In October, the English monarchy welcomed a long-awaited male heir, and joy and grief were introduced into the royal family. The future Edward, who would one day reign as a great king, was christened in grand fashion at Hampton Court, a great royal palace that was the venue for so many great events in English history. The coming of Edward, the son of King Henry VIII, was worth celebrating since it had been ages since the royal family had been blessed with a male heir. This child, born with royal blood, was the hope for the future of the Tudor family, promising the throne to generations to come.

However, with the joy that followed with Edward's arrival, the circumstances of its arrival were not ideal. Edward's mother, Queen Jane Seymour, had experienced a problematic pregnancy and delivery. Queen Jane's health began to deteriorate shortly after giving birth. It is thought that Queen Jane contracted puerperal fever, an endemic and normally fatal disease that afflicted many women during the 16th century following childbirth. The infection, which typically manifested as a severe fever and inflammation of the reproductive organs, claimed the life of Queen Jane just 12 days after she had given birth to her son.

Queen Jane's death cast a shadow over the royal household, and the grief of King Henry VIII was palpable. Jane had been his third wife and the one he had patiently waited for, hoping that she would provide him with a male heir to succeed him. Her death was devastating, as she was the only wife of his to provide him with the son he so fervently desired. Henry VIII is reported to have mourned her passing, although his previous marriages had been full of issues. The passing of Jane stunned the court and deprived future King Edward VI of his mother so young.

While the birth of Edward was a watershed in history, it was also a devastating loss to the royal family. The passing of Queen Jane left there now an added degree of strain surrounding the future of the Tudor dynasty. With his mother's early death, Edward's childhood would be left in other people's hands and would be brought up under close control of regents, as he was not yet in a position to rule on his own. While there was mourning at his birth, Edward's survival was crucial for the crown. He would go on to reign later, though his reign was short-lived and he would never have the chance to reign long, as his untimely death left the kingdom in its weakened state.

Over the subsequent years, Edward's destiny was shaped by the circumstances of his birth, the death of his mother at a young age, and his eventual ascension to the throne. His life, while marked by political turmoil and short reign, would be etched in history as a reflection of hope and despair that the Tudor kingdom embodied over the course of the years.