What is the ‘Queen Catherine’ curse Princess Kate is warned about?

When Prince William eventually becomes King, his wife Princess Kate will become the sixth Queen Catherine in British history.

However, an author has highlighted the unfortunate fates of the previous Queen Catherines, issuing a warning for Kate's future role.

In the new book The Catherine Code, author Bob Casey reveals how Kate's five royal predecessors with the name Catherine were "ill-fated and often ill-treated by their husbands."

The first Queen Catherine was Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. She was married first to Prince Arthur, Henry VIII's older brother who died young.

She then wed Henry VIII himself, but only produced one surviving child, Mary I. Henry divorced her after she failed to deliver a male heir, leading to her banishment and death.

Another tragic Queen Catherine was Henry's fifth wife, Catherine Howard. She married the King at just 17 after being sexually abused by her music teacher. But her past relationships were discovered by Henry, resulting in her execution at 19.

Henry's sixth wife Catherine Parr outlived him but still fell victim to the "curse", dying in childbirth a year after remarrying following Henry's death.

Centuries later, Catherine of Braganza married King Charles II but faced false accusations of plotting to poison him by Protestant extremists angry she hadn't produced an heir. Charles exonerated her of the charges.

When Prince William takes the throne, Kate will become the newest Queen Catherine. Kate’s fans hope she avoids the tragic fates of her regal namesakes and forges a happier legacy for the name.