Henry VIII is born on the 28th of June 1491. But he's never meant to be king in the first place. He's the spare heir living in the shadow of his older brother Prince Arthur. As the second son Henry is ignored by his father and instead raised by his loving mother in the protective female of Eltham Palace.

Henry VIII is now 41 years old. His first wife, Katherine of Aragon, has failed to provide him with a longed for son and heir. And he's becoming increasingly anxious about the future of his dynasty. He's banished Katherine from court, and is embroiled in an attempt to divorce her and marry his long term mistress; Ann Boleyn.

Henry VIII has been on the throne for 28 years and the once carefree prince has become a paranoid king, suspicious of everyone around him. He's divorced his first wife. He's executed his second, and his third wife has died after the birth of his only son. Now Henry is alone, and his controversial break with the Roman Catholic Church is making him unpopular.