A bloated Henry V111 in his final years with a 54 inch waist, needing nine men and a mechanical device to get his 28 stone bulk aboard a horse, is not an intuitive role for the winsome Jude Law. But his performance in the movie Firebrand about Henry’s declining years is described as a show-stealer – incendiary, ruthless, revolting and boorish – so he clearly pulls it off.
Given that Henry brought about the split with Rome and set in motion the English Reformation as tr Pluto moved into Aquarius, two Pluto cycles ago, and tr Neptune was in final degree Pisces, he is a key historical figure. Law describes his character not as a great religious reformer but as ‘a gangster — a former golden boy who’s rotting’, symbolizing the downfall of a man who soared through life with great success, got drunk on power, abused it and fell.
Henry was born 28 June 1481 JC 8.45 am London, and had a Cancer Sun and two yods of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Midheaven Venus, and Uranus sextile his IC inconjunct Jupiter, with Jupiter opposition Neptune. His Jupiter was also in an impulsive, opportunistic square to Mars and trine Pluto as well as being on the focal point of a yod – supremely confident, though as ever with Jupiter it carries the seeds of its own downfall in excess, arrogance, hubris and carelessness. The upside of Jupiter is an ability to make a strong impact on society.
He did have a revolutionary Pluto square Uranus in his romantic 5th; and his Sun/Moon midpoint was conjunct his Midheaven which fits his reputation for multiple wives to promote his ends.
There is little to suggest any serious beliefs in his chart though Chiron in his 9th does suggest a wound around the subject of religion.
When the Pope’s refusal to grant him an annulment of his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon led to the split with Rome he was heading for his Uranus half Return, signalling his mid life crisis which often leads to impulse decisions. It was still in force two years later when he had the jousting accident that led to his deteriorating health. In his declining years tr Pluto in Aquarius was moving through his 6th house of health.
When the parting of the ways with Roman Catholicism came in 1534, on the England 11 May 973 JC chart, the Solar Arc Uranus was exactly conjunct the Taurus Sun Mars and heading to square the England Pluto so a history-changing moment. After Henry died he was succeeded by a Regency for the young prince Edward, then briefly by Mary and finally 11 years later on a Saturn Neptune conjunction (which favours women) in Taurus by Queen Elizabeth 1.
Jude Law, 29 December 1972 London maybe 6am, is a suitably regal Sun, North Node, Jupiter in Capricorn. His North Node and Jupiter are opposition Henry’s Cancer Sun – and his Pluto, like Henry’s is in Libra.
Lost comments:
From Jane:
“Jupiter opposition Neptune. His Jupiter was also in an impulsive, opportunistic square to Mars and trine Pluto as well as being on the focal point of a yod – supremely confident, though as ever with Jupiter it carries the seeds of its own downfall in excess, arrogance, hubris and carelessness. The upside of Jupiter is an ability to make a strong impact on society.”
Thanks Marjorie, fascinating to see this, plus the echoes of Pluto and Neptune in our own time. I’m always a fan of a ‘ghost’ chart too. And Henry VIII looms large (as well he might!) in our contemporary imaginations as Andre points out. He was the agent of chaos with the English Reformation, which had an enduring impact, raised a lot of money for Henry through the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and by 1536 removed numerous Catholic or quasi pagan high days and religious holidays from the annual calendar and the lives of ordinary English men and women. Less fun, more work and sober religious reflection was required. The less fun, more work/austerity message of the new government springs to mind here!
I notice that our approaching eclipses might have something to say this autumn – 25 Pisces and 10 Libra, next spring 23 Virgo and 9 Aries. Tr Saturn in Pisces, that lover of history, will also be involved next Spring.
Henry VIII – Mars 26 Virgo (plus aspects), Moon 10 Aries, Ceres 8 Aries Split with Rome – Sun 25 Pisces, Mars 23 Gemini. Chiron 8 Aries England 973 – Jupiter 23 Virgo Brexit Referendum Solar Arc (June 2024 on here) Nodes 22 Virgo, Jupiter 23 Virgo (Brexit natal has 8 Aries MC) I included Brexit because I felt that you could loosely compare it to the split with Rome, and find echoes of the ensuing chaos in society, divisions between fervent leave and remain camps, and so on.
