Henry was born to a working class family in the township of Swansea where his father worked at a local metal fabrication plant like so many of the other young men in the town. For the most part his early life was fairly idyllic, dare one say normal? It was almost a throwback to simpler times. His father worked hard. His mother kept a neat home and young Henry was the cherished son of a very loving couple who hoped to expand their family as soon as possible. This was unfortunately not to be as the universe had other plans for them. One stormy night when Henry was just over a year old, his father James was on his way home after having worked a double shift. His car was struck by an oncoming lorry that had swerved to avoid another vehicle. He was killed instantly. After the death of her husband, Kathryn stayed on in Wales just long enough to get her late husbands affairs settled then returned with her son to her parents' home Irvington, New York. Henry has no real memories of his father, though he does have very vague memories of the time before his step-father entered his life.

One of Henry's earliest clear memories was of his mother bringing a man home to meet him. His name was Sebastian and he was kind enough to bring Henry some of his favourite sweets so he was just aces in Henry's book. What he didn't understand at the time was that man had just asked his mother to marry and she'd accepted. Over the next few months the man was around much more often and he regularly took Henry and his mother out to dinner and even accompanied the family to church some week ends. After a few months of these visits Henry's mother told him that they would be taking a trip to see where Sebastian lived. Until that moment Henry didn't realize that the man did not live nearby. He thought it would be a great adventure. It was his first trip to the city! What he did not realize was how soon and permanent his next trip to New York City would be. It was in fact less than a month before Henry was back in New York. He didn't quite understand exactly what had happened, just that this was his new home. There was a period of adjustment, but in the end Henry found his stride with his new father-figure. Though he never has gotten comfortable calling Sebastian 'dad,' he does introduce the man as his father. By the time Henry started elementary school he was preparing for another world changing event: HE was about to become a big brother. He hoped for a brother but he hid his disappointment well when he met his baby sister for the first time. Over the years there would be three more children added with Henry's longed for baby brother arriving a week before what Henry started his final year of high school.

Once he entered middle school Henry began to feel that education was very much a waste of his time. Even then he had no intention of attending university, though he kept this fact from his parents. He knew they expected that he would go to college, become a doctor or a lawyer then use his position to change the world. Young Henry hoped to change the world, but he wanted to do it through music. He had been given a kazoo in his Christmas stocking one year and decided that music was his life. Over the years he begged and begged to be allowed to take piano lessons like some of his friends at school but his parents felt that might distract him from his studies. He changed tactics and began to write his grandmother about his plight and focused instead on songwriting. He tried to form a band with some mates from school but most of the boys in his year were either into bubblegum pop or heavy rock and roll music, neither of which appealed to him. Ultimately Henry did well enough in school to get a few scholarship offers and with much convincing by his parents, he enrolled at NYU so he could stay close to his family. He knew he wouldn't like it but he also knew he wasn't quite ready to look for a job and start paying bills like a grown up. It turned out to be the best decision of his life.

He filled his schedule with courses that sounded interesting to him: Musical theory, drama, British literature and psychology. It was in his drama class that he discovered a talent for acting and in his psychology class that he discovered the man who would change his life. Just like Henry, Jacob was there at the convincing of his parents and he too had no intention of ever graduating. He told Henry was only killing time until his music career took off. This prompted Henry to admit his own musical aspirations and sparked a whole new conversation on the virtues of the unsung ukulele. They made fast friends and were soon putting music to the various lyrics that Henry had accumulated over the years.

Both boys dropped out of college after that first year much to the dismay of both sets of parents and moved in with some of Jacob's friends and got jobs to make ends meet. Between Henry's juggling and Jacob's various musical talents the two managed to make very modest living for themselves as a variety act. They mostly worked kids' parties, but there were more than a few big businesses that wanted to evoke a fun playful spirit at some gathering or another. On days off the two were trying to get their music to the masses and used every venue available to them. From open mic nights to open calls for club bands they did everything they could think of to get exposure. They were not above standing in subway stations with an open instrument case while Henry sang accompanied by Jacob on whatever instrument he brought out that particular day.

Against all odds it was actually one station concert that drew the attention of a gentleman with a mind to start a music label. He didn't have the capital to actually get it started, but he did have an eye for talent and the connections to help get them their first actual club gig. Until then, they had not bothered to name their band but after one very long night that involved much tequila and a copy of "Alice Through the Looking Glass" they decided on the only logical name and Rook Takes Queen was officially born. Over the next few years they played many clubs around the city, even went on a few club tours up and down the east coast. The gentleman who had started them on their course has still not quite managed to ever come up with the start up for his company, but the band doesn't mind. They are quite happy to just be a club band

The rest as they say is history, or it should have been. Henry never could quite shake the acting bug and on a lark he decided to go to an open casting call he saw advertised. He didn't expect anything to come of it, but he knew that he had to at least try it. They were looking for people who could act and sing. He landed a small part in a musical-drama called "Blackpool." From this came another very small role in a quirky semi-truthful movie based on a man impersonating a renowned director. It was fun, but he wasn't sure he would be able to manage both a music and acting career so his acting was put on the back burner as the band got offered a slot on a European tour with other bands from their label.

Upon his return from the tour Henry discussed his desire to continue acting with Jacob. The other man understood and encouraged his friend to pursue all of his dreams. Henry got himself an official agent and went on more casting calls between recording music. He was able to get a few recurring roles, but his availability limited him severely. Then came an offer that was just too good to pass up: His agent got him a meeting with the writers of Doctor Who. One of them had seen him in "Blackpool" and thought he might be just what they were looking for to fill one of the companion roles. There were no promises that it would be permanent, but there was much potential in the role. Henry was quite intimidated . He'd seen a few episodes of the reboot, and he knew how much the show meant to so many people. He almost turned it down but again, he was very glad he ignored his gut instinct and went for it.

These days Henry has found a way to balance his two careers and splits his time between Cardiff and London, depending on filming and recording schedules. He's come much further than he ever expected to and he couldn't be happier with his life.