Queen Katherine and the Howards: A Tudor Family on the Brink of Disaster

by Marilyn Roberts

Writings of certain nineteenth and twentieth-century historians continue to colour our perceptions of the past, but is the picture of Katherine Howard painted by some of them necessarily fair? Was she really a neglected young girl set up by an unscrupulous family to enable them to exercise control over Henry VIII, or a secure teenager brought up in the home of her illustrious step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, who treated her well? Ultimately, was her untimely death the fault of others or the result of Katherine’s own ill-advised choices?

Through original research and use of primary sources, Queen Katherine and the Howards: A Tudor Family on the Brink of Disaster examines the Howards’ journey from practising law in East Anglia to their elevation to the dukedom of Norfolk by Richard III and, following the Yorkist defeat at Bosworth, their decades of service and loyalty to the fledgling Tudor dynasty.

The final weeks of Katherine Howard’s short life, presented as a day-to-day narrative, enables the reader to appreciate how terrifyingly quickly the old duchess and Katherine’s associates, most involved against their wishes, were rounded up and consigned to the Tower for concealing what they knew of her lively past.

The last chapters examine how the third Duke of Norfolk, Katherine’s paternal uncle, although surviving the turmoil of the scandal and continuing in his roles as Lord Treasurer and Henry VIII’s leading general, remained highly vulnerable; he and his son eventually fell victim to the king’s deadly paranoia.

Genres: History

248 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2025

Reviews

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review - A comprehensive novel of the rise and falls of the Howard family. The research is excellent, yet the writing is a bit dry and rather academic. If you're unfamiliar with the major players from The War of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty, you may find this book overwhelming. For those interested in Katherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, this book is a must-read.

[Rebecca Batley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased that the author clearly and quickly acknowledges the limits of the source material, especially in relation to Katherine’s early life, and where she makes educated suppositions she makes this clear. Likewise I was very pleased to see that she uses endnotes and references the source material which she does use. It is therefore clear that the author takes a clear and professional approach to her research and writing.
This book places Katherine within the wider Tudor world and in the context of her family and their ambitions. One of my favourite sessions in the first half of the book deals with the Act of Supremacy and the Carthusian Order. The author details Low Melwood Priory and uses it, and the monks which set out under Prior Augustine Webster, for London to speak with Cromwell, as a kind of microcosm for the whole Reformation and it is a brilliant approach. It makes the Reformation feel very personal and the danger these men were in, immediate.

The gossipy Chapys also takes centre stage, with the author making good use of his relationship with the Norfolks, and his comments on the Duke of Norfolk, are always entertaining in their often pithy sarcasm.

Katherine Howard herself features more prominently as the book progresses and the full details of her fall are related. It, as always, makes for uncomfortable reading as we ‘hear’ the people around her whispering and clamouring to save their own skins. The dilemma facing less well known characters such as John Lascelles in this respect are well related and very interesting. Other men such as Odet de Selve feature only briefly but the inclusion of such details and such characters really help to bring Katherines story to life for the reader, and again the use of references means that the veracity of the authors claims can be both checked in the source material and used for further study.

Chapter 31, which deals with the accusation that the Howards “had traitorously flouted the rules of heraldry,” is all very interesting and it details what might seem to be a very minor, but would prove to be a crucially important accusation. This is an aspect of Howard history often overlooked and I found it a very interesting piece of scholarship.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and I think it is probably the best book I have read on Katherine Howard and her world. IfI had one tiny complaint is that sometimes the author's use of ‘modern’ informal language on occasion jars a bit, but that is only a minor niggle.
The book is published on the 30th January and I would urge anyone interested in Katherine Howard to buy it.

