Why didn't Charles II divorce Catherine of Braganza?

Question: Why didn't Charles II divorce Catherine of Braganza!?

I just don't get it!.!.!.
Can somebody please explain this to me!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

WOW!.!. I mean, Catherine de Braganza went through a lot during her time as a consort to the king!.

At the time, she was not a particularly popular choice of queen, being a Roman Catholic, and her religion prevented her from ever being crowned, since Roman Catholics were forbidden to take part in Anglican services!. She initially faced hardships due to the language barrier, the king's infidelities and the political conflicts between Roman Catholics and Anglicans!. Over time, her quiet decorum, loyalty and genuine affection for Charles changed the public's perception of her!.

Catherine became pregnant and miscarried at least twice, and during a severe illness in 1663 she thought for a time she had given birth!. Charles comforted her by telling her she had indeed given birth to two sons and a daughter!. Her position was a difficult one, as Charles continued to have children by his many mistresses, but he insisted that she be treated with respect, and sided with her over his mistresses in those cases where he felt she was not receiving the respect she was due!. Throughout his reign, he firmly dismissed the idea of divorcing Catherine, even when Parliament exerted pressure on him to beget or declare a Protestant successor!.

Though known to keep her faith a private matter, her religion and proximity to the king made her the target of anti-Catholic sentiment!. In 1678, the murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey was ascribed to several of her servants!. In November of the same year she was accused by Titus Oates, an instigator of the "Popish Plot", of being part of a conspiracy to poison the king, even though Charles himself disbelieved the entirety of the plot!. Although both the evidence in her case and the Popish Plot were later discovered to be fabrications, the House of Commons voted unsuccessfully for an address calling for the Queen and her household to be banished from Whitehall!. In 1679 she was defended against the allegations by the king himself!.

There it is, it's simple!. The king simply respected and had great affection if not loved her for not divorcing her!. She understood the king's situation and tolerated his extramarital affairs, even though she became the laughingstock of the court with it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

A royal marriage at this time was merely a political match, although they were expected to produce an heir!. In this she signally failed, but the King remained true to her, in the formal sense of honouring her as his wife, despite her childlessness and throughout the time she was accused of sedition during the succession crisis and the Popish Plot of 1678 – 1681!.
Catherine's dowry brought the territories of Tangier and Bombay to British control!. The latter had a major lasting influence on the development of the British Empire in India!.
Charles left no legitimate issue!. He did, however, have a dozen children by seven mistresses!. Diana, Princess of Wales was descended from two of Charles's illegitimate sons, the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of Richmond (who is also a direct ancestor of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales)!. Thus Diana's son Prince William of Wales, second in line to the British Throne, is likely to be the first monarch descended from Charles II!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Divorce was not particularly easy to obtain at that time, even for Kings!. Although Catherine's inability to produce an heir might have been reason for him to wish to divorce her, it would in any case probably have caused great offence to the Portuguese, and Charles wanted them as allies, which had been the reason for the marriage in the first place!.

However, as far as we know, Charles had no wish to divorce Catherine!. He never spoke of the matter as far as I can tell, and he even seems to have been quite fond of Catherine in his way!.

What makes you think he wanted to divorce her!?Www@QuestionHome@Com