For too long, Catherine Parr (1512–1548) has been regarded as merely the survivor of Henry VIII of England – the 'survived' of the famous rhyme – but her life and accomplishments as a truly remarkable woman deserve far more attention.

The recent movie Firebrand starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law – based on Elizabeth Fremantle's novel Queen's Gambit – perhaps offers a more rounded view of Henry's sixth and final wife. It presents her as a fighter, and even controversially as a murderer, a depiction that has sparked significant debate among Tudor enthusiasts.

While there is no evidence to support the dramatic claim that Catherine smothered the king, her life was undeniably intriguing, and the decisions she made positioned her as an extraordinary woman of her time.

Catherine Parr had two husbands before marrying Henry VIII (Sir Edward Burgh and John Neville), gaining experience as both a stepmother and a dutiful wife. Yet, she yearned for more – not in pursuit of glory, but more for intellectual purposes.

Catherine's union with Henry VIII in July 1543 marked a significant shift in her life, not just because she became queen, but because it gave her a platform to pursue her ambitions. Few of her portraits depict her in extravagant attire, though this one from the National Portrait Gallery conveys royalty combined with creativity.

Here, Catherine looks pious and serious, but also thoughtful – clearly, a woman with much more to offer than mere obedience to a king who had already been married five times.

Interestingly, a modern copy of this portrait was painted in 1982 with much darker colours, portraying the queen with less panache than the original.

Katherine Parr (1512–1548), Queen Consort to Henry VIII

Queen Catherine was a woman of intellect and eloquence, distinguished by her sharp wit and her skill with words. In 1544, she published her first book, Psalms or Prayers, but it was the following year that she boldly published her second book, Prayers or Meditations, under her own name. After Henry VIII's death, she went on to release her third book, The Lamentation of a Sinner.

Unfortunately, her boldness in writing about her Protestant faith led to trouble. In the spring of 1546, a warrant for her arrest was issued, but Catherine managed to reconcile with the king, convincing him of her unwavering obedience to him and his beliefs. It was a shrewd move from a woman who had clearly learned from the fate of others who had walked that same road before her.

Many of her portraits reflect this fascinating duality between a docile wife and a free spirit. This Victorian-era portrait in the Palace of Westminster, commissioned as a set of Tudor-era royals, depicts a woman of dignity who, in my opinion, stands her ground.

The bright colours used in the painting may symbolise her pursuit of glory on her own terms – through meaningful words and unwavering faith.

Another version of this painting can be seen in the preparatory sketch shown below, on the left.

Preparatory Sketches of Katherine Parr and an Unknown Lady

These portrayals in the Parliamentary Art Collection are perhaps visually based on this one in the National Portrait Gallery, attributed to Master John, who was working in England in around 1544–1545.

In these portraits, Catherine remains recognisable and is depicted in bright colours. However, this is not how she is usually portrayed.

Catherine's links to Protestantism are emphasised in many of her portraits, where she is often represented as a pious, even austere figure of the Tudor period.

In the following eighteenth-century portrait, based on the most famous depiction of the queen, the red tones are noticeably darker than in the original. This artistic choice seems intended to present her as being more humble than she may actually have been.

In the following portrait, allegedly based on one by Hans Holbein the younger (and engraved under this attribution in the nineteenth century), Catherine's vibrancy is entirely stripped away. Here, she is depicted more like a nun or a devout Protestant woman, with nothing to even hint at her royal status.

Here she almost blends into the background, suggesting that her real achievement was merely surviving the king, rather than being recognised as a prolific female author of the sixteenth century. These portraits reflect how Catherine was perceived long after her death, revealing how her legacy has been reshaped and reinterpreted over time.

In contrast, the Firebrand film depicts Catherine as a free spirit who defied the conventions of her time and even opposed the king's will. In the movie, she is portrayed as much more than an obedient wife – as she likely was. Catherine had her own beliefs and desires, as her final marriage to Thomas Seymour demonstrated. She had never been in love with Henry and endured the union patiently, waiting for the moment when she could finally follow her heart.

Thomas Seymour (c.1508–1549), 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley

The truth is, Catherine's portraits are still being closely analysed to confirm whether they truly represent the woman she was.

For a long time, the portrait below was identified as that of an unknown woman. Some speculated it might represent Lady Jane Grey, another free-spirited, intelligent woman with a love for reading and writing.

More recently, however, a similar portrait was auctioned at Sotheby's as a depiction of Catherine Parr.

1544–1545, oil on oak panel attributed to Master John (active in England 1544–1545)

When viewed side by side, these two portraits clearly depict Catherine as a pious, poised and beautiful woman. The gestures of the hands are identical in both portraits, holding the jewels of the dress in the same way. Even the number of rings is the same – three on the left hand and two on the right.

What stands out, however, is that in the portrait auctioned at Sotheby's, the gems appear to be sapphires, while in the Seaton Delaval portrait, they seem to be rubies. Overall, the portrait owned by the National Trust, where the sitter wears rubies, depicts a far more vibrant queen.

Over the centuries, Catherine Parr has been reimagined in art, her image reshaped and her legacy reinvented. She was far more than the survivor queen who outlived Henry VIII – she was a writer with strong religious convictions. Firebrand portrays her in this light, even if it might go too far by depicting her as the murderer of her husband. Still, her vibrancy and advocacy for her own beliefs transcend such dramatic embellishments.

Together, these portraits represent the duality of her legacy: a balance between obedience and defiance, humility and vibrancy.

Estelle Paranque, historian and author

This content was funded by The Weiss Gallery