Just a very quick intro today, which is to give my usual, yet still, heartfelt thanks to all of my patrons on Patreon.

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Hello, and welcome to the Queens of England podcast.

Episode 54, Catherine Parr, the Reluctant Queen.

Music Quintent Queen. Plenty of women have become Queen of England against their will.

Very few of them even had a say in the matter,

particularly those from abroad. Some were too young to have been able to give them consent,

even if they had been asked. So Catherine Power was far from unprecedented in becoming a reluctant queen. Like most of her predecessors, though, she didn't wallow in self-pity,

and resolved to make the best of it. Indeed, if Queen she must be,

then she wanted to take full advantage. Her first task was to surround herself with friends and allies.

These included many people whom we have already met. Her sister Anne and step-daughter Margaret

were given prominent positions among her ladies in waiting,

...