[Christine Cazeneuve]

I have read other biographies on Queen Katherine but this is the most complete history of her life and her families that I have ever read. The author has written it in a way that is informative, colorful, truthful and never dry (which is sometimes hard to do with any biography). In my opinion, the author presents Katherine honestly and erases a lot of the misconceptions that history and historical fiction novels and television has cast upon her. A must read for any Tudor fan or anyone who loves reading about English monarchy history. Comes with pictures which is always a bonus for me. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Queen Katherine & the Howards' no, not a Tudor folk singing group but a look at the true stories behind some of the infamous characters of Henry VIII's reign. Was Katherine Howard a forward minx or a young girl who unfortunately caught the attention of the one man she couldn't refuse? To what extent was Lady Rochford involved in Katherine's indiscretions whilst married to Henry? Knowing Henry's temper & vengeful nature, & that very little passed unseen in the Tudor court, why were Katherine, Dereham, & Culpeper so indiscreet?

This book is a well-researched look at the Howard family & those around them. I found the first few chapters a little hard-going, wrapping my head around the numerous early Howards & their connections to other families with who married who & when. Later on though, the arc of their relatively low beginnings, their rise to become one of the most important families & then on the cusp of greatness losing it all, was a fascinating read. This book also sets out to clear up some misapprehensions including those about the dowager Duchess of Norfolk, Agnes Howard, who has been blamed for letting Katherine run wild as a teen. I love the fact that even though hundreds of books have been written about the Tudors, authors still find new angles & shed new light on what we thought we knew as fact. Rating: 4 stars - really liked this one.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Pen & Sword Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I was drawn to this book because my introduction to history as a child was the Tudors. Since that time I have primarily focused on Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Anne Boleyn. This is the first book I have ever read where Katherine Howard is the focus apart from Henry VIII's other wives, which is wild given how frequently I read on the subject.

Overall, this is a great introduction to Katherine. Roberts does an excellent job portraying the world and people with which Katherine lived and interacted. However, I do feel that this book would have been better served by the title: The Downfall of the Howards. Due to the importance of the Howards generally, and the Duke of Norfolk specifically, during the Tudor dynasty, this is an important book for understanding the brutality of the Tudor court.

Furthermore, most of the facts concerning Katherine directly are related to her time as Queen and her brutal murder. So, the way that Roberts discusses the family spends more time on other important players. I enjoyed the discussion of Duchess Agnes throughout the book and feel that Roberts brought to life this complex woman who was ruined by Katherine's downfall. Additionally, the way that Roberts outlines the evidence in Katherine's case is fascinating. It interweaves the stories of Katherine with those of her family and creates a sense of dread and horror for the main actors during this period.

Roberts' adept discussion of Katherine's downfall highlighted the differences between her trial and her cousin Anne Boleyn. I love it when a historian introduces new (to me) information and makes me think about the subject in an entirely new way.

I also found the discussion of the Earl of Surrey's downfall fascinating. I was completely unaware of the details of the case and always thought that he was charged with the heraldry that he was using.

If you would like to learn about the dynamics and impact of this influential Tudor family, I highly recommend this book. Roberts interweaves many first-hand sources that bring to life the Howards in an entertaining and interesting way.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of a parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

R248 pages

5 stars

Although very little is known about Katherine Howard’s early life, not even her birthdate is absolutely known, Ms. Roberts has pieced together a comprehensive portrait of the young Queen’s life.

Aging, ailing and obese, King Henry VIII fell hard for the charming, somewhat immature Katherine. She was an attractive teenager. Perhaps he was trying to recapture his youth and athleticism.

Katherine’s step-grandmother, Agnes, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk was ostensibly her caretaker and protector. Katherine lived in a dormitory-type setting with several other young women. There were also men and boys in the residence. This is where Katherine’s reputation suffered. Whether Agnes did not notice, was careless or perhaps duped, Katherine got into all sorts of dangerous situations with the men of the residence. Her very reputation was at stake.

When she caught Henry’s eye, nothing about Katherine’s past was revealed to the King or his court.

When the story was told to a relative of one of the young women who lived with Katherine, the relative felt duty bound to report it.

Initially, King Henry disbelieved the report, but ordered Archbishop Cranmer and others to question Katherine and as the story expanded, they also questioned the men involved. The scandal spread to several men.

Henry was livid.

A fact I found interesting is the vitriol Henry poured in the Howard family. The Duke of Norfolk was a loyal and excellent soldier. Agnes, perhaps naive, was loyal to the crown. Perhaps she believed that if she claimed to have turned a blind eye, she would be safe. Although she did go through Francis Dereham’s belongings, and might have gotten rid of some of his things. I don’t understand why Henry hit the Norfolk/Howard family so hard.

