My dark haired love, I have heard tell you were sick and that other dark haired love of ours and myself miss you all the greater upon hearing this - tell me you have a physician who is good? For you should have all the best that there is in the world, my faithful duke.

(The Love Letters Of Henry Tudor, Anne Boleyn & Thomas Cromwell. This particular letter was written in 1540 when Cromwell had left to see to the business of his estates - Henry & Anne were clearly missing him)

"My love, my faithful duke I would that you were with me but if I needs must absent myself from my two dark haired loves then at least you are together - I know you will hold the kingdom and our children safe but I will worry for you both until I may return. "

(The Love Letters Of Henry Tudor, Anne Boleyn & Thomas Cromwell - this letter was written by Henry when he had left the regency in the hands of the Queen and Cromwell in his absence shortly after the birth of their seventh and eighth child)


Tom is softer in sleep - still as he never is awake with his dark curls soft against Henry's chest and one arm flung across to both Henry and Anne. Anne curls against him on her side - one hand upon the swell of her belly and the other holding Tom's with the braid of her hair falling across her shoulder.

It is the most perfect sight Henry has seen, the two he loves with all his heart and soul and he wonders at himself that he ever thought he could or would want to live without either of them, without this. That he ever took it for granted. But then the Lord has shown him the way "..and it is marvellous in my eyes" Henry finds himself saying softly, reverently. He cannot think this is a sin, not when such love has only bought joy and not just to them but to the kingdom though they know not why.

He had not begun the day before in such a state of mind - in fact he had been glad that Anne would not be attending the joust out of fear that it might harm the child she was carrying because it would mean that he could pay court to his sweet Jane without fear that Anne might stick her nose into his affairs.

Henry had had a dreamy smile upon his face at the thought of his sweet Guinevere - he would have made her his queen if only Anne was not carrying his son but he could at least wear his ladies favour and perhaps kiss her soft white hand. Perhaps Anne is popular (& in all fairness Henry thinks she is a beautiful and good Queen) but is it so wrong that Jane will have his heart - Anne just has to learn how it will be.

"Your majesty if I may speak frankly, as your friend" is not the response Henry expected to asking Thomas Cromwell if he would give up his rooms to the Seymours, but then his relationship with Thomas has never been what he expected (he has not asked Charles, who may be his oldest and most loyal friend but favours Anne and Henry also has no desire for Jane to incur more of the wrath of Charles' wife) but he gestures an assent for the other man to proceed.

"Majesty this will do no good for the reputation of the Lady Jane, who surely does not deserve such slanderous whispers when she has only sought to be a chaste love to your majesty. Further I would, as your friend, ask you if you would not carry the favour of your wife and Queen - for is she not carrying your child and should not all care be taken for her welfare? Would it not help her to know that you still care for her?"

For a moment Henry is tempted to strike Cromwell, to berate him for his insolence in speaking to his king in such a brazen way but he finds he cannot - for after all he permitted the man to speak frankly as his true friend and adviser and punishing the man for following Henry's command would be entirely unjust. More than that, Henry must admit that To...Cromwell is right.

Henry does ask Queen Anne for her favour but he also goes to beg a scrap of ribbon from the Lady Jane so he might wear it under his armour. The delay in going to Anne's rooms means that Henry misses his turn in the lists. He does however get there in time to see the man riding in his place fall to the ground with a sickening thud. Henry does look down to see that the ribbon that Jane had given him is sticky with blood - for a splinter from the shattered lance has ended up in his chest, for by going to find Jane to ask for her favour he has not yet put on his armour.

It is in that moment that there is a flash of revelation. The Lord is surely sending him a message for was it not Tom's advice and Anne's favour that saved him. There are people swarming around him, including Doctor Linacre who moves to treat the wound but Henry barely notices.

Henry is blinded by the weight of his own wrongs. He has neglected his true and beloved wife, his wife who is carrying their child and he has been in love with his Lord Privy Seal all these years. He loves them both and that love has saved him so it can be no sin. To not admit to it would be a worse sin, indeed.

As soon as he can Henry sprints towards Anne's rooms, hardly noticing the people behind him or a distraught Lady Jane. He finds Anne and Tom (his Anne, his Tom he says to himself) praying quietly together and gestures to Anne's ladies and the servants to leave with all haste. That's when he kisses them, apologies falling from his lips over and over again.


"Thomas, Prince of Wales & Duke of Cornwall was born in May 1536. Six other children (George Duke of York, William Duke of Somerset, Margaret (later Queen Marguerite of Denmark), Owen Duke of Kent & the twins Edmund (Duke of Somerset) and Philippa (Duchess of Lancaster)) followed - all of whom lived and thrived. Raised alongside their older sister Elizabeth who was given the title Duchess of Pembroke (after marrying Robert Dudley Elizabeth also became the Duchess of Northumberland) when Princess Mary became Duchess of Bavaria upon her marriage. The royal children were perhaps unusually close to their parents who took a hands on approach to their upbringing and were demonstrative and loving parents..."

(The Tudor Children: Henry, Anne, Thomas & Their Family, )

"It has now been confirmed for certain that several of Anne Boleyn & Henry VIII's children were fathered by Thomas Cromwell and that the three of them considered themselves a true family and a true and loving triad. This concrete evidence certainly explains the closeness of the Tudor Children to Thomas Cromwell and the way they clearly considered him another father as well as..."

(Dark Haired Loves: A Study Of A Tudor Triad)