Katharine of Aragon
History
Katharine was the youngest surviving child of Ferdinand II of
Aragón and Isabella I of Castille. She was born on 16 December 1485
in Alcalá de Henares in Spain. Katharine was the first wife
of Henry VIII. Henry annulled their twenty-four year marriage due
to her failure to produce a male heir. The divorce took place in
Dunstable and during this time Katharine stayed in Ampthill. She
refused to acknowledge their divorce and was banished to Buckden
Towers and later to Kimbolton Castle where she died on 7 January
1536 aged 50. Alcalá de Henares was twinned with Peterborough in
October 1986 following the 450th anniversary celebrations of
Katharine's burial in Peterborough Cathedral.
The 470th anniversary of the burial of Katharine of Aragón
2006
On 30 January 2006 a service commemorating the 470th anniversary
of the burial of Katharine of Aragón and the 20th anniversary of
twinning with Alcalá de Henares was held in Peterborough Cathedral.
Among the invited guests to the special event was the Spanish
Ambassador, Carlos Miranda, the Cultural Counsellor from the
Spanish Embassy and a representative from Alcalá de Henares. An art
competition was launched with portraits of Katharine of Aragón
painted by local schoolchildren. Pupils from several local schools
attended and performed during the service. This included choral
music, readings in Spanish, Tudor dancing, singing and music played
on xylophones. Members of Ampthill and Flitwick Drama Society also
attended wearing Tudor costume. The event was attended by 750
people, the largest attendance so far for this event.
Katharine of Aragon Tour October 2006 
In celebration of the 470th anniversary of Katharine's burial in
Peterborough Cathedral a special coach tour was organised visiting
other places in the local vicinity associated with Katharine of
Aragon, including Ampthill, Buckden Towers, Kimbolton Castle and
Peterborough Cathedral. The tour stopped for a Spanish style lunch
at the Sun Inn in Kimbolton. We are planning to organise another
coach trip next year to celebrate the 475th anniverary.
Tour of Buckden Towers
The tour ended with prayers by Katharine's tomb.
Katharine of Aragon Service 2010
In the morning guests attended a reception with the Mayor at the
museum and enjoyed an interesting talk about the history of
Peterborough's twin town and Katharine's birthplace
Alcala de Henares by the Hispanic Society of Peterborough and the
Mayor presented prizes to schoolchildren for entries in the
Katharine of Aragon art competition. Following the procession to
the cathedral, the main commemoration service involved the
participation of over 330 school children, with the return of Jane
Lapotaire and her stunning performance of Katharine of Aragon's
speech from the trial scene of Shakespeare's Henry VIII. School
children enjoyed Tudor workshops in the afternoon, and later
several schools joined a candlelight procession throuigh the
cathedral and past Katharine's tomb, where many children laid
flowers. This ws followed by a moving tribute to Katharine with the
reading of Katharine's last letter to Henry by Jane Bower. Many
stayed on for Vespers, with some beautiful choral singing by
Peterborough Cathedral Choir.