PLACE NAME
Catherine of Aragon (December 16, 1485 – January 7, 1536) was Queen of England from June 1509 until May 1533 as the first wife of King Henry VIII. She is likely honoured here on account of her links with nearby Richmond Palace. In 1509 Henry and Catherine celebrated their first Christmas as king and queen at Richmond, and a year later it was the centre of great celebrations once again after the couple’s first son, Henry was christened there. Sadly though the boy died only a month later. By 1525, frustrated by the lack of a son and heir, Henry had fallen for Anne Boleyn and was seeking a divorce from Catherine. He discarded Richmond Palace in favour of Hampton Court which he had secured from Cardinal Wolsey upon his execution for having failed to secure a quick divorce for the king. Thereafter the palace became a home for discarded queens, Catherine moved there along with her daughter Mary, who would later become Mary I while Henry courted and married Anne. It was later given to his fourth ex-wife, Anne of Cleves, as part of their divorce settlement. There used to be a Katherine Street here connecting Arragon and London Roads.