Ms. Roberts covers the investigation, Katherine’s stories, Culpeper, Dereham and Mannox’ interrogations, torture and Culpeper and Dereham’s horrible ends.

This is a very good and comprehensive (as far as Ms. Robert’s was able), telling of the story of Katherine Howard’s brief life and death. It is easy to read and accessible for all ages. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves Tudor history, medieval history or the lives of Kings and Queens.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkably good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

[Stefani Riker · Rating 3 out of 5]

tl;dr: “Queen Katherine and the Howards” offers a richly detailed exploration of Katherine Howard’s life and the political web that surrounded her, but its academic tone may make it a better fit for historians or dedicated enthusiasts than for the average reader.

Marilyn Roberts’ “Queen Katherine and the Howards” dives into the complex, tumultuous world of Tudor England, focusing on Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s ill-fated fifth wife. As someone who enjoys British history but has limited knowledge beyond an American perspective, I found the book both enlightening and challenging.

The story of Katherine Howard—only 17 when she married a nearly 50-year-old Henry VIII—is tragic and fascinating. I didn’t realize Katherine was not only Anne Boleyn’s first cousin but also a third cousin to Jane Seymour, further illustrating how intertwined the Howard family was with Henry’s court. This proximity to the king, however, was less a privilege and more a high-stakes gamble. Roberts does an excellent job capturing the treacherous environment where alliances could turn deadly, and treason was a charge leveled for reasons as arbitrary as loving the wrong person or supporting the wrong queen.

While the book is impressively well-researched, it’s not the easiest read for someone without a solid grounding in Tudor history. The prose feels like an academic lecture, dense with detail and assuming a level of familiarity with the period that I didn’t quite have. At times, I struggled to follow the intricacies of the political and familial connections, which made the narrative less engaging than it could have been. The random repetition of events in various sections adds to the overall unwieldy narrative.

That said, Roberts’ meticulous attention to historical accuracy is evident, and for readers with a strong background in Tudor history—or a willingness to do some supplementary research—it’s a treasure trove of information. For casual history buffs like me, however, it may feel cumbersome and a bit inaccessible.

My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review..

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katherine was a member of the powerful Howard family, albeit a junior branch with little fortune. Her father, Edmund Howard, was a younger son of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, who served four monarchs. This made Katherine the niece of the Duke of Norfolk, one of the most powerful noblemen in England. Her mother was Joyce (or Jocasta), Legh, daughter of Sir Richard Culpeper.
Katherine had numerous siblings and half-siblings. Katherine was the first cousin of Anne Boleyn. Her father was the brother of Anne’s mother. She was also second cousin to Jane Seymour – her grandmother Elizabeth Tilney was the sister of Jane’s grandmother Anne Say. Katherine’s mother died when she was young, and Catherine was brought up by her father’s stepmother, Agnes Tilney, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk at Chesworth House near Horsham, Sussex, and at Norfolk House, Lambeth, in London. Agnes was later blamed with failing to guard Katherine's honour.

The Howard family was founded by John Howard, who was created Duke of Norfolk (third creation) by King Richard III of England in 1483.After the English Reformation, many Howards remained steadfast in their Catholic faith as the most high-profile recusant family. Four members of the family in a row fell from grace or were convicted and imprisoned because of their Catholic beliefs and involvement in machinations.

Besides holding the title of Duke of Norfolk, they also held the titles of Earl of Arundel, Earl of Surrey and Earl of Norfolk, as well as holding six baronies. The Arundel title was inherited in 1580, when the Howards became the genealogical successors to the paternally extinct FitzAlans.
John Howard fought to the death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in defence of the cause for the House of York. The Howards regained favour with the new Tudor dynasty after leading a defence of England from the Scottish invasion at the Battle of Flodden, and Katherine Howard subsequently became the fifth wife and Queen consort to King Henry VIII.

