Was Henry VIII really fanciable compared to other Tudor men?
The answer, at least up until his 40s, seems to be a resounding yes. Henry was tall, well-built and athletic in his youth. He loved sport and was charismatic, energetic and charming. He was also good-looking: a medal of his profile from c. 1525 by Lucas Horenbout shows his aquiline nose and strong jaw-line. The attractiveness of men’s bodies in the sixteenth century was described by the beauty of their legs and Henry VIII was widely renowned to have a fine calf!
