Catherine Parr was the queen of England from 1543 - 1547. Catherine and Anne of Cleves were the lucky two that outlived King Henry VIII. Although she’s one of the more forgotten wives, probably because her story is not as “sexy” as the first five, she was a fascinating figure in her own right. Catherine took a special interest in Henry’s children, Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, and helped with their education. We never would have had the reign of the great Queen Elizabeth I had she not lived―Catherine was instrumental in the passing of the Act of Succession (1543) that placed Mary and Elizabeth back in the line of succession. Catherine was a devout protestant and author—she published prayer books anonymously and later published “Prayers and Meditations” and “The Lamentation of a Sinner” under her own name. Catherine served as Princess Elizabeth’s guardian after the King’s death in 1547, serving a critical role during this period of Tudor transition.