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Tudor-themed fun marks Katharine of Aragon's life

Shariqua Ahmed
BBC News, Peterborough
Peterborough Cathedral Two performance artists dressed in costumes from the Tudor era. A man is wearing a white long dress and a red gown with a black velvet hat. The woman beside him is wearing a black and red dress and a headpiece. They are both smiling at each other and standing in front of a cathedral. Peterborough Cathedral
Tudor-themed events are being organised to mark the Katharine of Aragon Festival in Peterborough

A city cathedral said it planned to host its "biggest ever" festival to honour Katharine of Aragon, the Queen of England who was the first of Henry VIII's six wives.

Peterborough Cathedral said the annual celebration to commemorate Katharine, who was buried at the church on 29 January 1536, will start on Wednesday.

The festival will host events such as embroidery workshops and tours around the tombs of Katharine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots with guides in Tudor dress.

The Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, the Very Reverend Chris Dalliston, said he will lead a commemoration service and wreath laying ceremony at Katharine's tomb, accompanied by school pupils, on Friday.

Peterborough Cathedral Katharine of Aragon's tomb. It has fruit, flowers and a picture in a frame laid on it, and gold lettering above it that reads: " Katharine Queen of England"Peterborough Cathedral
The Katharine of Aragon Festival is being held between 22-29 January at Peterborough Cathedral

Katharine died in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, on 7 January 1536 and Henry VIII ordered that she be buried at Peterborough Abbey.

The cathedral has organised six talks as part of the exhibition, which have proven "popular with most of the tickets sold out in person", a spokesperson said.

They added that an immersive Tudor banquet experience will also be part of the festival's events.

On 13 January the cathedral announced it might have to start charging visitors to keep the church running, as it needs to raise £300,000 by the end of March.

Among other measures to make itself more financially viable, the historic site has considered reducing its opening days and cutting down on the number of community programmes it hosts.

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