Henry is proud of Catherine, his beautiful, vivacious seventeen year old wife, who buys silence from an old friend by making her a member of the court.

Joan Bulmer confides the Queen's sexual history to Lady Rochford who tells it to Culpepper and arranges for him to have a liaison with the neglected Catherine.

While Henry prepares for a politically important trip to meet the defeated Northern rebels, Queen Catherine carries on her passionate affair with Culpepper.

Catherine's buys the silence of an indiscreet former lover with a position in her chamber as her affair with Culpepper becomes more tempestuous.

After receiving a letter from an anonymous source the King decides to investigate the accusation that two other men knew Catherine 'carnally' while she was under the service of the Dowager Duchess, and he confines his Queen to her apartments with only Lady Rochford.

Henry allows Bishop Gardner a free rein in rooting out heretics and sets his eyes on the soon-to-be-widowed Catherine Parr.

After leaving wife Catherine as regent, a bellicose Henry invades France and lays siege to Boulogne in an attempt to regain his French provinces.

Although Henry does take Boulogne, his troops are decimated by dysentery while back in England the Queen arranges to give Edward a tutor with Lutheran beliefs.

Surrey plots treason after being relieved of command, and as Bishop Gardiner's inquisition proceeds, it comes closer and closer to the Queen.

As Henry's health deteriorates, he grows introspective as various factions in the court try to position themselves for the seemingly inevitable succession.