She learned important household skills, embroidery, and from the age of about twelve began receiving music lessons. Like Jane Seymour, Katherine's education was far more typical of her class and status. Yes, she did not receive an international education in the courts of Europe like her cousin Anne Boleyn, nor did she receive the royal education accorded to the European princesses Katherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves, nor did her mother provide a humanist education for her like that entitled to Katherine Parr. There is nothing to indicate that Katherine was 'intellectually inferior', even 'stupid'.

But is there any historical evidence to back up this prevailing view of Katherine? In her novel The Boleyn Inheritance (2006), bestselling novelist Philippa Gregory portrayed Katherine as dull and stupid, thinking of nothing but herself. In an article about faction at Henry's court (2012), historian John Matusiak rather insultingly suggested that she had 'puppy fat for brains'. Many people, including some academic historians, seriously continue to believe that Katherine Howard was intellectually inferior to Henry VIII's other wives, some going so far to call her 'stupid', 'dim', or 'empty-headed'. In this article, I will explore some of the most common misconceptions about Katherine, and hopefully show why they are wrong, while offering a likelier interpretation. Some of them are quite minor, but others are seriously major, and this is quite disturbing, for it means that the prevailing view of her is very far from the truth. Many misconceptions exist about Queen Katherine Howard, and I have uncovered more and more of them in the course of my research on her life.

Tamzin Merchant as Katherine Howard (right), encouraging the view of her as a fun-loving, empty-headed teenager. Above: Portrait of an unknown woman, possibly Katherine Howard.

Katheryn Howard by Alison Weir