30 June 1541 – Henry VIII’s Progress to the North

On this day in history, 30th June 1541, Henry VIII and his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, set off on their royal progress to the North.

Royal progresses meant that the monarch and his consort to get out of London, away from the smell and disease of the summer months, and also show themselves to their people. This progress, though, had two other aims: for Henry to meet his nephew, King James V of Scotland, at York in September, and also "to emphasise the extent of his defeat of the Pilgrims [from the Pilgrimage of Grace] and the Percy interest, and to humiliate utterly all but the most clearly loyal elements".

You can find out all about this progress in my Claire Chats video Henry VIII's 1541 Royal Progress. Natalie Grueninger did an expert talk for us on Royal progresses and you can click here to view that.