Katherine Howard's life ended tragically when her premarital and extramarital sexual exploits with Henry Manox, Francis Dereham, and Thomas Culpeper became known.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book details not only the life of Katherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, but her relatives, both her ancestors and those that survived her. I picked it up mainly because I was interested in her family and I was hoping for a more balanced take on Katherine herself.

This book did a good job on both counts. We start with the history of the Howards as a family and how they became Dukes of Norfolk, and then we go into Katherine's story, but always with an eye on events happening around her and what her relatives are up to. There is particular focus on the third Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard, who was uncle to both Katherine and Anne Boleyn. Thomas Howard manages to survive everything his family goes through and it's quite incredible following his life story. We also get a lot about Katherine's step-grandmother Agnes, and, after Katherine's execution, a potted history of Thomas Howard's son the Earl of Surrey.

I really enjoyed learning more about the Howards as a family and reading about their whole story. I also liked the author's take on Katherine. She presents her neither as a helpless victim nor a vicious wanton, but instead as a young girl who was rather foolish in her actions. I felt that was the balanced take I was looking for. The problem with Katherine's story is you look to blame someone and in trying to excuse one person you end up throwing all blame on another. The author of this book is definitely slightly Team Agnes, excusing her of any negligence in taking care of Katherine: I'm not sure I entirely agreed with her conclusions but it was a new take and that's what I'm looking for when I read a history.

Overall this was very informative and enjoyable and definitely a good fit for Tudor fans or those looking for a biography of the Howards. It benefits from being read along with another book about Katherine Howard just for the slightly different take.

I'd like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Howards have always been a Tudor family that have fascinated me and I've long wanted to know more about Katherine Howard. She seemed like such an outlier among the family- how did she fit in to it? Were the accusations against her accurate or, like her cousin Anne Boleyn, political and fabircated to take down her family? How did her uncle manage to stay loyal to Henry VIII while sentencing so many of his family to death?

Marilyn Roberts' new book is a brilliant piece of research in answering these and other questions I didn't even know I had. She uses source materials, points out where the lack of source material leads to speculation, and explains where Victorian writers created many of the popular myths that became accepted as 'facts' to this day- like Katherine running down the hall at Hampton Court to get to Henry but being stopped and dragged back to be imprisoned in her rooms (her ghost doing is said to do that to this day).

The Dowager Duchess Agnes Howard, who would be accused of neglecting Katherine and allowing her to run wild as a teen, gets a lot of attention here and I thought got very fair treatment. Agnes comes across as an impressive woman, as does her daughter Katherine, Countess Bridgewater. The women in the Howard family were clearly strong, intelligent, politically savvy, and this book highlights them at least as much as it does the men- which I loved.

This is a book that will probably appeal to those who already know something about Queen Katherine, the Howards, and the Tudor period more than it will someone jumping into the time period for the first time. For those ready to dig into the Howard family's power, influence, and road to disaster under Henry VIII, this is the perfect book. Excellent research and writing, and I'm already looking forward to checking out some of the books in the bibliography for more reading!

I received a DRC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this brilliantly written history of Katherine Howard and the Howard Dukes of Norfolk, Marilyn Roberts brings the history behind Henry VIII’s fifth wife and her politically powerful family to life. Exploring the family’s rise to nobility and power in fifteenth and sixteenth century England and the life of Katherine Howard and her doomed reign as Queen of England, this book brings original research and primary sources into the conversation to discover the significance of this young woman and her political connections and the eventual fall from grace of Katherine and her relatives. With an incredible amount of historical research and some fascinating primary documents from the sixteenth century present throughout this book, Roberts has used her historical knowledge and expertise to develop this immersive and interesting text. The different sections and storylines brilliantly combine to bring the Howards’ historical significance to the forefront of the book, and Roberts keeps all of the historical figures separate and easy to identify. The different sections within the book outline different elements within the Howard family history that really make the family’s rise and fall apparent, and the chapters really break down the history into manageable chunks that readers and Tudor fans will love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advance copy.

