Why is Henry VIII an important English monarch?

Okay, let's dive into why Henry VIII's break from the Church of Rome is so significant. Before Henry VIII, England was a Catholic country, under the authority of the Pope in Rome. Henry, however, wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, in order to marry Anne Boleyn, hoping for a male heir. The Pope refused to grant him an annulment. So, Henry took matters into his own hands. In the 1530s, he passed a series of Acts that effectively separated the Church of England from papal authority. He declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England, a move that had massive religious, political, and social consequences. This event is a key part of the English Reformation. While he didn't initially change many religious doctrines, this break paved the way for further Protestant reforms in England later on. So, while he didn't re-establish the Catholic Church, or establish the RAF (which came much later!), his split from Rome is the defining reason he's considered such an important monarch.