Christopher Haigh, a lecturer in history at Christ Church College, Oxford, said: ‘This rape incident is not something I am aware of at all — I have never heard of it before. I think the action would be quite out of character for Henry.’
Miss Bonham Carter admits the rape depiction will shock viewers and says it was difficult to film.
‘That was a pretty unpleasant scene, as it brought home just what a monster Henry could be,’ she said.
Henry VIII, a £6million two-part series, starting on ITV1 on Sunday at 9pm, tells the story of the monarch and his six wives. It begins when he casts aside his first spouse, Catherine of Aragon, for Anne.
Writer Peter Morgan said: ‘Plenty of historians will find what we have done scandalous. But I’m aiming to stimulate greater interest in history, rather than to score points with a particular version of events.’
‘The idea of the “gangster king” very much informs the piece,’ he added. Andy Harries, controller of drama at Granada, says Henry VIII is partly inspired by Channel 4’s Mafia series The Sopranos.
Last month, another ITV historical dramatisation, Boudica, was criticised for a scene where the queen’s daughters were raped in front of her.
