Henry Grey

Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk and 3rd Marquess of Dorset, was born on 17 January 1517 in Westminster. He was the son of Thomas Grey and Margaret Wotton and a great-grandson of Elizabeth Woodville, queen to Edward IV. In 1533, he married his cousin Lady Frances Brandon, daughter of Mary Tudor, aligning himself closely with the Tudor royal family. He inherited the marquessate in 1530 and played roles at key royal ceremonies during Henry VIII's reign, including Anne Boleyn’s coronation and the capture of Boulogne. A committed Protestant, he promoted reform in Leicestershire and corresponded with European reformers like Heinrich Bullinger.

Under Edward VI, Grey joined the Privy Council and became Duke of Suffolk in 1551. He supported the marriage of his daughter Lady Jane Grey to Guildford Dudley and helped proclaim Jane queen in July 1553. After Mary I claimed the throne, he initially avoided punishment but later joined Wyatt’s Rebellion. Following its failure, he was convicted of high treason and executed on 23 February 1554. His mummified head was discovered in the 19th century and is believed to have been secretly buried by his widow to avoid public display.