[Jamie Fortier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry the 8th, the war of roses, his wives and all things that go on during this time are ones that I love to learn about. Catherine Howard was a young girl, manipulated, persuaded, forced into a marriage that would serve to allow her family to gain prosperity, but eventually it would cost her her life. I enjoyed being able to learn more about this momentary queen. It is all too often that she is just kind of pushed under the rug or casual mention of her and what happened with her but rarely do you get a more of a raw in depth look. Being able to see how the rumors changed and surrounded her, how easily the walls closed in and the greed of the family was heartbreaking at times. I just wanted to help her stop and see before her tragic end.

Although the book does not just cover the queen and her time as consort. You’re able to see a good amount of what led her to become who and how she was, the rise and the fall and the drive behind the Howard family and how it all came into being. If you go into reading this book, not knowing much about the time. Or about the Howard’s then there is so much to learn and gain. The book is about more than just a temporary queen, but also about the family and how messed up, hungry for all the court could offer and the expandability of different members authorize in the court of Henry the eighth.

[Shannan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marilyn Roberts gives us a detailed background of the Howard Family before focusing on Katherine. With limited material on the early life of Katherine, she weaves in what life was like for a person of her station. This book was very readable and not too dense like most academic books. Most books I have read on Katherine and her family focus on the Tudors. This is an intimate look at a misunderstood Queen. After reading this, I still feel sorry for her because she was led into marrying a man she was not attracted to, and she had no control over who she could marry. Her naivety and lack of education led to her downfall. There are various portraits of the Howard family throughout. This is a book to add to a Tudor book collection. Very well researched and organized. Thank you, Pen and Sword, for this opportunity.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explores the exploits of the Howard family during the Wars of the Roses and the Tudor era. It re-examines the life and death of Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, challenging conventional narratives and using primary sources to explore her family’s history, her own choices, and the political machinations that led to her execution.

Worth reading and easy to understand, this book has more breadth than depth. I wish it had assumed that the reader has a basic understanding of the historical era and had focused more on the Howard family themselves. Still, I learned a great deal about the Howards and Queen Katherine.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of information in this book. I enjoyed reading about the Howards as a whole rather than focusing simply on the time Katherine spent at court and as Queen. This is a great introduction to not only the Howards but also is great for someone wanting to learn more about the politics and peoples of the time period.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Marilyn Roberts titles her book Queen Katherine and the Howards, you will find Katherine but briefly covered in it. Like most of history, the men of the Howard family take centerstage in this book with the women being pushed to the background. Because of how history has documented the lives of women, including royal women, more often than not, authors do not find themselves with a lot of documentation to work with. Such as with Katherine, not only do we not even know her birthdate or how old she was when she married Henry VIII, we don't even have a confirm portrait of her likeness.

Robert's works with what information she has regarding the young tragic queen, and her female Howard relatives, but for the men she does also cover some new perspectives with how they were portrayed. It is definitely worth adding to your collection if you are Tudor history fan, or even just a history fan.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

3/5 stars.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Marilyn Roberts digs deep into the entire Howard clan, putting Katherine in context of her crazy soap-opera worthy family.

For starters, her father, Edmund Howard, never had an opportunity he couldn't screw up royally. It technically is a tragedy that he did so poorly in life, but something about the way things went so bad - the only loser at the successful Battle of Flodden, angering Henry VIII by daring to beat him at jousting, being told he would be useless in the New World, and pissing the bed so bad his wife beat him, all come off as ridiculous and comic.

And there's there drama of the Dukes themselves - constantly swinging back and forth from highest courtier in the land to the Tower and back again, over and over throughout the Tudor era. All of their closes family are part of the drama, as we follow along with what part wives, mistresses, children and in-laws played in these dramas.

Katherine herself gets the spotlight as we follow in real time with close detail how she went from nothing to queen to the block. Marilyn Roberts digs deep into the interrogation records to get everyone's voice- the ladies, the maids, the servants, the stable hands, the courtiers - who were swept up in the investigation and many locked up for what they possibly knew - a fascinating detail that is often overlooked as most historians focus just on Katherine Howard and Jane Rochford.

After those two meet their ends, the book keeps going, showing just what happened to all those other people tainted by the same brush. And then goes even further, showing the further ups and downs of the Howard family, making it quite clear they can't put all the blame for their troubles on their Howard queens.

An excellent biography of Katherine Howard and a great family biography of the Howards.