I’ve always loved reading about Henry VIII and his wives. Very interesting astro on him Marj.
Well done. Most interesting character he was.
All of Henry’s worst behaviour occurred after his jousting accident on Jan 24 1536, including the executions of two of his wives, Cromwell, and many others. The accident rendered him unconscious for several hours and it seems likely he sustained a brain injury.
Interesting, transit Pluto conjunct his Saturn (opp Merc) at that time.
What is interesting about Henry VIII is how closely aspects of his life resembles that of his grandfather Edward IV born Rouen 28 April 1442 jul. Both started out as “golden boys” admired by contemporaries for their looks, valour and courtly manners. Each found themselves entangled in controversy due to marriage. In the latter stages of their reigns they both became bloated, paranoid figures who were quite capable of killing those around them.
It is fascinating that major astrological transits bring back a focus on historical figures who made their mark under similar stars in the past. There has been a focus on Henry VIII in books (e.g. Hilary Mantel), television and film which precedes Trump and the transit of Pluto in Capricorn but which lasted until the present. It is fitting that the last stage of Pluto in Capricorn would coincide with a movie about his declining years, drawing an eerie parallel with the probable Trump exit. Successful writers and screenwriters are tuned into the collective unconscious.
The Saturn-Neptune conjunction of 2026 is another indication, among many, that favors the election of Kamala Harris and the adoption of legislation reinstating or advancing the rights of women in the next two years.
One aspect of Henry VIII that is little understood today is his obsession with having a male heir. Establishing a secure succession was considered to be one of the prime duties of a monarch in the 16th century and this was particularly the case in England which had been riven by conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York in the last half of the 15th century. In addition Henry did not sit as secure on his throne as is often imagined as there was an ever present fear that Yorkist pretenders such as Richard De La Pole might try to overthrow him with foreign backing as happened on a couple of occasions to his his father Henry VII. This threat continued to be the case post Reformation when the Papacy excommunicated Henry inviting his subjects to rebel and foreign powers to invade England. This ever present danger definitely accounts for some of Henry’s paranoia.
By 1540, Charles de Marillac, the French ambassador, described Henry VIII as fearful, inconstant and ‘so covetous that all the riches in the world would not satisfy him’. According to Marillac, Henry’s inability ‘to trust a single man’ meant that ‘he will not cease to dip his hand in blood’
Thanks Marjorie. Are you suggesting that Trump will be the ‘Henry the 8th” of the beginning of this soon to be Pluto in Aquarius cycle? I’m sorry for my unofficial polls but my driver last night informed me that Trump was going to plant millions of trees but nobody brings it up because we’ve been conditioned to hate anything to do with Trump. He’s representative of many people that are kind of closet Trump supporters.Thanks again
I had to re-read Marjorie’s article. She doesn’t mention Trump at all. Maybe you read ‘incendiary, ruthless, revolting and boorish’ about Jude Law’s portrayal and his quote about HVIII as ‘a gangster — a former golden boy who’s rotting’, qualified by Marjorie as symbolizing the downfall of a man who soared through life with great success, got drunk on power, abused it and fell and immediately connected it yourself to Trump?
Why so many people in the US are conditioned to support Trump no matter what he does and says remains a baffling mystery to many people all over the world. But yes, he signed up to the global WEF One Trillion Trees initiative in October 2020, about 2.5 weeks before he lost the 2020 election. The Biden administration with the US Dept for the Interior and Dept for Agriculture actually made it happen and have continued to support it ever since along with many other countries all over the world. Maybe let your taxi driver know that this global initiative is actually happening, and yes Trump deserves some kudos for initiating US participation.
Marjorie. If Saturn Neptune in Taurus favours Women, although only the rich women, does that mean Saturn Neptune in Aries favours men? Particularly warlike males.
No The Neptune Saturn in whatever signs tends to favour women
Thanks Marjorie.
Is it me or is there quite a few people with Moon in Aries suddenly in the media? Maybe it is just that this morning I was looking at Bob Iger and got this impression somehow…