Hever Castle to display prayer books owned by Henry VIII's wives

New research suggests both women owned a copy of the same Book of Hours, a popular scriptural prayerbook

Two prayer books belonging to two of Henry VIII's wives will be displayed together.

The books, owned by Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, will be put on show in a new exhibition at Hever Castle in Edenbridge, Kent - Anne's childhood home.

The exhibition aims to show the similarities between the two women who were often thought of as rivals.

New research suggests they both owned a copy of the same Book of Hours.

Catherine's book is currently on loan to the Kent castle from the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. It will be displayed alongside the one which belonged to Anne, already on display there.

Hever Castle near Edenbridge was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn

The book was produced in Paris by renowned French printer Germain Hardouyn in about 1527.

Kate McCaffrey, the castle's assistant curator, made the discovery as part of her research. She said the "link" between Catherine and Anne is the "inspiration" behind the exhibition.

"The similarities and differences of the two books, and the two queens who once owned them, will be celebrated", she added.

The exhibition, named Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers, aims to showcase the similarities between the two women, who were typically pitted against each other as love rivals.

King Henry VIII had been married to Catherine for over 20 years, but he started a relationship with Anne Boleyn, her lady in waiting, after she did not give him a male heir.

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