On 30 April 1555, England rejoiced over news of the birth of a royal infant. Bells rang, bonfires were lit and there were celebrations in the street, following reports that Mary I had given birth to a healthy son. In reality, there was no boy and, eventually, any hope of Mary bearing a child faded. What was thought to be a royal pregnancy ended in sadness, humiliation and political turmoil. This was the phantom pregnancy of Mary I.
To understand just why this was so important to the nation, we need to go back to 19 July 1553, the day Mary Tudorappropriate male heirs to the throne, Henry VIII's oldest surviving child became Queen of England – and a Catholic queen at that.
