Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk wed Norfolk's other niece, Catherine Howard, as his fifth wife. As a result of this marriage, for a time, Norfolk enjoyed political prominence, royal favour, and material rewards. However, when Queen Catherine's premarital sexual indiscretions and her alleged adultery with Sir Thomas Culpeper were revealed to King Henry VIII by Archbishop Cranmer, the King's wrath turned on the Howard family, who were accused of concealing her misconduct. Queen Catherine Howard was condemned by a bill of attainder and was later executed on 13 February 1542. Several other members of the Howard family were sent to the Tower, including Norfolk's stepmother,
John Basset (1462–1528) wife Anne spent much time at court and received expensive presents from the King. She went on to serve three more Queens, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr. Despite Lord Lisle's arrest for treason in 1540, her sister Katherine Basset, and her mother eventually joined her at court. In 1542 Chapuys, the Imperial ambassador, reported that on the eve of Catherine Howard's execution, the king appeared besotted with Anne Basset, and that she was a possible sixth wife. This eventuality may have been ruined by Anne's own family as her sister Elizabeth Basset favoured the King marrying her