The marriage required papal dispensation, since according to canon law it was illegal for a man to take his deceased brother's wife, as it would be considered a sin. However, Katherine testified that her marriage to Arthur had never been consummated, and therefore was not a true marriage. Because of this, the Pope gave his permission for Henry to take her as his bride, and on 11 June 1509 (just after Henry VIII took the throne), the two were married in an intimate ceremony at Greenwich Palace.
According to the Calendar of State Papers of Spain, the marriage vows at this wedding went something like this:
“Most illustrious Prince, is it your will to fulfil the treaty of marriage concluded by your father, the late King of England, and the parents of the Princess of Wales, the King and Queen of Spain ; and, as the Pope has dispensed with this marriage, to take the Princess who is here present for your lawful wife?
The King answered : I will.
Most illustrious Princess, (etc.) - The Princess answered : I will.”
Katherine was very much still a beauty at this time, and Henry VIII was in his prime, and considered one of the most handsome men in Christendom. He was tall (over 6ft), long-limbed, athletic, and kind. He was, in short, the ideal husband for any woman of high birth, and Katherine must have expected a bright future with him - now the second Tudor for her to marry.
Although we, of course, know how this marriage would end in twenty-four years, it must have been an exciting day in 1509, if not a little nerve-wrecking for Katherine, who was now not only marrying the Prince of Wales, but the King himself. Right after this wedding, Henry would begin making plans for his double coronation with his wife, where they would officially be crowned the King and Queen of England together. At this point, Henry looked forward to changing England for the better and enjoying a long and happy life with his love, Katherine.
Happy Anniversary!