With the success of the trumped up charges against Anne's various "lovers" and Anne herself, why didn't Henry try to disown Elizabeth? If everyone was convinced Anne had been sleeping around, it should have been relatively easy to say Elizabeth wasn't his, and it would have gotten rid of a second unwanted daughter. Correct me if this is a stretch, but could Elizabeth's physical resemblance to the red haired Tudor clan in opposition to the Boleyn's and Howard's dark hair have made it difficult for anyone to believe she was anyone but Henry's child?
Thank you guys so much for your time and for all that you do here.
Henry VIII changed his mind about which of his marriages were legal marriages several times. Mary and Elizabeth were both decreed to be illegitimate at different times, but because the marriages of their parents were declared illegal, not because of any doubt about their paternity.
Henry VIII changes the succession laws several times to include or exclude Mary I and/or Elizabeth. When he died in 1547 the legal succession order was Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I - despite the fact that Mary and Elizabeth were still listed as of illegitimate birth.
This is one of the few times in history when the monarch of a major European realm and his parliament said that some of his children were both 1) of illegitimate birth, and 2) in line for the throne.
If Henry's illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy (1519-1536), Duke of Richmond and Somerset had survived he might have been included in the succession list.