Katherine Parr, Regent of England

Katherine Parr, that much overlooked Queen of England, was at the height of her power in July 1544. As she approached the first anniversary of her marriage to Henry VIII, Katherine wasn't just consort. Her husband had headed to France for one last attempt at military glory and the person he chose to rule in his place during his absence was his wife. Katherine was now Regent of England.

Henry VIII wasn't going to let ill health get in the way of a tilt at glory

Henry's expedition took shape in the early summer of 1544 in support of his new alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, nephew of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. After a tumultuous time when their relations had soured considerably, Henry and Charles were now aligned against the French king, Francis I. The Tudor monarch was ill and increasingly inhibited by his always ballooning weight as well as sores on his legs. However, he headed to the north of France to fight and left Katherine in charge, an honour he had only bestowed on one other queen, Catherine of Aragon.

Catherine of Aragon passed on her name to Katherine Parr who would also follow in her footsteps as Queen of England and Regent

Like the woman she was most likely named after, Katherine Parr took on the role with relish. She had a sharp brain and a mind for politics, rather like Henry's second wife Anne Boleyn. But unlike Anne, and really rather like Catherine of Aragon, she was also skilled in diplomacy and making loyal alliances. The regency council, already sympathetic to her, flourished under her careful leadership.

Katherine Parr, Queen of England, had no problem in shaping her Regency Council to her will

Katherine, like Catherine before her, had no intention of being an ornamental makeshift leader. She embraced the role with enthusiasm and in her time in charge, she signed five royal proclamations and took a strong lead in managing the royal household and finances. She was also faced with the ongoing unrest between England and Scotland and kept a close hold on that with constant contact with royal representatives in the north of the kingdom. She was also smart enough to make sure Henry was kept informed of everything, writing him long letters about his realm as well as expressive declarations of admiration and love. Katherine was a queen completely in control.

Katherine Parr, Queen and Regent of England

She was also the last Queen of England to be named that country's regent. Over five hundred years later, no consort has matched her by taking on that role. Henry clearly believed that she, of all those who surrounded him in his later years, was the best suited to the role and she proved him right. July is a month to celebrate Katherine Parr, Queen and Regent of England.