How did Henry VIII’s claim to lead the Church of England affect his relationship with Pope Paul III?

Henry VIII’s decision to declare himself the supreme head of the Church of England led to a definitive break in his relationship with Pope Paul III. While an earlier sentence of excommunication against the English king had been suspended under Pope Clement VII, Paul III ultimately moved to formalize the separation.1

In 1538, Pope Paul III excommunicated Henry VIII, a decision driven by the king's defiance of papal authority, which included his self-appointment as the leader of the English church and his pursuit of an annulment from Catherine of Aragon that the papacy had refused to grant. This act of excommunication served as a formal response to Henry's challenge to the Roman Catholic Church and his role in initiating the English Reformation.213