Catherine Howard – flighty, young, and oversexed – should never have married a doddering old king. That was her first mistake. Giving in to her passions was the second. She didn't have enough time to make a third: her date with the executioner took care of that.
In its own way, Howard's story may be the most tragic of the six queenly lives since she was betrayed by her libido and immaturity, not her own savvy craftiness. Indeed, while it was quite wretched in many ways, the cable miniseries "The Tudors" came to life when it explored the tale of Henry's most dim-witted spouse.
"Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII" by David Starkey, a familiar face from British documentaries, doesn't devote much space to Howard in its 852 (!) pages, but does provide helpful background about this "good-time girl" who, like many of that type, "was also warm, loving and good-natured."
