On this day in history, 30th November 1529, St Andrew’s Day, the two women in King Henry VIII’s life got rather cross with him. Queen Catherine of Aragon, who was still Henry’s wife at this time, confronted the king regarding his treatment of her, which she said was causing her “the pains of Purgatory on earth”. After this tongue-lashing from Catherine, Henry sought comfort from his sweetheart Anne Boleyn only to get reproached by her for not handling Catherine in the right way!
Also on this day in history, 30th November 1601, Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, delivered her famous Golden Speech to the House of Commons, to address their concerns over England’s economic state of affairs. It was the last speech that she gave to Parliament, and in it she spoke of her position as queen and her love and respect for her realm and for her members of Parliament.
