Question: Why does everyone call Jonathan R-M 'Harry'? Isn't he Henry VIII?
Question: Henry VIII was over 300 pounds through much of his reign. Why was Jonathan Rhys Myers not padded more realistically to portray him?
Answer: While he was obese for much of his life, Henry VIII didn't gain significant weight until after the death of Jane Seymour when he fell into a deep depression and succumbed to the pain of a leg injury he obtained from a jousting accident. He should've been heavier but he wasn't obese for his whole life, especially during his younger years. He was known to be 210 pounds, standing at 6'2", and to have a 32" inch waist for much of his life.
Answer: Although the series claimed to be historically accurate, there were many factual discrepancies throughout, including the extent of Henry's physical health and morbid obesity. As to why this was changed, the creators apparently felt they could better dramatize the story with a more physically fit and mobile Henry. In the real Henry VIII's later years, he was so incapacitated by weight and other maladies, that he literally had to be carried around by attendants.
Answer: While Harry can be a given name, it is also a standard "informal" version of the name Henry. For example, in the UK Royal Family, the younger son of Prince Charles, officially named Prince Henry, is commonly referred to as Prince Harry.
Tailkinker ★