My Nephew, My King

Sir Loyal Heart

January 31, 1510

This time Katherine knew what was happening, as she'd been through it before. Yet this time she wasn't alone. This time her husband waited just outside her bedchamber for news of the birth.

As the contractions became stronger and closer together, Katherine tried to relax and gather her strength for the task she knew was ahead of her. Finally it was time to push the baby out. Katherine, groaning with effort, bore down as hard as she could, over and over again. Finally the baby's head emerged and was soon followed by the rest of its body. Katherine heard a moment of silence, followed by the wail of a healthy newborn.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" the midwife exclaimed. "You have a daughter!"

Katherine felt a thrill of joy run through her body. Secretly, she'd always longed for a daughter. Yet how would Henry react? She knew how badly he'd wanted a son. Would he be disappointed in her?

The baby was cleaned, wrapped in a blanket, and handed to Katherine, who clutched the newborn to her breast and looked into her unfocused eyes in her tiny, red, wrinkled face. How could anyone not simply adore you? she thought.

The next thing she knew, Henry had entered her bedchamber and was standing beside her bed, smiling and looking down at his new daughter.

"Would you like to hold her?" Katherine asked him. He nodded and took the baby from her.

"I'd like to name her Joanna, for my sister, if that's all right with you," Katherine said hesitantly.

"That's fine." Henry nodded quickly.

Young Arthur was brought in to see his new sister.

"She's so tiny!" he exclaimed.

"You were this tiny too, right after you were born," his mother told him.

"And since I'm the King, she'll be Queen, right?"

Henry and Katherine both laughed. "No, she's just a princess," Henry told his nephew.

Little Joanna grew to be a bright, happy baby. Her parents and older brother adored her, and she was soon the darling of everyone who knew her.

Within months, Katherine was pregnant again, and on January 1, 1511, her second son was born.

Katherine saw the look of utter joy on her husband's face and felt tremendously relieved.

"He shall be called Henry," Henry announced.

A lavish christening was held on January 5, followed by a tournament at Westminster, in which Henry rode under the banner of "Sir Loyal Heart."

For almost two months, Henry and Katherine were on top of the world. The young wife and mother came to believe that nothing would ever mar her happiness again.

Then one morning in late February, Katherine awakened with the feeling that something wasn't quite right. As she placed a hand on the body of her sleeping infant son, a sharp feeling of alarm ripped through her.