Inspired by Katharine Parr
Notes: iris flower, precious resins, white oud, ink + old books
The king who married Katharine Parr was a far cry from the young man of 18 who had married Katherine of Aragon. At 51 and in poor health, he was often bedridden and more often cranky. (If someone who can have you executed can really be described as cranky.) Twice-widowed and in love with another man, she wouldn’t have chosen to marry Henry, but the choice wasn’t hers. Her graceful concession to his desire and equally graceful navigation of a dangerous time in the Tudor court had long lasting effects on history.
Educated, devout, and diplomatic, Katharine Parr may have been Henry’s most successful wife. She reconciled him to his children and was particularly close to Elizabeth, who was 11 years old at the time of their marriage. During her four years as Elizabeth’s stepmother, Katharine acted briefly as regent, sidestepped a political attack that almost got her executed, and wrote multiple books, all while keeping the cantankerous Henry as content as possible. She essentially provided her young stepdaughter a map of how to navigate court as a woman in power. She finally married for love just months after Henry’s passing, causing a court scandal. Her book of devotion, considered too political during Henry’s lifetime, was published. Katharine’s time after Henry’s death was happy enough, but all too brief. Only a year and a half after her fourth and final marriage, Katharine Parr gave birth to her first child and died just days later of puerperal fever, the same illness that took Jane Seymour and many other women of the time. Even in death, she left her mark on history — hers was the first Protestant funeral of a royal in English history.
Inspired by the sophistication of Katharine Parr, a beautiful accord of iris and white oud pairs with the precious resins that represent her faith. Underlying it all is the warm, slightly vanillic smell of old books and the deep black scent of ink. Perfect for someone who likes their fragrances elegant and unusual.
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