Cardinal Campeggio's long awaited papal legation has arrived at court to decide with colleague-cardinal Thomas Wolsey on the royal request for divorce, claiming Catherine's first marriage to Henry's late elder brother nullified his. When Campeggio learns the king won't yield, he suggests an alternative: the queen could retire to a monastery, but only voluntarily, which she refuses, swearing in confessional she came as a virgin to Henry. Thomas Tallis proposes to his late lover Joan's sister Jane. Under Anne Boleyn's love spell, Henry sends bishops to tells the queen she's suspected of hating and conspiring against him, and grows angry at Wolsey's failure to persuade or threaten Campeggio, even sends Charles Brandon to Paris to question the French king Francis I about the true intentions of the emperor, pope and cardinal. Brandon also confirms to father Thomas Boleyn's party the time may be ripe to bring Wolsey down. When the legatine court finally assembles, the king states his case personally as a matter of justice, allegedly after 'his conscience' finally stopped him from keeping silent out of love for the queen. Wolsey simply brushes aside the queen's objections to the competence and objectivity of the court. After imploring justice and appealing to Henry kneeling at his feet, Catherine walks out, to public acclaim, royal fury and Wolsey's despair.
Episode rating
Cast of episode
- 78
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- Queen Catherine of Aragon
- Anne Boleyn
- Charles Brandon
- King Henry VIII
- Princess Margaret
- Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
- Sir Thomas More
- Thomas Cromwell
- Thomas Boleyn
- Anthony Knivert
- Norfolk
- Cardinal Campeggio
- King Francis I
- Thomas Tallis
- Hans Holbein
- Wolsey's Secretary
- Jane
- Joan
- Campeggio's Son
- Mendoza
- Bishop Wanham
- Bishop Tunstall
- Bishop Fisher
- Queen Claude
- Griffith Rhys
- Court Cryer
- Lady Anne Clifford
- Lady in Waiting
- Court Announcer
- Manuela - First Lady in waiting