Plus: The Best Movies on Netflix this Month
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s impending return to the UK, six years after they exited their roles as working royals, for a life in Montecito, was undoubtedly one of the biggest stories of the week. Still, I find myself here, on a summer Friday afternoon, totally fascinated by a tale dating back hundreds of years. So before the weekend officially begins, let’s go back, waaaay back, to the days of King Henry VIII.
We’ll begin in 1539, when King Henry VIII allegedly agreed to marry Anne of Cleves after seeing her face in a portrait painted by Hans Holbein the Younger. But upon meeting his soon-to-be fourth bride in person, he apparently declared, “I like her not! I like her not!” giving way to the pervasive myth that he was tricked into marrying Anne based on the painting (one can only imagine how he’d fare today in the age of AI, FaceTune, and filters). Could there be any truth to this catfishing narrative that seems to have existed for all these years? And where did it actually come from? Fast-forward to the present day, where Vanity Fair’s Eva Wolchover embarks on a mission to find out.
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MAGGIE COUGHLAN
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
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The concept of a catfish, a person who assumes a fake identity online, became popularized with the 2010 documentary Catfish, and the critically acclaimed television show of the same name that came out two years later. But, if left to the former king of England, Henry VIII, the first case of catfishing started with Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife.
Rumor has it that King Henry VIII was tricked into marrying his fourth wife after seeing her beguiling portrait, but it may have been a clash of personalities and cultures that doomed their union from the start. Read more
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HOLLYWOOD
By Chris Murphy
The actor chats with Vanity Fair about his Emmy-nominated series Bait, whether he’s scuttled his chances of being cast as the next James Bond, and how he learned to own his name. Read more
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MUSIC
By Abigail Sylvor Greenberg
The 24-year-old Groupon heir’s debut single, “Boston,” was a TikTok ear worm. Fresh off her performance at Lollapalooza and ahead of the release of her new album out Friday, the singer talks to VF about staying authentic, skeptics be damned. Read more
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ROYALS
By Katie Nicholl
When Prince Harry and Meghan return to the UK, they’ll maintain their status as private individuals and nonworking members of the royal family. But a source tells Vanity Fair that Prince William is worried that could change. Read more
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By Aidan McLaughlin
In public, White House press office staff are belligerent toward members of the media, hurling insults and invective. But in private? They’re cordial, efficient…even charming. Reporters fear what’s next. Read more
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