00:00 The Six Wives of Henry VIII is a fascinating and enduringly fascinating subject that explores the biggest political and cultural break in England's history, with court politics, religious changes, and the lives of millions of people at stake.

05:34 Henry VIII, the King of England, is desperate to be taken seriously by the powerful rulers of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, and despite his comical and terrifying elements, he possesses charisma, power, and swagger, behaving and looking exactly as a king should, which is highly valued in the 16th century.

10:03 Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, is married off to him as a teenager in order to form an alliance against the powerful French, and despite being young and inexperienced, she initially thrives in her new role as queen.

14:43 After the death of her first husband, Catherine of Aragon falls into a deep depression, but eventually marries Henry VIII and they have a happy and lively court life together, although their failure to produce a male heir is seen as Catherine's fault.

19:23 Henry VIII becomes infatuated with Anne Boleyn, who represents a radical new understanding of Christianity and offers him a way to gain more power by challenging the authority of the Pope, leading him to decide to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne.

24:03 Henry VIII divorces Catherine of Aragon and marries Anne Boleyn after declaring himself in charge of the Church in England, leading to Catherine's retirement and eventual death, and the birth of their daughter Elizabeth.

29:04 Anne Boleyn suffers a miscarriage after Henry VIII sustains a serious sporting injury, leading to a series of quarrels and a falling out with Thomas Cromwell, ultimately resulting in Anne's execution.

33:31 Anne of Cleves, a German Protestant bride chosen by Thomas Cromwell for Henry VIII, is deemed inoffensive and fine by everyone except Henry, who is disappointed by her lack of beauty and never forgives her for an embarrassing encounter, leading to their annulment and Cromwell's downfall, but Anne manages to secure a good deal and stays in England for a while before running out of money.

37:59 Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, is pushed into marriage with him by her family, but it ends tragically when it is discovered that she had been unfaithful, leading to her execution.

42:33 Anne of Cleves is ranked as the fifth best contestant on Love Island by the podcast hosts, who believe her Protestantism and lack of knowledge about her would hinder her chances of winning.

46:55 Anne Boleyn is ranked as the most likely to have been a successful influencer and the fan favorite among the wives of Henry VIII.