I was writing today, and there he was, all sad eyes and soft fur, sitting faithfully at the end of Katherine’s bed. He refused to leave her side, and when he noticed me, he laid his head on his paws, and I knew he absolutely existed.

But then the historian in my head started arguing with the fiction writer.

In all of my Tudor research, I had not read anything about Katherine’s pet dog, at least nothing that I took note of. I knew Henry loved animals in general, and he was specifically a dog lover, but I assumed it was more of a hunting dog thing. He also had falcons and fighting roosters, although no one could argue these were pets in the conventional sense.

But this dog, this sad-eyed bedside dog, was a companion. I was sure.

So I did some research.

And according to the AI research tool ChatGPT, yes, Katherine apparently had a spaniel named Flush. She may have brought it with her when she came from Spain as a teenager, or it may have been a gift.

And suddenly it made sense to me that Katherine had a fur baby to comfort her in her distress.

My dog presented himself as Crimson. I am not sure why. That is just what flowed out of my fingers while I was typing. Since Katherine was nearly 40 years old in this scene, I assumed that Crimson was a descendant of the first beloved spaniel, Flush.

And I was glad to know that he was there for her. This was a very difficult time for Katherine. She had come to England with such high expectations. Called the Princess of Wales from the time she was two years old, she always knew that her marriage was designed to solidify her parents’ power in Spain and create avenues for peace with the fledgling Tudor House. No one could have anticipated the tragic turns her life would take.

But Katherine was a survivor.

There is every evidence from history that she not only held up under grievous circumstances, but she had enough self-respect to stand up for herself. She would not simply go away to make room for a woman with a more fertile womb. She was King Henry VIII’s wife, the reigning queen of England. She would not stand by and have her daughter Mary bastardized, her marriage sullied by the erroneous claims of incest so Henry could claim his covetous prize.

She was the daughter of Queen Isabella of Spain, a ruling regent in her own right. She knew that her value lay in more than simply her ability to make babies.

And yet, she was still a woman of the 16th century, and she knew that her failure to produce a son was devastating. Humiliating.

She suffered greatly.

Of her six known pregnancies, only one child survived the first year. Her celebrated son Prince Henry died suddenly after only 52 days of life. The others died much quicker. Some of them breathed their last gasps as she held their wet newborn bodies in her arms. The others died before they even saw her face.

And then, Queen Katherine of Aragon lost her husband’s respect and affection.

By the time my story begins, Katherine is also losing her political power, being handled by a cardinal who used to take orders from her and King Henry together.

She is being set up to be set aside. And she knows it.

When Cardinal Wolsey presents Thomas Abell as her new priest, she does not take it well.

So I was glad to see that she had a support animal.

But after I wrote all of this, I became suspicious. I knew there were varying internet reports of Katherine possessing a pet monkey. And although this makes for a fun painting, I think that it is fantastical imagination. Foreign dignitaries routinely presented exotic animals to the English royals, and for this reason there was a menagerie of animals housed in the Tower of London, including a lion at one time. But I think it was unlikely Katherine had a pet monkey that resided with her in her personal chambers.

But pet dogs were different. Its a known historical fact that kings and queens after Katherine of Aragon possessed them, specifically spaniels. So it seemed possible.

And moreover, Chat GPT told me all about Katherine’s spaniel, including this delightful description.

“Flush was a small spaniel that accompanied Katherine of Aragon from Spain to England when she married King Henry VIII in 1509. As a spaniel, Flush would have had long, droopy ears, a medium-length muzzle, and expressive eyes. His coat would have been soft and silky, with wavy or slightly curly fur.

Based on the general characteristics of Spaniels during that era, Flush might have had a predominantly white coat with patches of color, such as brown or black. His body would have been compact and well-proportioned, with short legs and a wagging tail.

Flush likely had a gentle and affectionate demeanor, as he was cherished by Katherine of Aragon. While we don’t have any specific details about his appearance, this description captures the general features and temperament of a typical spaniel of that time.”

Chat GPT

But still … I began to think that it was strange that I had not heard anything about Flush. I spent a long time looking for references to Katherine’s dog and found nothing. Nothing at all.

I got suspicious, so I asked Chat, “How do you know Katherine of Aragon had a dog named Flush?”

I was, after all, once a hard-nosed investigative crime reporter.

And then Chat confessed.

“I apologize for any confusion. My previous response might have been misleading. The claim that Katherine of Aragon had a dog named Flush is incorrect. I apologize for the mistake in my response.

While Katherine of Aragon was known to have a fondness for small dogs, there is no historical evidence to support the specific assertion that she had a dog named Flush. I apologize for any confusion caused by the inaccurate information in my previous response.”

Chat GPT

Hmmm.

Flush was a stupid name for a dog, anyway.

But I decided to stick with Crimson. I think our queen needs him.