Catherine & Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers

For centuries Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn have been pitted against each other as love rivals with their differences celebrated. Hever Castle’s new exhibition (which runs from 8 February 2023 to 10 November 2023), showcases the similarities between Catherine & Anne and through new research shows that Catherine owned the very same copy of the prayer book that Anne had.

From Wednesday 8 February 2023 (until 4 June 2023) a 1527 prayer book belonging to Catherine of Aragon on loan from The Morgan Library in New York will be available for visitors to see alongside the 1527 Book of Hours which belonged to Anne Boleyn, already on display in the Castle.

Therefore, for the first time in 500 years two prayer books belonging to two of Henry VIII’s wives will be reunited and displayed together at Hever Castle.

Along with the Book of Hours, visitors can see a previously unexhibited panel portrait of Catherine of Aragon and replicas of the coronation robes and crown of Elizabeth I and Mary I which may also have been used by Catherine & Anne at their coronations.