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Henry VIII, the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, ruled England from 1509 to 1547. He married six times, leading to differences with the Roman Catholic Church, which prohibited divorce, thus forming the Anglican Church. The "father of the Royal Navy," he was known for his tyranny and extravagance.
The queen of England from 1533 to 1536, Anne Boleyn played an important role in the political and religious upheaval that led to the beginning of the English Reformation. She is widely regarded as the most important and influential queen consort of England. She was charged with adultery, incest, and treason and was executed by beheading in 1536.
H. G. Wells was an English writer. Although he was prolific in many genres, he is best remembered for his work on sci-fi novels, for which he is often referred to as the father of science fiction. His 1901 novel The First Men in the Moon became so influential that a lunar impact crater is named after him.
Brenda Blethyn is best known for her Golden Globe- and BAFTA-winning role in Secrets & Lies. She was also appreciated for her performances in the films Little Voice and Saving Grace, and the mini-series Anne Frank: The Whole Story. She has also performed on stage in Manchester.
Alan Watts was a British writer, philosopher, and speaker. He is credited with popularizing Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism in the Western world. A prolific writer, Alan Watts wrote one of Buddhism's first bestselling books, The Way of Zen. He also explored psychedelics and human consciousness in his works, such as The Joyous Cosmology and The New Alchemy.
Shane MacGowan is an Irish-English recording artist and vocalist. He is credited with co-founding popular bands, such as The Pogues and Shane MacGowan and the Popes. He is also known for his collaboration with artists like Sinéad O'Connor, Kirsty MacColl, and Nick Cave. In 2018, he was honored with the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award for creating inspiring music.
Kelly Holmes is a retired English middle-distance athlete who specialized in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters events. She won gold medals for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Beginning her career with the British Army, she turned to professional athletics in 1993. She took part in her final major championship in 2004.
David Frost was an English media personality, journalist, television host, comedian, and writer. One of the most popular television interviewers of all time, Frost interviewed eight British prime ministers and seven American presidents in office. His interview with Richard Nixon was adapted into a play and film. He also played a key role in the establishment of TV-am in 1983.
Rob Knox is best remembered as Marcus Belby from the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and had signed to reprise the role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. However, at 18, he was stabbed outside a Southeast London bar by a man named Karl Bishop and died.
English actor Pip Torrens is best known for his role in the Netflix drama The Crown. He studied acting at Drama Studio London and began appearing in low-budget movies and TV shows. Within a few years, he established himself as a talented character actor and started getting lead roles in major TV shows.
British actor Trevor Howard achieved stardom with his bit role of Alec in the romantic drama film Brief Encounter. He started his career with Shakespearean stage roles and then served as a paratrooper during World War II. His performance as Walter Morel in Sons and Lovers got him nominated for the Academy Award.
Marie of Romania was a descendant of Queen Victoria and born as the Princess of Edinburgh, before she married King Ferdinand I and became the last queen of Romania. A visual artist and a patron of the Art Nouveau movement, she was also a skilled equestrian and driver.
Milo Yiannopoulos is a British far-right public speaker, political commentator, writer, and polemicist. He often ridicules feminism, political correctness, social justice, and Islam through his writings and speeches. His comments have attracted criticisms, and he is permanently banned from Twitter and Facebook. Although he is openly gay, he advocates against homosexuality and takes part in straight pride parades.
Remembered as the principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, Francis Walsingham had initially followed in his father’s footsteps to study law. He fled after Mary Tudor came to power and returned when Elizabeth took over the throne. He later employed spies to counter Catholic conspiracies such as the Throckmorton Plot.
Herbert Baker was a British architect best remembered for shaping South African architecture during the 1890s and 1900s. He is also credited with designing some of the most notable government buildings in New Delhi. His work in Delhi, which includes the Parliament House and Viceroy's House, played a major role in establishing the city as the capital of British India.
Linda Smith was an English comedian who appeared regularly on Radio 4 panel games. She studied at the University of Sheffield. A lifelong socialist, she performed many benefit concerts to support various causes. She was popular for starring in her own Radio 4 sitcom, Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting. She died of ovarian cancer, at the age of 48.
