Katharine of Aragon: Survey Results

Now, comments from those who support Katharine's decision not to accept the annulment:

‘She was a woman of conscience and devout faith and she could not possibly lie in order to have an easier life. She was a constant rock while all around her were shilly-shallying.’

‘Cannot fairly judge an event hundreds of years ago with standards of today including knowledge of how it ended. She followed her beliefs based on her upbringing, her religion and her heart.’

‘She was in the right just because he wanted something else does not mean she shouldn't stand her ground she did women proud.’

‘While it might have been easier for her if she had accepted the annulment, she knew they were married and stuck to her principles. This is why I admire her.’

‘Henry had been her husband for 23 years and he only just decided it wasn't lawful! I don't think so.’

‘If she wanted the easy way out the yes! But this woman was extremes pious and conditioned to think she was born to be Queen of England. For her to lie about the consummation with Arthur would go against her faith, and to willingly stand down go against what she thought she was born to do!’

‘She was legally married to Henry, the marriage sanctified by the Catholic Church, loved and revered by the people. Along comes her lady in waiting with whom her husband is 'in lust' and she is supposed to step down, or enter a convent, having already borne him six children? I think she had every right to stand her ground. The marriage was legal, consummated and binding.’

‘After twenty years, to say her marriage was not legal was an insult. It negated all the good works she had done as Queen Consort and made her loyalty and love over those years seem worthless. It was obviously expedient to Henry to have it seen as such; I think she showed true dignity and strength in maintaining her position on the annulment in face of intimidation and threats.’

‘She was fighting for her right to be queen and her daughter’s!! If I were in her place I would not have accepted either!! If she gave the ok for the annulment she would be basically sinning and sh would've made her daughter a bastard! Which ultimately Henry did but Catherine stuck by her beliefs and fought for her daughter’s future.’

‘It went against everything she believed in.’

‘She was his rightful wife and the rightful queen! #teamkatharine.’

‘Because if she hadn't fought she wouldn't be a true queen. A woman standing up to a man....let alone the king of England, was completely unheard of. Hundreds of years later she is still respected and admired.’

‘Henry was not asking for a divorce because he truly couldn't reconcile having wedded his brother's wife with his conscience. I believe he was transparent in the fact that he wanted to marry his new young mistress and beget a male heir. He had a living child by Katherine and he had waited years to finally try to get a divorce. Clearly his intentions were not genuine. If they were he would have asked for a divorce earlier on. Therefore it was Katherine's duty as a Catholic and a Queen to stand firm in rejecting any appeals for a divorce. She is not my favorite of the six wives of Henry VIII but nonetheless her insistence on standing her ground and the manner in which she did so was nothing short of admirable.’