call a narcissist. Narcissists rarely admit to any wrongdoing.

[@jackdoe4632]

Yes, Henry VIII was mortal and had a sense of God. William Tyndale prayed for the king's eyes to be opened, his last words. Henry feared being cast into the lake of fire of eternal punishment for his soul.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Oh he definitely did, but I also think he was convinced he was doing God's will.

[@glorialange6446]

Any deathbed repentance is suspect... God will judge, if it even happened... I think Henry probably thought that as king he could do no wrong and justified all actions in his own mind. If he did regret anything I would say he kept that regret tightly leashed and private.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I don't think he'd have said it out loud even if he thought it.

[@lauramason5667]

Henry did what he did for two reasons . 1) He had the power to do so. 2) in his mind he needed to... Everything he did which hurt or executed people was carried out to secure his power and the future of the Tudor Line. Monarchy comes first, even before family and friends. His conscience lay there, first and foremost.

[@pamelaoliver8442]

I think its very difficult to judge how one would feel knowing the end is coming. Im sure the saying " no atheists in a foxhole"... I'd liken Henry to that thought at the end perhaps.

[@michellerhodes9910]

I am glad that history has given Anne the justice she deserves. It was or so it seems to me nothing short of a pretend trial with only one outcome possible. Henry was I do believe haunted by the fears of the Wars of the Roses (very recent history to him), and the fact that women had never been acceptable before as heads of state. That Mary or Elizabeth could have been acknowledged peaceably as queens may never have crossed his mind.

[@randyherbrechtsmeier9769]

Well I made it wt a Quadrupled Bypass. I'm on the meand. Thanks Younglady

[@anneboleynfiles]

Oh wow! Sending get well wishes.

[@aprildoucette9552]

Your videos are always so interesting! I would have to agree that he wouldn't have regretted anything and felt justified.

[@SF-ru3lp]

Knowing what I now know about narcissists, I believe that Henry was a narcissist. Narcissists don't 'do' regret, because in regret is some 'nod' to admission of guilt and they don't ever admit being wrong. G Ire

[@Pharoset]

Have you ever considered that if you were able to sit and eat lunch with Anne Boleyn, she might disappoint you? Meeting one's idol can be a let-down when the fantasy and the reality don't jibe.

[@pamelaoliver8442]

I think it's dangerous to idolize anyone. We're all human and flawed. Best to admire from afar. I also assume, if we had lunch, she probably wouldn't like me. She was rather aware of her status.

[@camhamster3891]

She might just as well have been charming and stimulating, as she was known to be. I think it's safe to assume that people had affinity for one anothers' company back then, or not, just as they do now.

[@octavianpopescu4776]

As someone who's not an Anne Boleyn fan, I do think she's a bit overrated. Based on what I know of her, she wasn't exactly a nice person. I see her as a person who played the game of thrones and lost. Sure, she was smart and educated... but she wasn't unique in this regard. There were plenty of other women like her around that time (e.g. Catherine Parr, Mary Shelton, Katherine Willoughby). They weren't exactly submissive housemaids, only blinking when men allowed them, as some people think women were in the past. Anne's tragedy is what makes her memorable. Tragedy and downfalls fascinate and lives cut short in their youth even more so, because there's a lot of room for speculation, what ifs and lost potential.

[@wengercleopatra2150]

@@octavianpopescu4776she’s overrated but I don’t think she was evil

[@octavianpopescu4776]

@@wengercleopatra2150 Oh, absolutely. She definitely wasn't evil. Just because she played some political games doesn't make her evil. It was par for the course as part of the court. The entire court was engaging in gossip and scheming. You'd be eaten alive if you didn't.

[@Cypresssina]

As others have has said, Henry comes across as a narcissist. He was obsessed with Anne because he was hunting her and and enjoyed the game. It wasn't love. He probably didn't truly love anyone. He loved himself. Poor Anne probably thought he loved her though. She probably thought he would regret it one day.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I agree about the only person he truly loved being himself.

[@cherrytraveller5915]

He was in love with the idea of love rather than the actual person themselves.

[@beththingineverhad]

I don't think Henry had enough self awareness to regret any of his actions

[@gardyloo3093]

This is slightly off topic, but do you think there was any intended significance to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day being 19th May? 😲

[@anneboleynfiles]

No, I don't. I think they picked a date that was best for the families concerned and for the chapel.

[@marymcmahan5603]

Henry was a malignant narcissist. No regrets for anything.

[@anneboleynfiles]

Yes, I don't think he was a man of regret.

[@foryoutube3567]

Why would he regret an action that brought what he craved - a living male heir - the living embodiment of God's Grace? I think he believed Anne and the men were guilty. Remember, this is before psychoanalysis when any self-reflection would have religious rather than psychological frameworks. He wouldn't have had a framework to ask, "Am I projecting? Am I a narcissist who believes what benefits me rather than what is true?" even if he had that inclination, which I don't believe he had.

[@GeraldineBrown-pb7bi]

This man would b called sociopath today. These people don't regret. Always justify and blame others

[@carolrondou6161]

Henry never regretting anything he did. He set everything in motion to rid himself of an inconvenient wife. Cromwell was just a tool. I wonder what Anne would think if she could see us today.