Who plays Catherine Howard in Wolf Hall – and how old was she in real life?

She came to the attention of King Henry VIII after joining the household of his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, but quickly became viewed as a viable alternative when it became clear that the relationship was a complete non-starter.

There is debate over to what extent Catherine was used as a pawn by the Duke of Norfolk, although the writings of Hilary Mantel do appear to take a stance – and it isn't sympathetic to the slippery duke, who narrowly avoided the fate suffered by two of his nieces.

Read on for more about Catherine Howard, as well as who plays her in the Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light cast.

Who plays Catherine Howard in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light?

Catherine Howard is played by Summer Richards in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light.

The actor is a relative newcomer to the screen, with only Rob Lowe's ITV drama Wild Bill as an earlier television credit.

How old was Catherine Howard when she married King Henry VIII?

Catherine Howard was probably only 17 years old when she married King Henry VIII, who was at that time 49 years of age.

Alas, Howard's specific date of birth is unknown, and so it is possible that she could have been as old as 19 at the time of their wedding, but that would still mean a considerable age gap of three decades.

Adding to the enormous imbalance of power in the relationship was Howard's lack of education, having had a difficult upbringing due to her family's poor finances, largely caused by her father's gambling addiction.

Therefore, while she has been described as beautiful and charismatic, with a youthful lust for life that proved appealing to a rapidly deteriorating Henry, it is also said that she was naive and unintelligent – described as a "sweet fool" by Thomas Culpeper.

Culpeper was a close friend and courtier to the king, who it is alleged that Catherine may have had a relationship with during her marriage to Henry VIII, which at any rate proved to be a key element of her fall from grace and execution.

Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law Lady Rochford was also brought down for her involvement in the affair, after confessing to keeping watch for the young queen during her adulterous meetings with Culpeper.

As referenced in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, one theory for Catherine being married off at such a young and vulnerable age is that her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, saw it as a chance for their family to regain the influence they had during the years of Anne Boleyn (another of his nieces).

It was Norfolk who initially secured a place for Catherine in the household of then-queen Anne of Cleves, but nevertheless, not everyone agrees that his motive was getting her on the throne.

Ultimately, as Catherine, Lady Rochford and Culpeper faced execution amid the collapse of the ill-judged marriage, the Duke of Norfolk avoided that fate by throwing them under the bus and claiming no part in any conspiracy. What a class act.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light airs Sundays on BBC One and iPlayer.

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