Such care had been taken to protect both the queen and her unborn baby, that news that Catherine's father, Ferdinand of Aragon, had died on 23 January, was kept from her as a precaution against the risk of premature delivery or stillbirth. His death occurred while she was already resting and preparing for birth during her formal confinement in her palace apartments, and when labor began on 17 February, Catherine's ladies and attendants would have known that, at the very least, the baby would be delivered at the correct time - thankfully, not prematurely.
Catherine called upon the expert medical care of a Dr. Vittoria to perform her child's delivery - which was somewhat unusual, as men were typically strictly forbidden from the birthing chamber, and the delivery of babies was left to the care of experienced midwives. It is unclear exactly what role Dr. Vittoria played in this birth - was he actively assisting Catherine at her bedside, or instructing from a distance so as not to breach protocol? We can't know for sure.
At least, Catherine's successful pregnancy and birth provided proof that she could go on to have more healthy children - and the next time, it would surely result in a son.
Mary would be christened a few days later at the Church of the Observant Friars, while Catherine recovered from the birth. The infant princess was soon placed in the care of a wet nurse, Katherine Pole, who nursed Mary for the first two years of her life. Also in her household were at least four cradle-rockers and a laundress. This intimate 'court' surrounding the baby princess would have proven to be closer and more family-like than even her relationship with her own parents as she moved out of babyhood and into her toddler years.
While Mary's every need was seen to, Catherine and Henry would continue to attempt to grow their royal family, with fervent hopes of their long-awaited son. However, this would never come to pass. We know of only one further pregnancy for certain, resulting in a premature daughter on 10 November 1518, who died within a few hours. A son was not to be for Henry and Catherine, but he would find his first glimmer of hope that he could, in fact, successfully father a son - when his mistress Bessie Blount gave birth to a boy in 1519. This lack of male issue would be the primary factor in Catherine's dismissal from Henry's life - resulting in his second marriage to Anne Boleyn - in the early 1530s. Mary, as we know, would exceed her father's expectations and inherit the English throne in 1553, becoming the first Tudor queen.
- Borman, Tracy, The Private Lives of the Tudors (New York, 2016)