Peterborough Cathedral is getting ready to celebrate the life and legacy of one of Tudor England’s most influential queens, Katharine of Aragon.
Katharine of Aragon Festival 2026 – Peterborough Cathedral
The Katharine of Aragon festival takes place at Peterborough Cathedral – her final resting place – and is a partnership project with Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery.
The festival, which runs from 24th January to 1st February, celebrates her life and legacy with a packed programme of events alongside a range of drop-in, family-friendly activities and services.
And visitors are invited to attend a special Commemoration and Wreath Laying service, reflecting on Katharine’s faith, strength and legacy on Friday 30th January at 11am.
Other services on this day include Roman Catholic Mass at 8.30am, Vespers at 5.30pm and Compline at 9.30pm, part of the ancient Divine Office which would have once marked the end of the monks’ day here at Peterborough Abbey.
The tomb of Katharine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII’s six wives, draws many visitors to this day.
Born in 1485 in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, she was the daughter of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella.
Sent to England in 1501 to marry Prince Arthur, Katharine was widowed after just five months. She later married Henry VIII in 1509, but failed to produce a male heir, giving birth to six children, with only Mary I surviving.
Their marriage deteriorated when Henry sought to annul it to marry Anne Boleyn. After the Pope’s refusal, Henry split from Rome, declaring himself head of the Church of England.
Katharine was then exiled and died in 1536 at Kimbolton Castle. Her funeral at Peterborough Abbey was elaborate, but her tomb was later damaged by Cromwell’s troops.
Today, she is commemorated annually with a special Katharine of Aragon Festival (24th January – 1st February 2026) and visitors often leave pomegranates, her symbol, on her tomb.
For full programme details and timings including drop-in family craft events, visit Peterborough Cathedral and Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery websites:
Katharine of Aragon Festival 2026 – Peterborough Cathedral
Katharine of Aragon Festival 2023 – Museum & Art Gallery
