Did England’s boy-king really tear his pet falcon to pieces?

In 1551, a foreign ambassador claimed that thirteen-year-old Edward VI, Henry VIII’s only son, plucked and ripped apart his own falcon, saying he was that bird “whom everyone plucked.”

Some at court swore it happened. Others called it lies.

Was this a violent outburst, a misunderstood symbol of royal power, or pure Tudor gossip?

Join me,  historian Claire Ridgway, as I unpack the evidence, the politics behind it, and what this strange rumour reveals about the young king determined to rule, not be ruled.

Listen to the end and decide for yourself: was Edward’s falcon moment real, or a tale that flew out of control?